Summer 2024 Newsletter: Crag Updates, Upcoming Events, and More!
Hey, OAC crew! We hope you're all soaking up the sun and crushing your projects before the heat cranks up. We're thrilled to announce the upcoming Beaver Valley Climbing Festival and a lineup of exciting events! We’re already halfway through 2024, and it has been a remarkable and productive year. We can’t wait to see what the rest of this year has in store, and we hope you stick around for the ride.
The First Post-Pandemic Beaver Valley Climbing Festival + Call for Volunteers!
Camping, climbs and good times! Gear up for the first Beaver Valley Climbing Festival since before the pandemic with our lead sponsor, La Sportiva! The BVCF will be running from August 16th to August 18th, and it is an excellent opportunity for the Ontario climbing community to come together and celebrate our love of climbing in Beaver Valley, Ontario. Enjoy rock climbing, community, camping, prizes, and entertainment over the weekend. This year’s festival is on a property adjacent to Metcalfe Rock, where the distance to the crag is measured in steps! Find more details and purchase your ticket HERE. We are seeking volunteers to help ensure the event runs smoothly; if interested, click HERE.
Working Together to Maintain Outdoor Climbing Access
OAC volunteer Dustin Johnston-Jewell and co-chair Mike Penney recently met with Ontario Parks to review the proposed Park Management Plan for Devil’s Glen. As many Ontario climbers know, Devil’s Glen experienced closures through the summer of 2023. To regain access to this unique and historic crag, the Ontario climbing community came together and sent thousands of letters to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Our efforts paid off, and Devil’s Glen reopened to the public in the early fall of 2023. The OAC continues to work on maintaining a good relationship with Ontario Parks. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to write a letter to Minister Andrea Khanjin to vouch for access to outdoor climbing in Ontario Parks! Click HERE to write a letter.
Damaged Trees and Cut Wood at Metcalfe Rock
Recently, the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club informed the OAC that a community member found damaged trees and cut wood that was discarded near Metcalfe Rock. As trail and nature enthusiasts, we must understand and apply the “Leave no Trace” principle. Most trails do not allow campfires, so keep the fires in your home fire pit! We encourage OAC members to educate themselves and their friends on caring for and respecting our favourite outdoor spaces. Play your part in retaining outdoor access. Make sure you check out the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club. They are dedicated to conserving and caring for the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail lands and another great organization to support!
Annual Survey Results
The OAC thanks everyone who took the time to fill out the 2023 Climbers’ Survey! Here are the highlights:
The top three reported motivations for climbing:
#1 - Being outside in Nature
#2 - Mental health and/or wellness
#3 - Spending time with friends/family
Nearly all climbers (~99%) climb indoors at least once a month.
Mount Nemo was the crag where climbers spent the most time.
The Milton Area was the highest self-reported region where people climbed outdoors.
57% of climbers say they’ve received mentorship in the past year (up 19% from 2021)
63% of climbers who filled out the survey were members of the OAC (up 15% from 2021)
The top existing priorities for OAC in order of importance among climbers:
#1 Maintaining existing relationships with land managers such as Conservation Halton
#2 Continuing to maintain pressure on Ontario Parks
30% of climbers say access to climbing is extremely important to them in terms of their decision to live in Ontario (up 12% from 2021)
Rattlesnake Spring Fling
On June 15th, the OAC hosted the annual Rattlesnake Spring Fling at Rattlesnake and Mount Nemo to contribute to crag maintenance and strengthen our relationship with Conservation Halton. Community members spent the day cleaning up the crag, enjoying a delicious BBQ lunch, and climbing in the sun! Big shoutout to Jessica Best for organizing, Conservation Halton for the cleaning supplies, Arc’teryx for giving out some sweet swag, and Guayaki for the delicious refreshments to keep us cool through the warm and sunny day! It was a big success, and we can’t wait to see you all out there again next year!
