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Devil’s Glen Parking Update

By Access

The Clearview Township Council is placing restrictions on parking on the side of Concession 10 (by Devil’s Glen) in order to accommodate local farmers. Climbers are still encouraged to park on Concession 10, but no-parking signs will prohibit parking for the first 175 metres on the east side of the road as well as the first 50 metres on the west side, and will be enforced by Bylaw.

This change is in direct response to concerns from local farmers, who have been unable to pass through this section of Concession 10 with farm equipment due to cars parked on both sides of the road. The OAC is supportive of this change as it presents a good compromise for climbers & farmers in the area! Again, please ensure you do not leave any valuables in your parked car, and enjoy the crag responsibly.

Community Safety Alert: Devil’s Glen

By Access, News

The OAC has been monitoring escalating mischief in Devil’s Glen Provincial Park & adjacent Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) land. Climbers should take caution and:

  • Do not engage if you are approached by individuals while parking/leaving/arriving at your vehicle unless they can provide proof of OPP, By-law or similar credentials
  • Do not engage if you are approached/questioned by other park users unless that individual is able to provide proof of Ontario Parks, MNR or similar credentials
  • Do not leave valuables in your car while climbing
  • Keep your personal belongings near you at all times
  • Be sure to assess the bolts & anchors on each climb before & during climbing
  • Take extra caution to assess the climbing up to the first bolt & use a stick clip if necessary to protect the moves to the first available bolt
  • Continue to be great climbing ambassadors, respecting the space and fellow park users when out at the crag
  • In the event of an emergency, call 911 
  • The non-emergency OPP telephone number is: 1-888-310-1122
  • Please share any information with the OAC that may be related to this ongoing situation

Over the winter, the OAC became aware that a party had filled the gully descent to Devil’s Glen with deadfall collected from the area. As a result, climbers organized a clean up to remove the deadfall from the gully. This happened again a short time later.

After clearing the gully for the second time, the team went out for a midweek site visit and noted that the perpetrator(s) had returned and filled the gully for a third time. The volunteers left their belongings at the top of the gully while they worked to clear it. When the team returned to the top of the gully, they noted one of the volunteer’s backpacks had been stolen.

The volunteers searched the park for the thief and missing bag. They eventually found the bag approximately 200 feet away; it had been thrown into the forest on the section of trail east of the approach back to Highway 124. After finding the bag, the volunteers hiked back out to the highway and walked along the 124, visiting each house in an attempt to talk to locals and see if they had witnessed any suspicious activity. The volunteers noted fresh footsteps in the snow leading out of the park and east along highway 124. The first homeowner did not appear to be home. As they stepped onto the driveway of the second home, they were immediately greeted by a woman screaming at them “You’re trespassing, get off my property”. 

Unfortunately, the theft was not resolved. The volunteers did not opt to call the police at the time as they were unclear if it would be considered theft after the bag had been found.

Weeks later, after the wintery weather had cleared, the volunteers returned on a Saturday to find the gully had once again been filled. The team removed the brush again, and returned for a site visit on Wednesday. To no surprise, the gully had been filled again, but volunteers did not have time to remove the brush during this site check. Upon leaving the area, a volunteer drove along 124 and saw a homeowner standing in their driveway, filming him as he drove by.

On April 12th, climbers visited Devil’s Glen once again in hopes of enjoying a few routes during the nice weather before clearing the brush from the gully. However, when they reached the cliff they found the first bolt had been chopped off several routes spanning the MNR & Ontario Park boundary. On six routes, the first hanger was removed and the bolts had been chopped off with an angle grinder. In our assessment the culprit(s) appears to have done this work with a ladder from the ground up. Therefore, it is unlikely the responsible party has any climbing knowledge. Affected routes include: 

  • Unnamed unclimbed project (10 metres left of Wave)
  • Outlier
  • Wave of the Future (open, unclimbed project)
  • Hyperion
  • Face that launched a thousand sighs
  • Morning Star (first two bolts affected)

Upon leaving Devil’s Glen, the climbers noted freshly scribed “F U” written in the gravel at the trailhead at Highway 124.

