Northern Faces

Shasa Alexandriw

Shasa Alexandriw moved to Thunder Bay from Schomberg, Ont., for school six years ago and decided to stick around for the outstanding rock climbing and community. The first gym she ever climbed at was Of Rock and Chalk in Newmarket, the hometown of many of Canadian climbers including Sonnie Trotter and Sarah Hart. Alexandriw is currently the manager at Boulder Bear climbing gym in Thunder Bay and one of the area’s top climbers. We touched base with her as the rock climbing season was winding down.

What’s it like being the manager of Boulder Bear?

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet deal. I’m super fortunate to be able to work at Boulder Bear and have an employer like Dallas Markall [a longtime Ontario climber and route developer]. Thanks to Dallas and my time at the climbing gym, I’ve been able to complete my cgi 1 & 2 and trci with the acmg. I’m lucky because I get to come and train by myself when the gym is closed. Dallas helped me learn how to set, which has become a new passion, and since we are the only two setters at Boulder Bear, there’s always lots of stripping and setting to be done. I get to instruct outdoor camps and groups. Also, for the first couple of years of working there, I was given the opportunity to independently coach and create my own lesson plans for our youth and adult climbing programs. I’m now assisting Dallas with coaching the comp team, which gives me a chance to not only coach athletes that are at a higher level, but to learn more about climbing training.

How much has COVID-19 affected the gym?

We had to completely shut down for a few months, which meant, like most small businesses, we took a bit of a hit financially. We were fortunate that we were able to run summer camps with no major changes to the programming. As the weather begins to turn, the birthday party bookings are starting to pick up again and hopefully our members will start to return as the outdoor season comes to an end.

What’s been your favourite comp in the past few years?

My favourite comp would have to be the ones hosted by Vertical Adventures in Winnipeg. I’d say Boulder Bear’s, but I don’t get to compete in the Boulder Bear comps anymore because I set for them. The Winnipeg comps are always a good time. They’re similar to Boulder Bear’s in the sense that they’re thrown just for fun and to bring the community together. Everyone is always so friendly when we go and it’s nice to climb routes that I haven’t set. I’d have to say, though, that the Ontario Climbing Federation comps have some great sets that challenge me.

Do you miss training for comps?

I do, a lot. I really enjoy training, but right now, with the outdoor season ending and no foreseeable comps, I’m finding it hard to find the motivation to train.

Will you resume competing when they’re back?

Yes, I will most definitely be competing when they’re back. I love competing and pushing myself and seeing how much progress I’ve made as an athlete after each comp.

Has Thunder Bay ever had a climbing comp?

Boulder Bear has hosted a comp every year since we’ve been open. Our local camp is known as the Hibernation Throw Down. It’s a fun comp we put on for our community. It’s always a lot of work

to put together, but it’s worth it to see the climbing community come together and enjoy themselves for a day of fun and climbing.

What kind of training do you do at peak comp season?

During boulder season, a lot of my training is focused on building power, where as in difficulty season, it’s more about endurance. My training sessions are usually about four to five hours a day and cycle three days on, one day off. It eats up a lot of time, but it’s worth it, especially when you start seeing results.

Who else in Thunder Bay is keen on comps these days?

Other than myself, there’s Dallas Markall’s daughter, Taryn, who has competed at a national level and is on a similar training program to me. Then there’s a handful of girls from our competitive team who train three times a week. Abigail Fawcett is tiny but mighty, with a lot of fight in her when it comes to climbing. There’s also Beatrix Sharman and Annika Holmstrom, who both competed at a provincial level this past year.

What’s been a focus for you outdoors?

I primarily focus on sending hard grades, and a major focus this past summer was to get over my fear of outdoor leading and climb difficult climbs on lead. I was surprisingly successful in that goal, so I’m super proud of myself.

Any projects for the fall and next spring?

I’m hoping to get on Courage Highway, an all-bolted four-pitch 5.11 in Orient Bay, by the end of this outdoor season or at the start of next year. There are also a few projects at Claghorn I have my eye on. I got a chance to play on a couple of 5.13s there this past summer and hope to have more time come spring to work them a bit. [The 5.13s at Claghorn were established by Nick Rochacewich from Newmarket. He established Convinience 5.14 in the Bow Valley this summer.]

What would you tell climbers about the scene in Thunder Bay?

Thunder Bay is a hidden gem. Everyone should make a trip here to climb. There’s a ton of climbing around here that almost no one from out of town seems to know about. We are beyond spoiled.

If you could visit anywhere for rock climbing right now, where would you go?

There are so many places I want to go, but I’d have to say either New Zealand, because it’s absolutely gorgeous, or El Potrero Chico. El Potrero was the first place I ever went on a climbing trip, so I’d love to go back and try routes that I didn’t get a chance to do or finish (like Time Wave Zero 5.12), now that I have more experience and have developed more as a climber.—gripped