NEW ROUTES & UPDATES
Thanks for visiting this end of the website. This page was created so that climbers living and visiting Northwest Ontario can have easy access to the most recent updated new route information! It was also created as a way for route developers to share and compile information about new routes and updates in the Thunder Bay Region.
– CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A NEW ROUTE –
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Enjoy Climbing Lots of Fresh Routes?
Please Consider Donating Towards New Route & Crag Development
Your contributions will be shared with route developers in the region and used to help develop new climbs and areas in Northwest Ontario!
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Check out the region’s latest comprehensive guidebook by Aric Fishman:
Thunder Bay Climbing: A Guide to Northwest Ontario’s Best Kept Secret (2nd Ed.)
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Protect that Precious Mushy Brain of Yours – Helmets On Friends!
Rock climbing is a dangerous sport that can result in death, paralysis or serious injury. Read and understand this warning before viewing this online resource. This resource is intended as a reference for intermediate/advanced/expert climbers. The terrain it describes can be or is extremely dangerous and requires a high degree of ability and experience to negotiate. This online resource is not intended for inexperienced/novice climbers. Nor is it intended as an instructional manual. If you are unsure of your ability to handle any circumstances that may arise, employ the services of a professional instructor or guide. The information in this online resource may be unverified, and Outdoor Skills And Thrills Inc. cannot guarantee its accuracy. Assessments of the difficulty of and risks associated with the terrain described are based on opinions and are entirely subjective. Numerous hazards exists that are not described in this online resource. Climbing on any terrain described in this online resource, regardless of its description or rating, may cause death, paralysis or injury. Please take all precautions and use your own ability, evaluation, and judgment to assess the risks of you chosen climb, rather than relying on the information in this online resource. The author and publisher make no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, of an kind regarding the contents of this online resource, and expressly disclaim an representation or warranty regarding the accuracy or reliability of information contained herein. The user assumes all risk associated with the use of this online resource and with the activities of climbing.
HAVE FUN & CLIMB SAFELY
On this page you will find New Routes listed first, and then scroll down to find Updates to already established routes.
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NEW ROUTES:
– CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A NEW ROUTE OR UPDATES –
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Silver Harbour
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Silver Harbour – First Impressions Wall
Style: TR (will be mixed)
Route Name: Triple Action
Grade: 5.10c/d
Route Description: Directly to the left of ‘Record Body Count’ is an interesting new line that has now been cleaned and climbed on TR but needs to still be equipped with some bolts for the lead. Climb up the blocks on the right side of the prominent ledge system. Get up on the ledge and then get into the awesome crack on the right face. This crack quickly gets cruxy at its top, so utilize the face crimp on the right and small feet to help gain the pinchy layback feature when the crack runs out. Bust out right to the flat jugs on the arete to the right. A couple moves on good holds gets you to the crux. Move out left from the arete to gain the crack when it opens back up, and then continue up to the top. Currently this line uses the 2 bolt anchor of ‘Record Body Count’, but it will get its own anchor on the face when it’s finished being equipped and ready to lead.
F.A: Aric Fishman, May 17th, 2023
F.F.A:
Gear: Needs some bolts still, and gear to #2.
Photo(s):
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Silver Harbour – Wild West Wall
Style: Trad
Route Name: Read Between The Lines
Grade: 5.10c/d
Route Description: A bit of a spicy new route between ‘Tan Lines’ and ‘Stretch To The Moon’. Climb the obvious crack system that starts in an open book corner. Still a bit dirty and some looseness inside the wide section after the super thin crack, but will clean up nicely. Start by climbing up the open book (feel free to reach around to the nice pinch/crack around the right side) until you can get established in the wide crack above. Instead of placing small gear in the flake found inside the next wide section, place some wide pro instead since the flake is kinda loose…will clean it better soon. The right wall for the feet is not necessarily out of bounds for the second half of the route, but try to stick to the crack system for a greater challenge. Continue up to the hand crack and bust out some cruxy moves using thin holds on the outside of the crack. Get into the fist crack and either jam or layback your way into the fingers section above. Some more cruxy moves to get to the top with a fresh 2 bolt rappel anchor on the face.
F.A: Aric Fishman (TR Rope Solo), May 15th, 2023
F.F.A: Aric Fishman (Lead Rope Solo), May 15th, 2023
Gear: Gear to #6
Photo(s):
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Silver Harbour – Shady Grove area
Style: Sport
Route Name: Bam
Grade: 5.8 (8 meters)
Route Description: This is a new sport line that shares the same start of ‘Middle Man’. Climb up the ledges and get into the open book feature just to the right of ‘Face The Elements’. From the top of the open book feature commit to staying on the left wall and then continue up to the top to the 2 bolt rappel anchor.
F.A & F.F.A: Michelle Balto, Aric Fishman & Brandon Pullan, September 13, 2023.
