Frozen waterfalls and fearless climbers: A winter adventure

I should not use the terms fall or slip for this account.

But I do fall into some stories fortuitously. And this was a deep crevice of information.

This was recently the case when backcountry skiing on the Mattawa River, I came across some ice climbers!

And this is different ice, not the ICE – referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the controversial Homeland agency involved in enforcement actions and debates across the country, as seen in recent Minneapolis protests.

All because of, from a distance, there was this vibrant blue, with hints of green and yellow, a prismatic-like, dramatic, translucent, mostly vertical ice column. That’s why they were there.

The hanging chandelier type of icicles made for a superlative, colourful backdrop on this blue sky, no cloud winter day. You have seen similar ice that is this vibrant. The sun helps.

When you are beside the column, you hear the trickle of running water behind the cliff’s ice sheet.

It is a climbing spot and something most of us don’t do or will even try.

I have done some rock scrambling, which is beyond hiking; you pick your way carefully up the low-angle ascent using your hands/feet for balance. Not so technical.

Climbing and ice climbing are considered extreme sports, it still requires all of the same physical attributes of mainstream sports, but it becomes very technical, surrounded by safety protocols.

We know of Mount Everest and K-2 in the Himalayas and Mount Logan in the SE corner of the Yukon Territory. And the 1993 Cliffhanger film. American action thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone as a mountain climber who becomes embroiled in the heist of a U.S. Treasury plane flying through the Rocky Mountains. Great breathing, taking cinema.

Let’s move on with this. “Climbing!” (Climber): Signals that the climber is starting to move. The afternoon is peppered with unknown new safety lingo.

So, on a postcard-type of wintery day in northeastern Ontario, I was to find out more.

For the fun of it

Climbers are not necessarily different. I met a few of them, younger adults.

Tessa Davis resides on the shores of Lake Nosbonsing near Astorville. She is a Negotiator for the National Research Council.

She said, “I love ice climbing because the thought of being able to bash through something seemingly fragile and temporary is a pretty cool feeling. Ice can also be different from week to week or year to year, so you can have different climbs in one area of ice. The feeling of a well-sunken tool is also quite satisfying.”

Okay.

There are other benefits to the activity.

“It lets you take out your frustrations from the week and lets you focus on something that is fun and exciting. I enjoy pushing my body to the limits using muscle groups you might forget about. ‘Screaming barfies’ is a real thing.” (This is the sensation of lactic acid flowing out of your frozen hands.) “Very painful. It happens when over-gripping tools.”

She describes this newfound ice climbing site.

“I felt pretty lucky to find a spot so close to home. Ian and I only truly discovered this spot because of the devastating June 21 storm, because when canoeing, we would normally take out at the park. But because we had to take out at the Mattawa River Resort, downstream, we saw water flowing down the cliff in the summer after rainfall, and our gears started turning. The Mattawa River is like a home away from home for us, so to find a beautiful spot here felt very lucky, and that it is so accessible for us to take others new to the sport, which brings opportunity to showcase our love for the area.“

“Gotcha” or “Got You” (Belayer): Confirms the belayer has tension and the climber is supported. I am hooked.

Ian Jason Byerley’s wife is Tessa. He is a Senior Park Interpreter with Ontario Parks with a decade of climbing experience.

“From the first time I climbed at the Eagle’s Nest at Calabogie (west of Ottawa), I immediately knew it was a sport I wanted to pursue. Something about the movement and the places it took you really grabbed my attention.”

There’s got to be a leader.

Ian explained ice climbing focuses on ascending frozen water (waterfalls, ice falls) using ice tools and crampons, usually on shorter, steeper, and more accessible routes like the one on the Mattawa River. While alpine climbing is a broader, higher-risk discipline involving ascending mountains via combinations of rock, snow, and ice, often in higher-altitude environments.

“I climb because it allows me to explore fascinating environments and landscapes while doing something fun, physical and exhilarating. To explore the vertical world and to interact with these beautiful natural places is something that is so outside of the scope of normal life that one can’t help but be captivated by the improbability of it.”

There are learned skills and knowledge.

“When you learn about ice, you begin to appreciate the subtleties and ephemeral nature of the medium, making these experiences more special. Beauty, knowledge, skill, a touch of danger and a sprinkle of unpredictability come together in a wonderful choreography that really keeps you engaged, present, and fully immersed in what you are doing.”

There are social benefits.

“Joy, excitement, and surprise that is warm. The feeling of discovering a new spot and sharing it with some of my oldest friends to spread the love and wonderment of this sport was awesome.”

Climbing techniques

Ian is a four-season climber. There was more to share and learn.

He said there are two roles in ice climbing/climbing.

“There is the climber and the belayer. Both climber and belayer are attached to the rope system by their harnesses.” That is good to know, safety first, I was thinking.

The role of the belayer is taking in or paying out rope through a device to keep the climber secure. There are various forms of these devices, but the standard in ice climbing is the Air Traffic Controller (ATC).

