Manitoba Had its First Outdoor Climbing Festival
Rock du Bonnet was a big success and introduced many people to the boulders north of Winnipeg
The Rock du Bonnet Climbing Festival took place this weekend at Lac du Bonnet north of Winnipeg. The event was Manitoba’s first outdoor climbing festival.
This event was hosted by Vertical Adventures who partnered with The Hive, Evolv, Flashed, Kenora Rock Climb Guidebooks, Wilderness Supply and many others. Volunteer climber helped guide participants through the boulders, helping them find fun problems.
The event took place at the Low Ball Land on Channel Drive, an area with problems such as Crimp of the Century V2, Revival V3, Bug’s Life V4 and O Lobo V7. One participant, Steve Young, said, “To those that had the vision to develop the event, to those that devised the mode of competition, the route listings, the points system, the ‘how to find the rocks’ mapmakers, to the trailblazer and master chefs, to the many sponsors, who without their help, there would have been no prizes, just sore fingers. To the participants, those that were use hardened to the outdoor rock, and to those on their first venture onto the Canadian Shield’s pristine granite. Thanks to all for coming out for what was the first of many future Rock du Bonnet events.”
The inaugural festival also organized a clean-up of the area. “The after event clean up crew did a magnificent job, it was not easy finding a spoon and a towel during my morning inspection today,” said Young. “Brilliant, take nothing but photos, leave nothing but chalk.”
The event will surely take place next September, so be sure to follow Vertical Adventures in Winnipeg below for future gatherings.
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