Toronto Section

Website: http://www.climbers.org

Newsletter

Despite being situated thousands of kilometres from the nearest "real" mountains, the Toronto Section of the ACC has been flourishing for most of the last eighty years.  In the 1920's and early 1930's, a small group of ACC members, who were referred to as the Toronto Committee, made their annual pilgrimage to Western Canada for the challenge and fulfillment of finding their way up a mountain.  By 1933, however, this group had disbanded.  The early 1950's again saw Toronto-based members banding together for mutual benefit.  The Section was officially re-launched on September 23, 1957, with a motion by the National Club incorporating the Section into the ACC.

With no mountains close by, during this early period strenuous efforts were made to find rock suitable for climbing and practice.  In the early 1960's, the Section built the Bon Echo Hut to meet the need to stay overnight at the nearest climbing area.  The Bon Echo Hut continues to this day as one of the main activities of the Toronto Section, and includes a Section-run boat service to the Hut and to the water-accessed base of the climbs.

Today's Section members rock climb, in traditional and sport styles, at areas largely discovered and/or developed by ACC members, such as Rattlesnake Point, Lionshead, Buffalo Crag, Kelso and Mount Nemo, all located on the Niagara Escarpment west of Toronto, and Bon Echo, 4 hours northeast of Toronto.  Toronto Section members ice climb at areas such as Eagles Nest, Fish Lake, Schooner Lake and Bow Lake.

Section activities are focused in two ways.  Rock climbing is supported through the Bon Echo Hut, weekend rock and ice climbing days at local venues, and trips to rock and ice climbing venues of the Adirondack Mountains in New York State.  As well, the Section has an Access Committee, whose goal is to work with all stakeholders: private land owners, governmental regulatory bodies, and members of the local climbing community; to facilitate open access to, and responsible use of, local climbing areas.

Mountaineering is supported through the participation of members in national camps, organizing Section camps in the mountains of Western and Northern Canada, coordinated weekend backcountry ski, snowshoe, hiking, and mountain climbing trips to areas north of Toronto and in the Adirondack Mountains, and organizing mountaineering skills workshops and courses.

Visit our website at http://www.climbers.org.