“It serves to add friction to the rope when weighted by the climber in the event of a fall or when they need to be lowered. When belaying, you have two ends of rope: the climber strand (going up to the climber) and the brake strand (the part of the rope not yet fed through the belay device). As a belayer, you always keep a firm grip on the brake strand. holding this strand prevents the climber from falling to the ground when the rope is weighted.”

The ATC’s teeth allow them to grip icy ropes. Safety first.

Then he described how there are two ways you can climb ice.

“Leading or top roping. Top roping is very safe. There is an anchor (can be a tree or can be built in the ice) at the top of the climb that the rope passes through. As the climber climbs in a top-roping scenario, the belayer takes in rope, keeping it relatively tight at all times on the climber. If a climber falls in this scenario, they don’t fall far. Only as much as the rope stretches. It is limited to what can be done with top roping. If one intends to only top rope, you need two things: Access to the top of the climb or a cliff shorter than half your rope length (a standard climbing rope is 60m, but 70m and 80m ropes do exist).”

There’s a lot to learn.

With those limitations, there are pieces of ice you can’t climb.

“Top roping, however, is the best way to learn the skills of ice climbing. It’s safer. Falling is of low consequence, and this allows you to push your physical limits without significant risk of injury.”

This was important to the onlooker.

The second way to climb ice is leading. In lead climbing, you place protection in the ice and affix the rope to it using a ‘quick draw’. A quick draw consists of two climbing-rated carabiners (you use those for your water bottles) with a runner made of nylon or connecting them.

“One carabiner connects to the hardware in the ice, and the other, you pass your rope through. The protection you use for ice climbing is ‘Ice screws’. These tubular screws sink easily into the ice as you climb. They should be placed at an upward angle (around 15 degrees) as they rely on the strength of the ice to hold weight,” he said. “They are very strong when placed in good ice. In leading, there is no rope going to the top already, as there is in top roping. The belayer, in this instance, actually feeds out rope as the climber climbs. The opposite of top roping. If a climber falls in this scenario, they fall as far below their last piece of protection as they are above it, plus the stretch in the rope.”

Good to know.

Safety information for the “what if.”

“For instance,” he said, “If your waist was 5 ft. above the last screw and you fell, you would fall 10 ft. plus however much the rope stretched before the rope stops you. Many falls result in severe injuries as they can be rather violent, and you are covered in sharp things like crampons, ice tools, and ice screws. Besides being impaled, catching your foot on the ice on the way down because of the crampons often leads to broken ankles and horrific tibia-fibula breakages. If you intend to lead ice, you must be sure the conditions are appropriate environmentally and in terms of your strength and skills for that particular climb. Leading is for advanced and experienced ice climbers only. While the gear will save your life in most instances, it may harm you significantly in the process.”

I got the visual.

Risks exist in other areas of the sport that are an issue both when leading and when top roping. The biggest risk is icefall. Due to the somewhat destructive nature of ice climbing, chunks of ice tend to fall off as a climber ascends. Which I witnessed.

“This poses a major hazard to the belayer below. Always wear a helmet when ice climbing (climbing or belaying). The belayer can generally predict the fall path of the ice and should, if they enjoy a functioning brain, stay out of said fall path using terrain to their advantage. Being alert and looking up is critical when belaying while ice climbing.”

I was not sure if my brain could take all of this in.

More to know

Other risks do exist…like “delamination,” ice that can be disconnected from the underlying rock, making for an unstable surface that could collapse when weighted.

A sunny day is nice, but sun/heat can melt screw placements, making them unsafe. On the other hand, extreme cold increases the risk of frostbite and makes the ice extremely brittle, which makes climbing more challenging.

“To be safe ice climbing you need to learn a lot. Communication with your climbing partner, buddy checks, use of best practices, and repeated self-checks are necessary to allow you to participate in this sport safely. Seek qualified instruction or learn from a mentor before you jump into this sport. The juice is worth the squeeze, though!”

Climbing is not cheap. There’s a must-have list.

Harnesses cost between $50-150, better dry-treated rope (70m ideal) – $250-400. Your ice climbing boots will cost you $400-1000. Then there are the ice tools (hand picks) for $400-650. Then there are those interesting boot-attached crampons – $200-400. To protect your head, a helmet costs $50-200.

That photo of the ice screws – $85-110 each (a full “rack” is usually around 16 screws in lengths varying from 10cm to 22cm). And you can’t afford to leave these behind.

But as Ian says, “The feeling you get topping out on a big ice route – priceless!”

I liked some of the verbal terms being tossed around on the pitch. “Dinner Plate” – a chunk of ice that cleaves off the climb as you hit it with your ice tool. “Hero Ice” – ice at the perfect temperature. Somewhat plastic. The tool swings stick immediately, and ice doesn’t shatter or “dinner plate” when it’s hit. “Bomber – super solid” as in “That tool/screw is bomber!”

