New Crack Climbs in Northwestern Ontario

Northwestern Ontario had a long winter and spring is slow to start, but climbers have been hitting the rock on warm days. As many know, Northwestern Ontario has hundreds of sport and crack climbs up to 150 metres, but new crags are found every rock season. One of those new areas is Grey Wolf, where development is ongoing and access info is sparse.

Ben Kuczma has reported about two new moderate crack climbs with bolted rap anchors on a new crag they are calling Jungle Book Wall which they climbed on April 24. One of the routes is called Kaa and climbs a three-inch crack at 5.7, which was climbed by Kuczma. The one to the right was clibmed by Jeff Gilpin and Dylan DiMarco and is called Balou. It takes four-inch pro and goes at 5.8.

There are a number of areas around Thunder Bay with routes up to 5.13. Claghorn near Nipigon has the highest concentration of unclimbed cracks in Ontario and there are bolted projects up to 5.14, see more here.

Visit the Alpine Club of Canada Thunder Bay section site for more info on the area here. Watch a send of one of the area’s popular hard 5.9 cracks in Orient Bay below.