Early Bird Tickets for this year’s Beaver Valley Climbing Festival are here!

Come party with us August 14-16 and celebrate all that Ontario climbing has to offer! We’ll have overnight camping, yoga, dinner, music, vendors, and guided clinics — PLUS our famous raffle, full of so much gear you to win, you won’t know what to do with it!

This year’s BVCF is brought to you by the OAC in partnership with Patagonia — we’re so psyched to hang with you!

Early Bird tickets are available to Active Annual OAC Members until June 5th. Tickets open to the general public on Friday, June 5th at 7:00am. You’ll want to get yours before it sells out!

Need another incentive to get your ticket now? If you purchase an Early Bird ticket before June 5th, you’re automatically entered to win a Patagonia prize pack! The grand winner will receive: a Patagonia Black Hole pack, Terravia hip pack, Trad cap, AND a $25 gift card to spend Wild Rock Outfitters! One winner up will also receive a $25 gift card for Wild Rock Outfitters.

Not a member yet, but want to secure your spot before it sells out? Get your membership today and you can get your BVCF ticket right away!

The Spring Fling is a day spent contributing to crag maintenance and strengthening our relationship with Conservation Halton.  We’ll spend the morning picking up trash, celebrate our hard work with lunch, and then spend the afternoon climbing.  Register now to participate in this day of giving back to the climbing community!

Sunday, May 3rd, we’ll be picking up trash at two crags just like last year – Rattlesnake Point, and Mount Nemo!

Come join us in this day of giving back, meet some new climbing friends, and enjoy the sunshine!  This event is open to all ages — and yes, we can sign volunteer forms for anyone trying to log volunteer hours  Register now so we can get your name on the list and account for your free volunteer lunch!

The Spring Fling is a day spent contributing to crag maintenance and strengthening our relationship with Conservation Halton.  We’ll spend the morning picking up trash, celebrate our hard work with lunch, and then spend the afternoon climbing.  Register now to participate in this day of giving back to the climbing community!

Sunday, June 8th, we’ll be picking up trash at two crags just like last year – Rattlesnake Point, and Mount Nemo!

Come join us in this day of giving back, meet some new climbing friends, and enjoy the sunshine!  This event is open to all ages — and yes, we can sign volunteer forms for anyone trying to log volunteer hours

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.

Details for the virtual meeting will be announced October 24 via official email to all OAC members.

If you would like to run as a candidate for the board of directors, please submit your bio to info@ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca by end of day October 22 in order to have your bio included with the formal meeting announcement. You may also submit your name for the election during the meeting on November 7th.

Hope to see you all there!

Also, it’s that time of year again!

Photo submissions for the 2024 Ontario Crags Calendar are now OPEN!!

We’re looking for a variety of photos showcasing the diversity of Ontario climbing: different crags, different people, different seasons, different disciplines (ice, trad, sport, AND bouldering!). Show us what you got!

Submissions are open until the end of the month, closing at midnight on October 31. Send your photos to submissions@ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca. All entered photos will be subject to the full Terms of Submission, found below:

Join us this Wednesday, June 7th, at 7pm to hear all about the current state of affairs at Devil’s Glen, and about our campaign to #SaveClimbingAtDG.

We’ll present some preliminary findings from our Economic Impact of Climbers survey. We received a total of 1644 responses — a phenomenal result, thank you everyone! We’ll also share the bigger plan, which will involve more action from YOU

Other Recent Updates:

Last week, on May 31, the OAC met with Ontario Parks.

We voiced our concerns regarding the lack of communication or consultation concerning climbing at Devil’s Glen, and emphasized that we maintain SIGNIFICANT concerns regarding access, including the basis for their recent decisions.

Ontario Parks has not yet provided the requested scientific information supporting the closure.

We provided them with the latest ecological studies regarding climbing on the Niagara Escarpment which support rock climbing as a recreational activity. These studies propose that climbing can be supported sustainably by land managers while achieving preservation goals.

Study 1: Kuntz, Larson — Influences of microhabitat constraints and rock-climbing disturbance on cliff-face vegetation communities

Study 2: Sommer — Rock Climbing and Talus Vegetation on the Niagara Escarpment: Impacts and Management Implementations

We also raised concerns about mountain bike trail closures in neighbouring Pretty Valley as additional evidence of Ontario Park “limiting recreational resources” to specific user groups.

Emphasizing that a restrictive approach to climbing is misaligned with approaches taken by their Canadian, U.S. and European conservation and management peers, we maintained that the current policy will not lead to their desired conservation outcomes.

Ontario Parks has agreed to review the signage and consider possible alternatives to achieving their ecological goals, and to discuss these with the OAC.

They have confirmed their desire to work with the climbing community towards achieving a balance that includes climbing in some form within Devil’s Glen.

Ontario Parks recognizes that the current situation at Devil’s Glen and their lack of communication with the OAC did not benefit either party. Both Ontario Parks and the OAC are committed to working together in an open and transparent manner going forward.

This is your opportunity to hear from us about the latest news concerning Devil’s Glen, and to learn about what’s to come. As with previous Town Halls, registration will open closer to the date, but it will be held online so as to be as accessible as possible.

Also, if you haven’t yet filled out our Economic Impact of Climbing survey, please do so NOW! The survey window is only open until Wednesday May 31st. Your responses will help us advocate for the importance climbing has on our greater community.

Complete the survey NOW!

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. Those who submit their candidacy before October 21 will be included in our formal email announcement. Miss the window? That’s okay, candidates are able to declare their application all the way through to our live meeting!

Details for the virtual meeting will be announced October 25 via official email to all OAC members. Hope to see you all there!

There’s already been a lot happening this year, and the season has only just begun. Come get the answers to your latest questions about access issues, we’ll have lots to talk about!

Registration is necessary. Registration can be done here.

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!

Our meeting minutes and a summary of our Access Sends for the 2019-2020 year can be found below:

A complete recording of the meeting is available below:

Thanks everyone, we’ll see you soon!