Alpine Club: Ontario Rock

ROCK
CLIMBING

Ontario Climbing

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Indoor climbing gyms

Keene Farm

Rock Climbing: Nearby in the US

The Adirondacks

Some six or seven hours' drive from Toronto, the Adirondacks in upstate New York are a pleasant long weekend destination in the summer and especially the fall. The Montreal Section of the Alpine Club has a cabin in Keene Valley for use by members of all sections (see here for further information, or else contact the Montreal Section). The Adirondacks offer a great variety of climbing, including short, hard routes on the Beer Walls; traditional multi-pitch classics on the Chapel Pond Slabs and at Poke-O-Moonshine; remote alpine-style routes on Wallface; and hiking and backpacking throughout the area.

The Shawangunks

A brisk seven-and-a-half hours' drive from Toronto (now that the speed limit on the NY State Thruway is 65 mph), the Gunks are a climbing area of world reknown. The rock is impeccable quartzite and is often festooned with wonderful incut holds that make even the wildest and most improbable of overhangs surprisingly climbable. A bastion of traditional climbing, there is no sport climbing and little top-roping to be found at the Gunks. Although the moderate classics often have line-ups, anyone prepared to lead 5.9 or harder on natural gear will have no difficulty finding good routes to climb, even on the busiest of holiday weekends.

Other nearby and not-so-nearby areas

For those prepared to drive up to twelve hours from in search of climbable rock, there are several other possible destinations. The White Mountains of New Hampshire offer classic multi-pitch granite at Cathedral Ledge, Whitehorse Ledge and Cannon Cliff. In West Virginia, Seneca Rocks offers traditional climbing reminiscent of the Gunks, albeit on a smaller scale. Also in West Virginia, the New River Gorge is one of the major sports-climbing areas in North America, as well as providing many traditional routes. The Red River Gorge in Kentucky is another popular sport-climbing destination.

Last Modified: December 13, 1999