Climbing Near Kenora, Ontario

In the 1970s climbers from Winnipeg discovered several superb granite cliffs to the east of the city in the general area of Kenora, Ontario. Many of the popular and older climbing areas are right next to the road with very little time spent gaining access. The majority of the less frequented cliffs need an adventurous spirit and typically a canoe in order to get to. There is enough potential granite to last a lifetime here for the route developers out there, but again you'll need a canoe.Bouldering development began in the late 80's and has seen fairly continuous development of the granite boulders and bluffs ever since. The Kenora region occupies an area of the Canadian Shield, a sparsely populated land of sparkling lakes and boreal forest that covers half of Canada. The Canadian Shield is the oldest and largest exposure of crystalline rock on the earth; the cliffs that we climb on are all that remain of mountain ranges that were born 2 to 4 billion years ago.The climbing season normally extends from May through October, with spring and fall offering the best conditions. Rare years the season can begin in March and last till December. A portion of July can be stiflingly hot. Black fly and mosquitoes are typically the worst during June and July. You can usually stave off these beasts by wearing loose clothes that cover your arms and legs, camping in a windy spot, and retiring to the safety of your tent 1/2 hour before sunset. Always pack insect repellant.Some other sources of information can be found at: accmanitoba.ca/climbing-guide/Find the route climbing guidebook (for Kenora specifically):"Kenora Rock Climbs" by Mike Brown & Ryan Munro - available at www.kenorarockclimbs.com , or https://verticallstore.com/products/kenora-rock-climbs and several other sitesOver 500 boulder problems are documented in the bouldering guidebook: "Manitoba & Kenora Bouldering" by Chris Tarry and Matt Gain - available at manitobakenorabouldering.com, locally at The Hive or Vertical Adventures in Winnipeg, and a few other retailers. From the west from Winnipeg, Manitoba it's a two hour, 200km drive along highway 1. From the east from Thunder Bay it's a five hour, 560km drive along highway 17. From the south from Duluth, Minnesota take highway 53 north for 162 miles to International Falls where you will cross the international border into Fort Frances, then proceed west along highway 11 for 40km, then north for 150km on highway 71 and then finally west on highway 17 for 30km to Kenora.

This crag is conveniently located but isn't without its accessibility issues. See Access notes for details. The south-east facing cliff gets sun from early morning to mid-afternoon. All routes are trad or top rope climbs. Most anchors are natural as well. You will only find one set of rappel rings at this crag and no other bolts. Approach is about 50M from the road. There is a trail to access the cliff from the top directly off the north of the highway if you follow the treeline. There is also a trail to access the base of the cliff from the road. Descend the scree on the north side of the highway and you will see the trail at the base.

DWS. Only accessible by boat. Rockeries marina or Pye's landing are the nearest boat launches. Chossy in sections, so check holds before pulling. Safe otherwise, decent depths (>30ft) on depth gauges although haven't checked other areas along the cliffs. By boat via Pye's Landing. At confluence of clearwater bay and woodchuck bay.