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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!

December 16, 2021
Love0

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!

December 7, 2021
Love0

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:

Photograph Submission Rules for the 2022 OAC Ontario Crags CalendarDownload
September 27, 2021
Love0

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:

September 17, 2021
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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!

August 25, 2021
Love3

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.

August 3, 2021
Love2

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.

April 29, 2021
Love1

Virtual Town Hall Recap – January 18, 2021

By Access, Community, News

Thank you to everyone who tuned into our latest Virtual Town Hall! We had over 160 attendees tune in throughout the night, with great discussion about access issues at some key Ontario crags.

Campden, Rockwood, and the Turtle (all of which are currently closed to climbing) were discussed in depth, as well as lockdown restrictions and some much needed talk about our mandate as an organization.

A complete recording of the meeting is available below. We look forward to seeing you out and about soon! 🤞

QUICK LINKS:

0:03:55 – Who we are
0:05:38 – What we do
0:11:46 – Covid update
0:24:25 – Rockwood
0:35:10 – Turtle
0:37:53 – Campden
0:51:17 – Ice climbing updates
0:56:05 – Other updates (education initiatives, access negotiations, Conservation Halton & the Turtle)
1:00:01 – Community Questions via email (Beaver Valley hunting season, Devil’s Glen and Metcalfe parking, Lion’s Head, drones, bouldering development enquiries)
1:18:44 – Live Community Questions (Crag X, winter Kolapore access is ski only, OAC fundraising model)

January 24, 2021
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Virtual Town Hall Announcement: Jan 18th @7pm

By Access, Community, News

The OAC is excited to announce our next Virtual Town Hall to be held Monday, January 18th, at 7pm.

In this Town Hall, the volunteers of the OAC will discuss current access concerns that affect your favourite crags across Ontario. We’ll share the actions we’re taking to address key access issues and our priorities for the Spring 2021 climbing season.

If you’ve been feeling a bit out of the loop, this is a great opportunity to learn about the work our volunteers do on behalf of our community. We’ll open the floor to questions, and we encourage you to email us with specific topics you’d like to see addressed ahead of time. Please send any inquiries to info@ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca.

Register for the Town Hall in advance! We hope to see you there.

December 23, 2020
Love5
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