Checking in after a good winter in Ottawa
By Stefan Kaban, Paul Way and Bill Barrett, Chair ACC Ottawa
Spring has sprung in the Ottawa Valley and members are looking forward to hiking and climbing, close by and further afield (hello Adirondack and Appalachian Mountains)! The Ottawa section had a busy calendar of events this winter, all while navigating lingering COVID pandemic effects, the closure of the US border, and disruptions from the trucker protest.
Montagne D’Argent
Our section ran 23 days of ice climbing programming, with trips to local destinations, Lac Poisson Blanc, Montagne d'Argent, and Calabogie. Our final club climbing trip, to Calabogie on March 26, saw members climbing past rushing waterfalls on slushy hero ice and even trying some pre-season rock climbing in their mountaineering boots! In early February, we had a trip to the Bancroft area, with new ice leaders honing their skills over an extended weekend at Eagle's Nest, Bow Lake, and Kluke Lookout. We also marked International Women's Day with a day of ice climbing lead by women, for women. We are glad to have such skilled and dedicated leaders in our club!
Bow Lake
Trump Wall, Lac McLaurin
We ran a very successful Beginner Weekend at Montagne d'Argent, with two enthusiastic groups braving -30 conditions to make their first ice climbing ascents and fall in love with this fantastic winter sport. We look forward to offering more of these sessions next season. We were also able to offer Ice Lead training—a two-day intermediate-level course with a professional instructor—and two ice climbing technique clinics for our members to level up their climbing game.
This fall, we reached out to our members for donations of mountaineering boots and they responded, we now have a total of 11 pairs to lend! These have been put to good use, both on our Beginner Weekend and by enabling the club to include beginners on our regular climbing trips, offering them more opportunities to try this exciting sport before making the (big) financial commitment to buy their own gear.
In addition to ice climbing, the Ottawa section plans ski trips on the region’s rolling hills, frozen lakes, old roads and trails which, with enough snow, are ideal to explore on Nordic backcountry skis.
Free heelin’ in Gatineau Park
We were rewarded with 40cm of snow in early January followed by a cold snap to -30C. This was enough to kick-off the season in our local backyard, Gatineau Park. Well known for its extensive groomed trail network, the park also offers a wide range of backcountry opportunities, particularly in the Lac Phillipe and Meech Valley areas. Three trips were offered in this area this winter. In addition, the section offered trips to Algonquin and Frontenac Provincial Parks. In Algonquin Park, a group of five Ottawa ACC members scouted out a new route through the spectacular Baron Canyon area. Twenty-one kilometres of breaking trail meant the day was long but the group was back in their cars and on the highway in time to enjoy dinner at the Whitewater Brew Pub in Cobden. Some club members were also able to take trips to the Laurentians and the backcountry of the Madawaska Highlands. Hopefully some of these areas will be on the club calendar next winter.
All of our programming is enabled by volunteer leaders, without which none of this would happen. Thanks leaders! We continue to work hard to build up our base of leaders, providing the mentoring, training, and experience needed to lead safe and enjoyable climbing trips. A special shoutout to Climbing Coordinators Stefan Kaban and Phong Nguyen, Hiking Coordinator Paul Way, and Training Coordinator George Gebara, who have worked hard to organize the activities that get Ottawa members out on the ice and snow.
Time to dust off your cams and pull out your hiking boots – spring is in the air in the Ottawa Valley!
Join the club!
The ACC is proud of our regional sections across the country—more than 20 local volunteer-driven communities of mountain lovers who are keen to get out and adventure, any time of year. Looking for folks to get out there with? You’ve found them!
