Quebec’s New Wall is Big and Splitter

Quebec has some of the best rock climbing in Canada and while many think the potential has been tapped out, a new wall on Lac du Cap proves otherwise.

Serge Alexandre Demers Giroux and friends explored a new wall, similar in appearance to Ontario’s Bon Echo, on May 16.

The wall is located in the Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve near Trois-Rivieres close to Montreal in the Lanaudière region of Quebec.

“It has huge potential for adventure routes,” said Serge. “It varies from a few hundred metres down to only 30.”

While the wall seems to rise out of Lac du Cap, but there is a small shoreline where climbers can stands and belay unlike Bon Echo where climbers belay out of boats or from small stances.

“The lake is mainly used by fisherman and it’s very popular in summertime,” said Serge. “The fishing lodge is booked a year in advance and the people on the lake like their quiet time, so we were treading lightly not to disturb anyone.”

The climbers contacted the staff at the wildlife reserve and got the OK to access the wall and take steps to develop it with conservation in mind.

An old logging road extends to the south of the lake, it’s the road they hiked in on until some bushwhacking had to go down. The wall is on the opposite side of the fishing lodge. It’s a mix of splitter cracks, roofs, discontinuous cracks and exposed, steep features.

Serge and friends climbed a handful of lines, including some nice looking cracks. Some of the rock was dirty in places, but easy to clean on lead.

There is still much exploration to be done, but with a long summer ahead, they motivated climbers have lots of time.

“This place is a an untapped marvel in the Lanaudière,” said Serge.

– For more info on the Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve, see here.