And think of all the places one could climb.

Ian also wants to climb the famed Devil’s Rock near North Cobalt.

From the top, in any season, you may see rock climbers belaying down the cliff as this rocky crag provides one of the best pitches in Ontario. There are several climbing routes that have been described in many journals, technical single and multi-pitch crack routes rising from the water’s edge. You can see some neat images at Climb Sudbury.

Sources

There are two main climbing organizations in Canada/Ontario. And safety is at the forefront in their promotion of the sport.

There was a name change, but the Ontario Alliance of Climbers (OAC) was formed in 2009. It is an independent provincial, volunteer non-profit organization that works diligently to keep climbing and bouldering areas open.

The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) is a network of local communities across the country, united by “the love for alpine environments and outdoor experiences.” As Canada’s national mountain organization, the ACC promotes mountaineering, committed to conservation of mountain environments. They recognize that access to the mountains obligates us to understand and protect these unique environments.

It promotes the Madawaska Ice Fest occurring this weekend. It is a celebration of ice climbing, hosted by the Alpine Club of Canada Toronto Section. There are two days of ice climbing clinics for all levels of ice climbers.

Krysten Lammert got back to me.

About the number of ice climbers in Ontario, she said, “very hard to get an accurate number here. But only a couple hundred of us across Ontario. It is highly niche.”

“Favourite locations for climbing must be the Madawaska Valley & Algoma. Some great ice in both places with unmatched views!”

And for her and others.

“Ice climbing is incredible. Who else is crazy enough to climb frozen waterfalls with axes?! We chase a small, fleeting season of ice climbing when the ice is thick enough to climb but not so brittle it cracks! Combining the full-on exposure of winter outdoors with the challenge of climbing on ice, notoriously unpredictable and the ultimate winter adrenaline rush. We suggest you hire any of your local climbing guides who would be able to outfit you with the correct equipment to give this a try!”

Then Andriy KolosI, from the OAC replied. He was in Patagonia (the tip of South America) at the time of contact.

He stated that due to the challenges, the number of ice climbers in Southern Ontario is less than that of rock climbers.

“Much less. My estimate would be about 1,000. And that’s due in large part to ice climbing festivals, which have occurred over the years, aimed at convening an energized community, offering professional instruction/courses, and giving back to the local community.

“Often, one thinks climbing with big, handled ice tools and sharp crampons should be easy, especially if you’ve mastered rock climbing, but the movement is different. You can’t swing or kick just anywhere, you’re looking to read the ice and carefully select spots that can accept an ice pick or a crampon point.”

And let us not forget gym climbing. The Ontario Climbing Federation says Sport Climbing has three disciplines: focusing on organized, indoor gym competitions for bouldering, top-rope, and lead climbing.

Then there are the palisades near Lake Nipigon between Beardmore and Nipigon on Highway 11. I have been there when there were ice climbers. It is most likely one of the best sites for ice climbing in the province.

On the Greenstone municipal website. It says: “Ice and rock climbing are fun, adventurous activities you can experience at the Pijitawabik Palisades within the Municipality of Greenstone. This world-renowned climbing spot in Orient Bay is known as one of the top three ice climbing destinations in North America, drawing climbers from all over the world to test this imposing precipice.”

These cliffs measure about 500 feet/152 m high. “…giving you an incredible challenge and satisfying view of Orient Bay once you reach the top. With 110 waterfalls ranging to over 130 feet high and freezing up to 33 feet thick, the palisades boast the greatest concentration of climbable ice east of the Rockies.”

The Nipigon Ice Fest (March 7), Canada’s longest-running (1986) ice climbing festival, features ice climbing clinics and presentations by outdoor adventurers. It is celebrating its 40^th anniversary.

Then back to the Mattawa River ice column.

Cameron Fischer is a climber, but this was his first time ice climbing. He is an environmental engineer from Ottawa.

“As an avid outdoor rock climber, I’ve been skeptical of ice climbing compared to solid rock walls, but hearing Ian say he even prefers ice to rock made me keen to try it, and a weekend with Tess and Ian gave me the perfect opportunity (and excellent teachers)!

“I quickly learned that technique used on rock doesn’t translate well to ice – I had to fight my instinct to go up on my toes, and I found myself swinging like a barn door when I lifted a foot or arm. My calves and forearms are sore today, but I can finally see the appeal – it satisfies all climbers’ urge to go straight up a sheer face without worrying if there are handholds or not – just pick and kick your own way up the ice!”

BRB takeaways on the backwaters, looking beyond the frozen beauty.

For those inclined, ice climbing is a rewarding, exhilarating winter sport that most of us won’t or undertake, and hear firsthand “Up Rope!” or “Watch Me!”

I was fascinated by the photo opportunities. I like this natural ice, not the humankind ICE.

I was invited to try. I forgot my crampons.