Gear: 5 bolts
Photo(s):
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The Outbreak Wall
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: The Outbreak Wall – Around the corner just left of ‘Echo Location’
Style: Sport
Route Name: Little Spoon
Grade: 5.10c (29 meters)
Route Description: Start on the right side of the wall and do a couple moves to gain the foot ledge with the first bolt. Continue straight up finding a continuous series of awesome jugs until they run out on the face. Bust out right to go up the crack for a few moves and then get onto a nice little foot rest. Go up the buttress, finding nice holds exactly when you need them either around left or around right. Weave your way out left onto the face and then out right again to reach the blocky jugs. Continue out left on the main face with a series of jugs and horns, and get ready for the crux, unlocking the sequence of moves that gets you onto the ledge above. Do the sequence just right and it’ll feel fine, don’t get it right and it’ll feel hard. Get onto the ledge and clip a bolt up high before continuing your way to the top. There is a 2 bolt chain anchor on the obvious ledge. This is a super fun line.
F.A: Aric Fishman & Andy Noga, May 24, 2023.
F.F.A: Aric Fishman & Andy Noga, June 21, 2023.
Gear: 15 bolts
Photo(s):
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: The Outbreak Wall – Around the corner just left of ‘Echo Location’
Style: Sport
Route Name: Big Spoon
Grade: 5.11c (29 meters)
Route Description: Start up the middle of the wall just a couple of meters left of Little Spoon. A few tricky moves down low gets you up to the horizontal cracks in the first scoop where you can move out left to gain a nice foot ledge with a little crack system above. Head up the pinchy crack feature until you get to a low-cut roof. Some great handholds and footholds will get you up the next flowy section. Once at the top of the stemming where the wall swoops back into the overhanging section is when you will need to kick it into high gear. A stellar series of bouldery moves gets you to a thank god jug, but it ain’t over yet. Keep going up with a continuous series of bouldery moves broken up by decent holds to shake out and clip. Negotiate the top section and get up onto the big ledge up top with a 2 bolt chain anchor to rappel back down. This is a really really good climb.
F.A: Aric Fishman & Andy Noga, May 27, 2023.
F.F.A: Aric Fishman & Dane Latimer, Sept 11, 2023.
Gear: 16 bolts (1 fixed draw)
Photo(s):
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: The Outbreak Wall – just to the left of ‘Echo Location’.
Style: Sport
Route Name: Trembling Aspen
Grade: 5.10b (17 meters)
Route Description: Directly to the left of ‘Echo Location’ is a really fun new 5.10 sport route. Start on the face and then go left to the arête using a series of jugs until you get to a nice foot ledge before the headwall above. The wall from here gets slightly overhanging and a bit more cruxy. Continue up the arête, and feel free to put a foot on the left wall when it makes sense to do so, but don’t get sucked in too far left because near the top you will need to bust out right to get to the 2 bolt rappel anchor on the face.
F.A: Dane Latimer & Aric Fishman, June 23, 2023.
F.F.A: Dane Latimer & Aric Fishman, June 28, 2023.
Gear: 9 bolts
Photo(s):
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Submitted by: Dane Latimer
Route Location: The Outbreak Wall – On the face between ‘Critical Communication’ and ‘Rain or Shine’
Style: Sport
Route Name: White Rabbit
Grade: 5.11d
Route Description: A super techy face climb. Begin on the ledge and head up the nice crack in a dihedral that leads to a small roof. Move out right at the roof and gain a wicked series of crimp rails that are seemingly just in the right places at the right times. Move out left slightly to continue up the face, and after a wicked jug get ready for a reachy and bouldery series of moves for the rest of the climb to a 2 bolt rappel anchor on the face.
F.A: Dane Latimer & Ryan Benjamin, June 10, 2023.
F.F.A: Dane Latimer & Ryan Benjamin, June 19, 2023.
Gear: 10 bolts
Photo(s):
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: The Outbreak Wall – Community Blocks area
Style: Trad
Route Name: Raise the Roof (pitch 2)
Grade: 5.10b (15 meters)
Route Description: From the bolted anchor on the ledge at the top of the first pitch, continue up and right to the next ledge and then head up to the corner crack that swoops back out to the left, using a series of underclings and jams in the crack and footholds on the left face. The crack begins to get wider and cruxier the higher you go. Get through the roof on decent handjams and a hidden nice hold, and then work your way up the headwall fist crack that goes to the top. At the big ledge on top find a bolted chain anchor to belay your partner, and then rappel back down about 15 meters or so to the previous bolted rappel anchor. 2 rappels back down using a single 60-70m rope.
F.A: Aric Fishman & Jamie Funk, July 27, 2023
F.F.A: Aric Fishman, July 29, 2023
Gear: Gear to #4
Photo(s):
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Claghorn
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Submitted by: Brent Clark
Route Location: Claghorn – Long Wall (right)
Style: Mixed
Route Name: ManBearPig
Grade: 5.10-
Route Description: Route begins 3m left of General Anesthesia. Start up with big pulls on good holds moving towards the first bolt. There is a block beneath the first bolt, it moves but it does not come out. Transition out left and continue up a mix of face/crack to a small roof. Commit to the burly handcrack on poor feet to get established in the vertical crack. Continue up to the hand/fist crack anchor enjoying positive face holds and a kneebar no hand rest, if you can find it. The FFA was done without the first bolt in place due to a hardware issue. Rappel the route, or continue up the second short pitch to top out (Well worth it!)
