Bon Echo Park - Mazinaw Lake, Ontario

[Don]

Hi. Just seeing if anyone has been there and could recommend a couple of good routes there. My wife's family has a cottage nearby so we're bringing the rack and rope and going to get a couple of days in there.

cheers

[Kwithers]

I have climbed there quite a bit. First of all you need to have a boat... from there you need to be willing to swim back to your boat after you finish some of your climbs unless you have a friend to ferry you around. The climbs can be crumbly so I haven't try to climb anything that i might even fall on cause pro is suspect at all times.

1. Bring double ropes or have a tag line most raps are full length

2. Front of the pinnacle is OUTSTANDING! awesome exposure with a wild Crux.

3. Birthday ridge is a also awesome. I have climbed a few other routes there but these were the best.

here is a link to the guide book http://www.climbers.org/guide-to-rock-c ... th-edition

[Don]

Awesome! Thanks so much for the beta. I found the link to the guide there (who woulda thunk that one can download and print a whole guidebook?). And the route suggestions, much apprec...we are looking for moderates, up to 5.8...

I was wondering about any good single-pitch in the 5.10 range but not sure if its available at that area.

Looks like a fine place, looking forward to checking it out

[psi4ce]

It's a very spiritual place and an amazing place to visit. That is... if you can ignore the douche bags with the Jet Skis...

[TravisMcC]

This is where I grew up and learned to trad climb! I will actually be there this weekend! I am going back 'home' for a week.

Bon Echo is an amazing place and it is unlike any other place I have ever climbed. Access to all climbs is done by boat (although i suppose you could hike around and access a handful of climbs from above - would take a while and it is easy to get lost up there if you do not know the area). The area is VERY sensitive and rapping down (i.e. after climbs) is only allowed in a couple areas. Adding pitons and bolts is always a constant battle with the park and requires lots of hoop jumping. So, what you get are lots of gear anchors and some run out areas. Slinging cedar tress is also not allowed, so this is a big change from cushy Squamish climbing!

The grades are very stiff and the climbing is different. If you have never been there I would drop your grades down by two or three points (i.e. 5.9 = 5.7) for at least the first day until you get a good fell. A Bon Echo 5.5 (i.e. Front of the Pinnacle) can be surprisingly stout in some areas.

The Alpine Club of Canada (Toronto chapter) has a hut there (hut is for cooking/socializing only) and plenty of camp sites. There is also a sauna, which is one of my favourite perks of the place! The hut is somewhat secluded and also only accessed by boat. You need to arrange pickup times with the custodian.

With the hut fees (http://climbers.org/bon-echo-and-our-cabin), you get shuttle service all day to/from the hut to the climbs. The boat driver will also pick you up after a climb and transport you to your next adventure. Pretty sweet deal! It is all volunteer run too, so I like to bring them something whenever a go.

It is pretty neat hoping off of a boat onto a tiny belay stance ledge. Some climbs require you belay right out of the boat!

This time of the year, a chunk of the climbs are closed due to Peregrine Falcons... changes every year and I am unsure what it is right now. But as a general rule, usually the climbs left of One Pine are out until July/August.

Personally, I don't get bothered by the boats... the climbing is in a provincial park and that cliff is a tourist hot spot in its own right. So you see lots of tourists in certain areas of the cliff on their boats, but not all areas are like that... or as bad from my point of view.

Did I mention camp fires, too? This place is f'ing amazing. Stoked to go return there this weekend after almost a year!

If you are there during the week (i.e. no custodian to shuttle you around), you could rent a canoe and still access lots of climbs without getting wet. Otherwise, you can access all the climbs if you don't mind swimming a little bit.

[Don]

Wow, with descriptions like "spiritual" and "amazing", I'm starting to get quite stoked about this trip!

Thanks Travis, for all the info.. looks like we'll just miss each other, our first day at the park will prob be on Tuesday. I was wondering if anyone would be at the hut on a weekday, but we should have use of a boat, if not rent a canoe..

Thanks also for the tip on grading there. I wouldn't want to sandbag the wife, especially in front of her father (he might be our boat-man ).

And if you have any more suggestions on classic routes, I'd be glad to know. Cheers

[psi4ce]

The cliff jumping is excellent from the bottom of the bluff. Scramble up in bare feet as high as you dare and... BOMBS AWAY!!!

But... beware... Mazinaw Lake is one of the deepest lakes for its size in North America. It's 145 metres deep beneath the bluff (fault shift--one side went up, the other down--down side filled with water--up side, good for climbers). The thing is... rumour has it that a MONSTER Sturgeon fish lives at the bottom. 25 FEET LONG...

