Funemployed is New Two-Pitch Northern Ontario Mixed Route

Dave Rone and Aric Fishman established a new two-pitch mixed route on the imposing School House Wall in the Ice Palace Area of Orient Bay, north of Nipigon and Lake Superior.

The pair completed Funemployed M8- after four days of work over three weeks.  The first pitch is a 40-metre M7 and shares a 10-metre ice pillar with Professional Businessmen M8 and then traverses up and right to a bolted belay.

“Cool pitch,” said Rone. “Steep ice and then we got to really bend the picks cranking on horizontal tool placements while stepped from edge to edge on the traverse. And then thin face climbing to a squeeze chimney at the end, I love it!”

The second pitch is a 25-metre M8- that goes through a one-metre roof to a left-facing corner and a bolt below an overhang.

“Yeah, it blanks out in that corner. On the first attempt I placed a stopper behind a wobbly chock stone and moved up for a look, didn’t see much so I started down climbing. Then a tool popped, the nut blew and a near-factor-one fall left me face to face with Fishman. So we put in a couple bolts.”

The route passes the overhang, where you can place a four-inch cam, on the right and then another bolt. It finishes on aging rock with rounded features that keep your attention right to the end says Rone. One rappel with double 70s.