10 Must-Climb Hard Routes

Northwestern Ontario is one of Canada’s ice climbing hot spots. The f irst routes were climbed 40 years ago and new routes are found every ice season. It’s the geology of the landscape that has created the hundreds of ice routes. The mountains of the area are composed of tough igneous rocks. The soft sedimentary stone between the ancient hardened magma f lows have eroded to expose cliffs up to 150 metres. With lush forest at the top of the cliffs, high-volume water f lows seep down cracks, chimneys and down walls and gullies.

Many climbers know of the mountain ranges in the Rockies and Laurentians, but few know the names of the ranges around the north shore of Lake Superior. All of the mountain ranges of northwestern Ontario are collectively called Tablelands. They formed over millions of years and countless glacier cycles. Below are some recommended ranges for ice climbing and a handful of ice routes that are popular in each range.

The Nor’Westers are a mountain range south of Thunder Bay. Steep walls rise f rom the hilly l and for about 100 metres and are topped with large f lat tops. The prominent peaks are Mounts McKay, McRae, Rose, Hurlbert, Johnson, Godfrey, Matchett, McQuaig and Squaretop. Loch Lomond drains the range into the Loch River. There are dozens of highquality ice routes in the area. Lost Falls is a 30- metre WI4 near the Lost Falls rock climbing area. Like most ice routes in the area, the ice is often tinted yellow and there are unusual ice features formed by wind called umbrellas. Along Brule Bay is the three-pitch Alpine Outing WI4 and t wo-pitch April Showers WI3. There is a modern two-pitch M9 WI6 called Next Generation that overlooks the icy Lake Superior. The classic testpiece routes are Child’s Play WI6 and