12-JAN-2007
Bancroft Ice (Blake)
Climb #1
Finally I won a rock paper scissors match although I have to note that
it was on a technicality (Blake can’t count). But it was my lead! I have
no idea what this route is named but it is the fattest thing there. I’ve
actually seen this climb still formed in May. The top felt like it was about
WI3-3+ offering 25-30 feet of vertical climbing. The bottom is a bunch of steps
if you stay right, however I chose to swing left and climb the steeper thin ice which
offered a fun lead and a screw 30 feet off the deck (WI2+?). When I got to the ramp, which
is above the lip over my head in this picture,
there were a few options. One was the pillar that had a 1 foot base(above and right
of my head), the vertical ice beside it, or straight towards some shorter steep ice
out of frame.
12-JAN-2007
Bancroft topout (Blake)
After giving the pillar a few wallops with my axe I backed away and got
a couple screws in that would keep me off the deck. The ice was near perfect
plastic in the 40 degree temps, though a bit wet! Blake joined me a short
time later on top noting that it was a “nice” route. There is a really nice
mixed variant that I'm told is called "East Meets West" (M5) leading to the pillar,
which is called "Jetstream" (WI 4+). We didn’t attempt the M5 but I’m assuming it
would be a lot of fun. Here I am on top after
climbing the ice left of the pillar.
12-JAN-2007
Route 2 summit (Blake)
Climb #2
Blake’s lead. We Walked down the cliff to the south passing a sad
sight (a bolted crack). I took a picture of it but it wasn’t noticeable
enough to post. We also passed a chimney that wasn’t in starting on rock
and leading to thin ice and a bad top out! This looked like fun but was
too hard for the moment(edit: it was Dirty Harry). At the end of the cliff there was a route with
a few options to start. Blake chose the thinnest steeper part with some
prodding from me! Apparently this may be "Hidden Gully"(WI3). The first 15 feet was
about WI 2+/3 to a rampy detached top with lots of water running behind everything.
Blake ran up and I followed on a fun mixed corner. When I got up top I noticed a lot of bare rock with shattered ice around it. Blake told me that he was trying to place and the ice was so bad that it just fell off. It was very thin indeed! We rapped off of a small tree,
Blake tried to tie the rope in a knot, and we walked to the car. Here we are
at the top of the pitch. You can see that we are basically right in town.
12-JAN-2007
Back to the Car
We went from the climb right to the library to find out where the heck
we were headed next. It was totally seat of our pants and we chose to go
to Mount Tremblant in Quebec to see if they had better conditions. We got
some beta for the area, directions, and the name of the best pizza place in
Bancroft in the library, which was the most I’ve ever accomplished in said
establishment. If you are ever in Bancroft, go to Vito’s Pizza. The Vito’s
Special is particularly excellent, and it fuelled our trip towards Kaybeck.
On the drive we both remembered a close friend that lived in Ottawa, which was
on the way. We called Jill and left a message and proceeded to go towards MEC to
see if there was any climbing in the area to save us any further driving. The
staff were unbelievably helpful. My personal thanks to them for their guidance that
led to a great day that followed.
13-JAN-2007
The Honest Lawyer
While at MEC Jill called and became our wonderful host for the next 2 nights. We decided to celebrate by heading to “The Honest Lawyer” downtown in Ottawa where we shared a few yards of beer and some terrific nachos!
12-JAN-2007
Lac Poisson Blanc (Blake)
The next morning we were up with the sun, which really isn’t that early but
we were up late the night before. We packed our junk and followed
directions to Lac Poisson Blanc, north of Ottawa in Quebec. You can find
directions to this place in the Quebec climbing guide, although knowing French
will be a great aid in reading it.
13-JAN-2007
La Souche Pitch 1 (Blake)
Route #3: La Souche (80m, WI3)
This long route was not really in great condition but it was the biggest
one there, so we had to try it! I was up for leading, so after racking up
with everything short, I started up the first 25 meters of lower angled ice
with a couple bulges and terrible gear! It was moderate so I wasn’t worried
about falling. I brought Blake up on a big tree on the left.
13-JAN-2007
Rock Slab (Blake)
The slab that sadly had no ice on it!
13-JAN-2007
La Souche P2 (Blake)
Pitch 2 was a full rope length and started a bit below and left of P1.
There were a tonne of options here as the route was 40 feet wide, so I
chose to climb up a tiny runnel that was consistently thicker than the
rest of the route. This lead to a couple bulges, and finally some gear
after about 100 feet.
13-JAN-2007
P2 finish (Blake)
Up more I met the crux which was 15 feet of vertical ice. I started
climbing it in a dihedral on the right delicately placing my foot into a
hollow sheet on my right and whacking away with my tools trying to get a
decent stick. The ice was just shattering and shattering and continued to
pummel Blake at the belay. A couple minutes later, using the steps of ice
I’d just excavated as positive foot holds, I was over the bulge, and after
a grovel through a cedar bush I was on top bringing Blake up.
