The OAC just stopped by Kelso and confirmed that climbing at Kelso is indeed closed until the construction of the huge new ski lift is complete (estimated completion Nov 2012). The OAC asks that people respect the temporary closure (from any access point)! Note – we are making follow up inquiries to see if the park will allow access from the upper lot. Photo at the Kelso North gate:
To be eligible to vote at the AGM, one is required to be a member of the Ontario Access Coalition. To allow for the processing of new members, please ensure applications are submitted prior to June 19th. Please visit our membership page on www.ontarioaccesscoalition.ca for further details.
This spring, the Ontario Access Coalition helped organize and run three separate events in support of sustainable climbing. Thank you to the many volunteers who took time out of their lives and put in some work to give back to the climbing areas we love. Thank you Niagara Parks, Conservation Halton, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Friends of the Glen, Free Spirit Tours, Blue Mountain Landscaping, True North Climbing, Patagonia, and of course Mountain Equipment Co-op for working with climbers to make these events a success.
Saturday April 21 Niagara Glen Earth Day with “Friends of the Glen”, The Niagara Parks Commission, the Niagara Parks Police, the Niagara Falls Nature Club, and Leave No Trace, the second annual “Earth Day at the Glen” took place under less then ideal conditions. Volunteers planted new trees and helped educate boulderers and other visitors about sustainable bouldering practices. The Niagara Glen is an undeniable treasure trove of natural beauty. The rugged terrain masks a much more sensitive side that needs our help. Approximately 490 species of vulnerable plants and animals call the Glen home and an unprecedented number of them are listed as either “at risk” or “rare” in the province, one of the largest concentrations anywhere in Ontario.
Sunday May 6, Conservation Halton Invasive Species Removal “Garlic Pull – For the second year in a row climbers pulled hard to make another dent into the spread of the invasive plant “Garlic Mustard” at Rattlesnake Point. A free BBQ courtesy of the OAC followed along with a prize draw of tonnes of great gear courtesy of the always amazing MEC. Mark Smith won a fierce silent auction bidding war for a Nano Puff jacket courtesy of Patagonia. Afternoon conditions were perfect and volunteers were treated to a great day at the crag
Sunday May 27 Metcalfe Rock “Clean and Climb” with Free Spirit Tours – For the second year in a row the OAC has been fortunate enough to participate in Free Spirit Tours “Clean and Climb” event at Metcalfe rock in the Kolopore Uplands. The event saw a simply massive trailer full of cedar mulch transported to the cliff base and trails to help protect the roots of trees. Volunteers, fueled by hot coffee and donuts courtesy of True North Climbing Gym managed to spread the entire contents of the trailer along the muddy trails, which are prone to erosion. The event finished with a prize draw for items donated by local businesses and the always amazing MEC. After refueling (with more coffee of course) some great times at the cliff and on the trails followed.
If you didn’t get a chance to make it to one of these events you can do your part by being a good steward for sustainable climbing, following these “Leave No Trace” practices and encouraging other climbers to do the same.
Join the OAC and the ACC at Gabby’s Grill House at 2572 Yonge Street, Toronto on June 14 at 7pm to hear recollections of first days on the rocks, road trips, hard redpoints and guiding exams from guest speaker Leslie Timms! Leslie will be auctioning off prizes she has donated from her sponsors in support of the OAC, so this is a win-win-win event!
More information here
http://www.leslietimms.ca/2012/05/life-exploring-stone-slideshow.html
and
http://www.climbers.org/event/2012/06/14/pub-night-with-leslie-timms
Join the OAC and Free Spirit tours for a “Clean & Climb” at Metcalfe Rock on Sunday, May 27 from 10:00am until 1:30pm
http://www.freespirit-tours.com/events/
Free Spirit tours originally started this event as a garbage clean up around Metcalfe Rock after the spring melt in the year 2000. Since then they have added to it by to spreading wood chips along the trails thanks to “Blue Mountain Four Season Landscaping”. If you have a wheelbarrow or a rake please bring it along and meet us in the Metcalfe parking lot at 10am.
In exchange for people coming out and donating their time and energy we have some great prizes to give away that have been donated by local stores. Additionally, the OAC will be chipping in on the prize front with some great prizes from MEC that you wont want to miss!
We hope you can join the OAC and Free Spirit tours for this great chance to help keep Metcalfe rock clean and to show the local community and land managers that climbers care. Stick around after the clean for the great climbing that Metcalfe has to offer.”
Join the OAC and Free Spirit tours for a “Clean & Climb” at Metcalfe Rock on Sunday, May 27 from 10:00am until 1:30pm
http://www.freespirit-tours.com/events/
Free Spirit tours originally started this event as a garbage clean up around Metcalfe Rock after the spring melt in the year 2000. Since then they have added to it by to spreading wood chips along the trails thanks to “Blue Mountain Four Season Landscaping”. If you have a wheelbarrow or a rake please bring it along and meet us in the Metcalfe parking lot at 10am.
In exchange for people coming out and donating their time and energy we have some great prizes to give away that have been donated by local stores. Additionally, the OAC will be chipping in on the prize front with some great prizes from MEC that you wont want to miss!
We hope you can join the OAC and Free Spirit tours for this great chance to help keep Metcalfe rock clean and to show the local community and land managers that climbers care. Stick around after the clean for the great climbing that Metcalfe has to offer.”
Join the OAC and Free Spirit tours for a “Clean & Climb” at Metcalfe Rock on Sunday, May 27 from 10:00am until 1:30pm
http://www.freespirit-tours.com/events/
Free Spirit tours originally started this event as a garbage clean up around Metcalfe Rock after the spring melt in the year 2000. Since then they have added to it by to spreading wood chips along the trails thanks to “Blue Mountain Four Season Landscaping”. If you have a wheelbarrow or a rake please bring it along and meet us in the Metcalfe parking lot at 10am.
In exchange for people coming out and donating their time and energy we have some great prizes to give away that have been donated by local stores. Additionally, the OAC will be chipping in on the prize front with some great prizes from MEC that you wont want to miss!
We hope you can join the OAC and Free Spirit tours for this great chance to help keep Metcalfe rock clean and to show the local community and land managers that climbers care. Stick around after the clean for the great climbing that Metcalfe has to offer.”
Join the OAC and friends at Rattlesnake Point on Sunday, May 6, 2012 for the second annual “Garlic Pull, BBQ and Climbing Session.” This event is a great opportunity brought to you by the OAC and Conservation Halton to help preserve the environment in the places we climb.
Garlic mustard is an invasive species that slowly destroys the existing ecosystem. The plant is spreading on Conservation Halton lands and will eventually decimate large parts of the forests. Join your fellow climbers for the garlic mustard pull and enjoy free access to Rattlesnake Point for the day, a delicious BBQ, big prize draws and, of course, a great day of climbing. We look forward to seeing you at 9am! All you need to bring is a pair of gardening gloves, a big appetite and your climbing gear. 🙂
Please help spread word of the event and bring along friends and family. This event is rain or shine. See you there!
The rock and ice climbing around Lake Kushog offers wonderful opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, but amazingly it isn’t well known. The Firehouse Restaurant has reached out to the OAC to reach out and build a long-term relationship with the climbing community. Together, we have identified areas of concern and erected signage clearly communicating best practices for that area. Even a Climbers’ Special menu item has been announced to encourage climbers to refuel in the restaurant after climbing.
