Two Must-Have Ontario Ice Climbing Guidebooks

Almost all of Ontario will be experiencing cold temperatures and good ice-making conditions within the next month or so. With a chilly few months predicted by the Farmer’s Almanac, ice climbers can be sure that there’ll be lots of adventures to be had this winter. The first ice to from is often north of Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Ice will then start to appear around Muskoka and the Haliburton Highlands, before sometimes forming as far south as Hamilton – which is rare.

There are currently two excellent guidebooks available in print for Ontario ice climbers to purchase. Both are sold online at Verti Call in Quebec. One is Superior Select: Selected Ice and Mixed Climbs in the North of Superior Region by Eric Landmann, which covers ice around the north shore of Lake Superior from Thunder Bay to Kama Bay. It was published in 2015 and includes 238 ice climbs and 56 mixed routes. Buy it here.

The other is A Select Guide To Ice & Mixed Climbing in Southern Ontario by Andriy Kolos. It covers Hamilton, Bruce Peninsula, Muskoka, Haliburton, Madawaska, North Bay, Algoma and Temagami, and was published in 2014. The maps and information are detailed, and the photos will inspire you to drive to remote places to find ice. Buy it here.

For updated conditions in Northwestern Ontario follow the conversation on Facebook here, and for Southern Ontario visit here.