We feel this is an escalation of anti-climbing mischief likely perpetrated by the same party responsible for filling the gully, stealing the volunteer’s bag and disrupting at least 5 tonnes of natural deadfall. These recent developments also confirm the OAC’s suspicion that the responsible party is stalking/monitoring climbers during their visits.

The OAC reminds climbers that climbing access at Devil’s Glen continues to be tolerated by Ontario Parks as a permitted historical use. The Ontario Alliance of Climbers meets regularly with Ontario Parks staff representing the entire region including Devil’s Glen to maintain an open line of communication. The access status at Devil’s Glen has not changed.

The OAC has notified Ontario Parks & the Ontario Provincial Police of these concerning events.

We encourage all climbers to report any suspicious activity to us & if you are approached aggressively by anyone in the park or surrounding area, or experience a theft or damage to your property, please call the police. 

In the event of an emergency, call 911. 

The non-emergency OPP line is: 1-888-310-1122.

We will continue to monitor the situation and update the community as needed.

Ontario Crags Calendar 2022

By Community, Non-Profit - null
Monika Widjaja-Tam on ‘Safety Dance’ at The Swamp Photo by William Tam   @willtam85

Fresh off the presses – the 2022 Ontario Crags Calendar has arrived! Featuring local climbers shot by local photographers, the OAC calendar is a tribute to everything Ontario climbing has to offer.  With a mix of climbers, crags, and disciplines featured, this our 11th edition and we’re excited to hang it on our walls!

Calendars are $20, plus $5 for shipping via Canada Post*.  All proceeds from calendar sales go toward promoting, advocating for, and maintaining open access all across the province.

Get your copy now before they sell out!  You can also find copies for sale at the following Ontario locations:

Don’t see your gym listed?  Have them contact jessica.best@ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca if they’re interested in selling copies!

NOTE: Online sales have currently sold out, please pick up your copy at one of our partnering gyms/vendors!

2021 OAC Survey

By Access, Community

The 2021 OAC Survey is available now! This survey helps inform us of community priorities for our advocacy initiatives, and takes only 15 minutes to complete.

We have added some new & important questions this year to help us better understand your experiences out at the crag. All entrants will be entered into a draw — there are two $50 MEC gift cards to be won! The submission deadline is December 21st, after which we’ll announce winners on our social media.

Click here to fill yours out now!

Submit your Ontario climbing photos for the 2022 Calendar NOW!

By Community, News

It’s that time of year again!  Our call for photo submissions for the 2022 OAC Ontario Crags Calendar is now OPEN!!

The Ontario Crags Calendar aims to celebrate and highlight the wide variety of climbing that Ontario has to offer. We want to showcase everything from as many different crags, seasons, and climbers as possible — ICE, SPORT, TRAD and BOULDERING are all honoured here.  Let’s celebrate the diversity of our province and our community!

Valid photo submissions must have LANDSCAPE orientation (i.e. horizontal), and be of climbers at Ontario crags only (of course!).  In order to meet print standards, full size images must be clear and at least 8.5″x11″ at 300 dpi.
Submissions do not need to be dated from this year, but they DO need to showcase your love for Ontario climbing.  So make the most of this tail end of the season, or take some time to venture down memory lane and rediscover some forgotten gems!

The Crags Calendar helps us raise awareness and funds in support of Ontario access.  Please consider donating a photo!  Send your best shots to submissions@ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca by SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16TH for a chance to be featured.  Chosen entrants will receive a free copy of the calendar, credit complete with name and website, and a little slice of local fame!

Please see additional rules of submission here:

2021 Service Award Recipient & AGM Recording

By Community, News

We’d like to present Dustin Johnston-Jewell with the 2021 Ontario Alliance of Climbers Service Award. As you enjoy expanded access to Ontario crags, be sure to thank Dustin for his essential contributions!

Dustin has been heavily involved with the OAC for quite some time, and though he will humbly downplay his role, has been integral to our operations for many years. Dustin led the push to create a social media presence for the OAC, expanding our reach and helping greatly with communication and education initiatives. He has also assisted with volunteer coordination and recruitment efforts, and is one of our superstar tabling representatives at events!