F.A: Brent Clark, 2021
F.F.A: Brent Clark, May 14, 2023
Gear: 0.1-#4, doubles 0.4-#1
Photo(s):
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Orient Bay
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Orient Bay – The Shield
Style: Sport
Route Name: Myotis
Grade: 5.11d (35 meters)
Route Description: A full value climb that feels like a journey, find this rad new sport line about 20 meters to the left of ‘Chimney Sweep’. Climb up a few moves to reach the foot ledge, clip a bolt and prepare for the journey up this wall. Move up the varied face on a series of cool holds and through some tricky sequences, until you get to a point where it makes sense to start utilizing the pillar on your right near its top. Get on top of the pillar and take a breather while enjoying the sweet view. Continue your way up the face and keep it together through some burly and cruxy sequences that will give you a bit of a pump until you reach the 2 bolt rappel anchor. Make sure to put knots at the end of your rope when rappelling. 70 meter rope required.
F.A: Aric Fishman, August 23, 2023.
F.F.A: Aric Fishman, September 3, 2023.
Gear: 23 bolts
Photo(s):
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Submitted by: Patrick Martel
Route Location: Orient Bay – Mt.Olympus
Style: Sport
Route Name: Epiphany (AKA Silver Platter)
Grade: 5.11b/c (4 pitches – 90 meters)
Route Description: This route is now fully completed, a 4 pitch sport route at Mount Olympus. The line mostly follows a grey and black striated streak on the cliff. The climb has been divided into 4 pitches instead of 3 to facilitate communication and take advantage of logical belay anchor spots. Pitches 2 & 3 or 3 & 4 could easily be linked. All anchors allow climbers to rappel back down the line. You will need at least a 60m rope.
Pitch 1 – The route starts on the first several bolts of ‘Wishing Well’, but it continues straight up when ‘Wishing Well’ goes to the right. It then traverses obliquely left toward a right facing dihedral. This is a crimpy sustained technical face climb that does not give up until you reach the anchor. Stickclip is highly suggested. 5.11b/c, 27 meters.
F.A & F.F.A: Patrick Martel & Aric Fishman, August 22, 2023
Gear: Bring 15 quickdraws
Photo(s):
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UPDATES TO ESTABLISHED ROUTES:
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Pass Lake (Long Wall)
Route Name: Flake and Bake
Description of Update: 2 bolts added, 9 bolts total.
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Silver Harbour – Shady Grove area
Route Name: Duo Tang
Description of Update: Previously listed in the book as a Top-Rope route, Duo Tang is now fully bolted with 5 bolts plus a new chain anchor on the face. Start up the blocks leading to a corner and clip your first high bolt on the right. From there don’t stay in the corner, instead bust out onto the face directly above the first bolt with a series of jugs leading all the way to the top. Now that it’s fully clean it feels more like a 5.9, not 5.10a as I have it listed in the book.
FFA: Aric Fishman and Teresa Harris, June 6, 2023.
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Silver Harbour (First Impressions Wall)
Route Name: ‘Iron First’ & ‘Will Power’
Description of Update: New rappel anchor added, now making these routes have a 2 bolt rappel anchor instead of the 1 bolt rappel anchor + tree.
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Submitted by: Patrick Martel
Route Location: Silver Harbour – Silverline Wall left
Route Name: Cliffhanger
Description of Update: This route was retro bolted in July of 2023 with an additional bolt to eliminate the classic but sketchy whipper at the crux. Quick clips above the roof were also added to help the rope stay out of the crack when rappelling or top-roping this route.
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Submitted by: Patrick Martel
Route Location: Silver Harbour – Silverline Wall left
Route Name: President’s Choice
Description of Update: Retro bolted in July of 2023, this route now has 5 fresh bolts. The old bolts have been removed.
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Submitted by: Patrick Martel
Route Location: Silver Harbour – First Impressions Wall
Route Name: Greco
Description of Update: A 2 bolt rappel anchor was added to the top of Greco in July of 2023.
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Silver Harbour – Shady Grove area
Route Name: Middle Man
Description of Update: This route now has a few bolts at the start. Utilize the first few bolts that were placed on the new route ‘Bam’ that’s listed above in the New Routes section of this page.
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Submitted by: Aric Fishman
Route Location: Orient Bay – Mt.Olympus
Route Name: Soaring Eagle
Description of Update: The first pitch has now been free’d. Description as per the guidebook.
F.F.A: ByungKyu Peter Song & Dustin Johnston-Jewell, August 23, 2023.
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