13-JAN-2007
Whitefish Lake! (Blake)
As Blake followed the fun and strenuous vertical section he placed
his foot low on the hollow section mentioned earlier. He tried to
place his right tool high on the hollow section but it must have been
below the fracture line as a section from the pick of his tool to the
front point of his crampon cracked and started rumbling down route.
He screamed “IIIIICE” with a note of fear in his voice as the huge chunk raked
the route and hit the trees. This shows down the valley to whitefish lake.
13-JAN-2007
Summit shot
The Valley below La Souche
13-JAN-2007
Blake topout @ La Souche
We rapped the 200 feet to the end of P1 threading the rings there expecting
to go down. However, there is a ramp that apparently led to some ice
higher up. We walked up slope and saw another rampy 60 degree section
with some bulges. We pulled up our ropes and Blake got ready to lead.
13-JAN-2007
La Petit dalle
Route #4
We looked up, though, and I looked at Blake and said “why don’t
we just solo it.” It was only WI2 although thin. We threw the
ropes on our backs to rap and climbed beside each other to the top.
As we descended I jumped on the 15 foot pillar that formed beside the
last route. Brittle ice lead to wet plastic and a moss top out. It was
fun but hardly worth the effort. We downclimbed ramps and some ice to
get to the bottom of La Souche and walked down the cliff where most
people were toproping the steeper fatter climbs to the last route of the day.
Notice the very floppy rope on his back....lol
13-JAN-2007
Mixed...ish??? (Blake)
Route #5
I can’t really tell by the guidebook which route this is. It’s
either La Bifide or D’la galerie, both WI3, 20 and 30 meters respectively.
Something tells me from the length that it’s the 30m D’la
galerie, but the WI3 seems to apply when there is ice on the
route. It was still Blake’s lead as he didn’t rope up for the
last climb, so we discussed where to go to reach a thin runnel
of ice 30 feet up after very thin ice, moss, and rock. Blake
tried 3 different ways all on mixed ground but backed down.
Blake gave the lead to me and I almost regret taking it. In the next
30 minutes I realized why he was struggling.
13-JAN-2007
Mid pitch (Blake)
I knew once I got to the cedar where the thicker ice started things
would be ok but it took about 30 minutes to make that height. The
tree (previous picture) was the best positive foothold I could get at the start(5ft up), my
left pick was in a tiny hole, and my right higher up in a tuft of moss while my right
foot was making sparks trying to get a better purchase in the thin ice below.
This route was probably no harder than M3, but I will say I was fairly
scared. I have not climbed mixed anything without bolts or a secure
toprope, so this felt difficult. I tested the tuft of moss feeling my
handles flex as I yanked. I trusted it enough to commit and did so moving
my foot up onto a positive hold on top of a flake. I scratched my way up
on small edges and finally got a thin stick in some ice. A few more thin
sticks and some committing foot placements later and I reached the tree
sweating. It felt great to sling that little cedar and great too look up
and see white ice and not a clear thin layer over black rock. So I started up.
30 feet later I got a 10cm screw in. The ice was shattering badly which I
think was from my mangled and dull picks from scratching/banging up the first
section. 20 feet later I got my final screw, a 12cm Grivel. I tried a 15cm
screw but hit rock and I only wished I could somehow bore right into it. The
last move moved from the ice to a hollow moss lip at about eye level. I got
a tool in the moss, pulled, looked right to a small tree and hooked the thing.
A few pulls later I was on top, throwing the rope around the tree and cleaning
the route on rappel as it was now dusk and Blake and I had to get back to town.
I got down and got a hug from Blake and we laughed our way to the car
quoting Super Troopers and Anchorman.
On the way home back to Jill’s we grabbed some Guiness. We got to Jill’s,
made up some French bread pizza with kielbasa and cheese and ate the rest
of the Vito’s Special while watching Anchorman. It was a great night with
2 of my close friends.
Sunday we woke up late to start our way home but not after a greasy
breakfast at a packed diner, a trip to MEC (again) to take care of some things,
and a lost bet (apparently I can’t tell a Quebec accent from Irish….) which
cost me a biner.
14-JAN-2007
Driving beverage?? (Blake)
We had a great drive home stopping in Kingston to get some
bread from the best bakery in town, Pan Chanchos. Traffic
wasn’t even that bad in Toronto and we made the trip from Ottawa
in great time filling in when radio stations cut out.
Thanks to Blake for doing this. We don’t get a lot of chances
to get out climbing together or doing anything for that matter (Blake
lives in Yellowknife, NWT) so I’m truly glad we got to safely share
some time on the ice and on the road. Thanks to Jill for putting us
up and showing us around town. It was terrific to see you so
unexpectedly and make some more memories!
Thanks all for reading!
Brent Elliott