[Heffe]

i just moved out from ontario, i climbed mazinaw all last summer and it is amazing: everything in the above posts is definately true, well maybe not the 25 ft sturgeon . The gear does get a little sketchy, a couple routes you do need pitons, pin-scar cracks that you cant fit passive gear into. for the most part a full rack with doubles, even triples of small cams and rp's will do you for most climbs. good tip : if you cant find a rubber coated ballistics hammer, duct-tape the head of your hammer it reduces noise drastically, especially over the water to the near-by sites and cottages yet it still delivers enough force to safely drive a piton. As for slinging cedars, i do it anyways i really dont care: its highly unlikely that you will even cross someone let alone an official, i usually wrap the trees with a towel which i then use for drying off after cliff diving. it doesnt hurt to bring two ropes, allows you to rapp out, ive actually started a climb before by rappin down about 10 ft above the water and then climbing out, however it is very easy to get disoriented at the top and get off-route. it is definatly best to go by boat, you can even get a cheap inflatable dinghie and paddle out, leaving your boat anchored with a stopper nut

WEAR A HELMET: i cannot stress this enough as the top ridge overhangs slightly in some spots and its not a dug out rock like most spots in squamish are! also carry a whistle incase you get into trouble.

Bug spray is a MUST.

Climbing with the alpine club makes for an awesome trip, they are friendly knowledgable and will show you around for some beer or lunch And they love nutella and almond butter!

Hope you have fun. Climb safe.
-Jeff

ps. post some pics for us

[TravisMcC]

I would strongly advise not to hammer in pitons or sling cedar tress.

Climbing access at this cliff is a constant battle with the park. The fact that people are allowed to climb is very fortunate considering the policies in place by the Ontario parks people. I have not dealt with access issues personally, but I am close with those that have. I can tell you that last year, the ACC replaced a couple bolts (from old ones / aging pitons) and this took over a year to convince the park people. A lot of hours go into this to ensure that the area sees safe climbing for the future.

Also, last year... a non-climber was cliff jumping and died. He was drinking with his friends and got a little aggressive... hit a ledge and drowned. This had nothing to do with climbing, but the climbing issue was immediately questioned and it took some serious convincing to ensure the cliff was still climbable.

Whether you agree with it or not... the fact is that the area is very sensitive and although the park is generally in support of it, they will not hesitate to change things. That area is a provincial park first (i.e. camping/boating/etc.) and a climbing gem second.

Respect the rules and please don't ruin it for other people.

[TravisMcC]

Wow, with descriptions like "spiritual" and "amazing", I'm starting to get quite stoked about this trip!

Thanks Travis, for all the info.. looks like we'll just miss each other, our first day at the park will prob be on Tuesday. I was wondering if anyone would be at the hut on a weekday, but we should have use of a boat, if not rent a canoe..

Thanks also for the tip on grading there. I wouldn't want to sandbag the wife, especially in front of her father (he might be our boat-man ).

And if you have any more suggestions on classic routes, I'd be glad to know. Cheers

I am fairly certain no one will be at the hut after Monday (it also gets locked), but you can contact the ACC to confirm. Ron Rusk is the guy running the show right now... best to shoot him an email (contact info should be on that website).

In terms of recommend climbs... I find the stars in the guidebook are very accurate. Front of the Pinnacle has a fun and exposed finish to it. The printed version of the guidebook has this as its cover.

p.s. Last I heard there were no route closures due to the peregrine falcons, but I would call the park before you climb to check (they are the ones that put this into place, not the ACC). I have seen them dive-bomb a climber before and I have watched one circle me as I climbed too. These things are f'ing terrifying and I personally try to stay clear of their nests... don't want to mess with the fastest animal in the world. If you see a nest, report it to the park. This is the only natural nesting area for the falcons in Ontario, so conserving this is a big issue and they rely on climbers to spot their nests.

[Don]

Great. Thanks again, people, for the beta. Will keep an eye out for the peregrines, for sure. Saw one the other day while at the base of the Tantalus Wall...he was screaming away, sounded a little upset, I definitely wouldn't want to be in the cross-hairs of one who was..

See ya when we get back.

{Cool..it seems the squamish climbing community is a worldly one.. you could probably get answers about any crag on the planet from this crowd}

[Heffe]

ive only hammered about 4 pitons there over my months of climbing mazinaw and it was a LAST resort where i would have take a huge whipper, not to say the piton would hold me but it would certainly slow me down and reduce my momentum, this was also toward the end of the summer when i had done all the main routes and was exploring, for a week trip you shouldnt have to hammer a single piton. As for slinging cedars: sometimes you have no other choice and i do wrap them or use flat tubular webbing and static anchors as to not damage the trees. Ive never even seen an access official up top and if your polite and curteous they will probably understand. not to argue that this isnt against the rules there, i just wanted to give reason to my statement above as not to sound like an idiot, Im generally a pretty respectful guy and follow the rules...most of the time
Enjoy your trip, wear a helmet, stay clear of the falcons and have a great time!
Cheers, Jeff

[TravisMcC]

What did you think Don?

[steven]

Bon Echo is a lot of fun. Make sure to wear a helmet as they are mandatory (there was an incident a summer or two ago that resulted in two climbers being banned for not wearing helmets and added further to the access issues).

Here are some shots from a couple summers ago:

Boris' Route- 5.5

Wood Fired Sauna at ACC Hut:

ACC Hut:


If you need any further info check out http://www.ontarioclimbing.com. It is quite active.