Sunday, January 9, 2011

NB Ice Climbing

After an fun christmas holiday of visiting family and friends I was itching to get some ice climbing in. 

If you walk an extra 15minutes to around the corner in Cape Maringouin you get another present!!
Who wouldn't want to climb in this setting? Photo by Max Fisher

A combination of snow covering the ice making it rotten to above seasonal temperatures has led to a slow start to the NB ice season. Finally just after christmas we had a few nice cold days and got out to a few different places: Cape Maringouin and Parlee Brook.

Cape Maringouin is coastal ice located on the northeast side of the Rockport Peninsula. I first explored this place in the late winter of 2007 we climbed 5 new routes that year. 2008 had no activity. I came home for a few months again in 2009 and hiked in there a few more times and climbed 4 more routes. Now this season I have been in there twice and 4 new routes have been climbed..... there are still a few beautiful lines out there!! 

Sick? Why Not WI3+ in the centre Photo by Max Fisher
Plates WI3 on the right in thin conditions Photo by Max Fisher
    A Frozen Morning WI4 on left and 2 Planes of Ice WI4 on the right in lean conditions at Cape Maringouin Photo by Max Fisher

The approach is about a 1hr hike/ski into the climbs. The climbs vary in difficulty from WI2 to WI4+ and height from 7m to 20m. This is one of my favourite places to climb because of the coastal aspect and the solitude, I have never been there and had others show up.

Parlee Brook, located in Sussex Corner, is the premier ice climbing destination in NB! It has a very high concentration of routes for all levels of climbers and is in early and late season.

The approach is about 1hr and it can be approached from both the top and the bottom. Sometimes people get lost looking for Parlee so if you're looking at heading in there go with someone that know's or get some good directions. 

Max Fisher climbing Patrick's Choice WI3+ Parlee Brook Photo by Dom Caron
Max Fisher on Patrick's Choice Photo by Dom Caron

Thanks to Marty Theriault and Dom Caron for the belays and great days of ice!

After these past few days Cape Maringouin is going to be in great condition! The snow in Parlee doesn't make for the best conditions... still worth a trip in my opinion.

Joe Kennedy's Ice Climbing Guide to New Brunswick is a excellent resource!! You can pick it up at Radical Edge in Fredericton for $10-$15. Also check out the Climb Eastern Canada link.








1 comment:

  1. Heard about ice climbing in my hood today from Malcom. So cool!

    ReplyDelete