More recently, Dustin has been putting a ton of time and effort into securing climbing access at Campden. He has successfully built up a working relationship with the land managers of Cave Springs Recreation Area, and helped arrange rope access for their biologist to perform the necessary ecological assessment of the cliff. Due to his efforts, Cave Springs will be submitting a land management plan for review by the end of this year, which will include consideration for climbing! We still have a ways to go before access is officially secured, but we are making huge gains thanks to Dustin’s work!

Even if you’re not aware of his work behind the scenes, if you’ve seen Dustin at the crag you will know him as an excellent ambassador for the community. His passion for climbing, endless psych, and love of helping others are second to none. Thank you for everything Dustin!

Our initial announcement of this year’s service award recipient was made during our 2021 AGM this past Tuesday. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend! We had over 50 members present. For those who wish to watch the recording, it is now available here:

OAC 2021 AGM Announcement

By Events

Save the Date: The OAC Annual General Meeting will be held Tuesday, September 14, at 7PM!  We will once again be holding our AGM virtually.

This is a great opportunity to ask questions about our organization and to share input on our future direction.   We’ll also be holding the election for board membership, talking about recent developments, and speaking about what’s on the horizon.

If you would like to run as a candidate for the board of directors, please submit your bio to info@ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca by August 29.  Details for the virtual meeting will be announced August 31 via official email to all OAC members.  Hope to see you all there!

Devil’s Glen Access Update

By Access

Yesterday, climbers at Devil’s Glen were approached by Ontario Parks wardens and advised that climbing is no longer tolerated on the cliffside areas located on Ontario Parks property. (This applies to all routes east of, or to the climber’s right of, the Nutcracker area. Routes farther west are located on Crown Land, which Ontario Parks has no authority over.)

The OAC has contacted Ontario Parks to obtain an official statement on these new enforcement measures. Until we receive a formal statement, we will not acknowledge a change in access status to this public land. Climbing at Devil’s Glen is considered Tolerated and climbers have long been great ambassadors for this beautiful area.

Climbers are encouraged to continue climbing at Devil’s Glen in the meantime. If you encounter park staff and are asked to move, please obtain the contact information of the staff member and provide them with the OAC’s email address (info@ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca). If you are threatened with a ticket, please ask them to clarify what the exact offence is and the amount of the fine. If you encounter park staff or local homeowners, please be respectful and provide details of your encounter to the OAC as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support as we work towards resolution.

Attention: Devil’s Glen Climbers

By Access

We have been in recent discussions with local homeowners concerning climber behaviour at Devil’s Glen. While the local homeowners are supportive of climbers, there has been an increase in issues related to parking, trespassing & garbage.

Park along Concession Road 10.  Do not park on Highway 124 between the trailhead at the pedestrian side and Concession Road 10.
  • Parking – Do not park near homeowner driveways. This can create a frustrating and dangerous situation for homeowners getting in and out of their driveways. Park on Concession Road 10 whenever possible.
  • Trespassing – Do not trespass through homeowner land to access the park. The police will be called if anyone is found trespassing.
  • Dogs – If you MUST bring your dog, it must remain leashed and you must carry out dog waste. Even left behind in a biodegradable bag, your dog waste remains an eye sore for over a year and is disruptive for other park users who frequent the trails near the water, along the cliff base and above. The OAC recommends against bringing your dog to parks where climbing access is only listed as “Tolerated”.  Devil’s Glen is a crag at which climbing is only “Tolerated”.
  • Human Waste & Toilet Paper – If you are caught in an emergency and need to poop and/or use toilet paper at the crag, the OAC recommends packing out all your waste.  If you are unable to pack it out, you must bury your waste at least 6-8 inches deep and 200 feet away from the nearby river and trails. Toilet paper can take up to 3 years to decompose, and poop can take up to a year.
  • Drones – Recreational drones are not permitted in Provincial parks. Under no circumstance should you bring a drone to Devil’s Glen or any other Ontario Park. Not only are they illegal but they are extremely disruptive to fellow climbers.