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daveh_cdn
Aug 16, 2004, 1:13 AM
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I have heard the Falcon Guidebook is alright, but I've also heard they don't list that many of the routes at Silver Bay's Shovel Point and Palisade Head in Minnesota.
Is there a better guidebook for this area?
I'm from Thunder Bay, ON and I wanna come down for a bit of climbing in the fall.
Thanks a lot,
Dave
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metolius21
Aug 16, 2004, 2:07 AM
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hnmfnfgndg
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daveh_cdn
Aug 16, 2004, 11:43 AM
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Are there many/any bolted sportclimbs at either of these locations?
Thanks,
Dave
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drrock
Aug 16, 2004, 11:50 AM
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Nope.
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drrock
Aug 16, 2004, 11:51 AM
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Is there sport near Thunder Bay?
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daveh_cdn
Aug 16, 2004, 12:02 PM
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Yup. There are about 10 sport routes at every crag. There isn't any extreme overhanging juggy sport though. More trad for sure.
Check out www.acctbay.ca for the Thunder Bay Alpine Club website, and http://tbayrock.yourhomeplanet.com/ for the latest Guidebook.
Thanks for your help.
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drrock
Aug 16, 2004, 1:31 PM
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I have only been to Shovel Point up there. You could trad it, but most people just toprope up there. You can see Palisade Head from Shovel Point, and it looks awesome as well. Bring a bunch of webbing to set up your topropes. At some places the trees are quite a ways back from the cliff. Also bring a small carpet to duct tape to the edge or there will be some serious wear on your gear where it rubs the edge. It also is a little quicker to rappel down one rope and climb up another that you are already tied in to. It can be cool with the wind coming off the water but since you are from Thunder Bay I suppose you are familiar with that.
The Falcon Guide is good. I don't know of any others. Have fun.
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floridaputz
Aug 16, 2004, 2:00 PM
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There is an old guide book called "Superior climbs" by Dave Pagel that is pretty good. The guide includes Palisade head & Shovel Point and many obsure areas like "Johnsons Lake". But if you are looking for sport forget it. Chalk is a big no-no at Palisade head. Most climbs at Shovel point involve rapping down to ledges and climbing up on top rope. Its pretty cool to look down at lake Superior directly below.
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plund
Aug 16, 2004, 2:21 PM
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I'll second the cool view part. Walking on the cliff top at Palisade, it looks like the water is about 30 feet below. Superior is so huge it obliterates all sense of scale...I got a good "clenchy" when I walked to the edge & realized it's closer to 200' to the waves...HAVE FUN!!
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chadnsc
Aug 16, 2004, 3:04 PM
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If you are looking for information for Palisade and Shovel Point try contacting the University Of Minnesota Duluth Outdoor program at:
http://www.umdrsop.org/aboutus/index.html
Check out there climbing program, they have many out of print guidebooks for the north shore and may be of some help. If you can't find any route info other than what's in Falcon, the local climbing community is really helpful and you are sure to run into one of us out there in the fall.
Just remember we have a no chalk ethic up here, use an eco-ball instead please. Also there aren't any bolts at Palisade or Shovel. If you are interested in doing some trad I would recommend the amphitheater at Palisade. You can rap down 90 feet or so to a large bluff and then lead it back up. As far as doing trad on Shovel I have never seen of heard of anyone doing it (I could be wrong) mainly because there aren't many good ledges to rap down to and start leading from.
Good luck and I hope to see you on the shore.
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daveh_cdn
Aug 16, 2004, 4:52 PM
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Wow, thanks for the advice everyone.
I also read that it is a no chalk area. What is an eco-ball? Not familiar.
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drrock
Aug 17, 2004, 12:42 AM
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Don't know but you don't need it. The rock is textured and it probably won't be too hot.
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floridaputz
Aug 17, 2004, 1:18 AM
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There are some multipitch trad routes on shovel point. You desend to the base of the point ( a small section of land before the water) and 2-3 routes work from the bottom to the top. i.e. the tree toute 5.9, & Did Plato love tree's ? 5.8 (this one ends up on the sugar plum faeries wall) These are both excellent climbs.
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chadnsc
Aug 17, 2004, 12:55 PM
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An eco ball is type of chalk substitute similar to chalk ball. Although the stuff really dries out your hands drrock is right, you don't really need it on Palisade or Shovel as the rock is usually dry due to the winds along the shore, not to mention that Shovel had excellent texture on it's rock.
Sorry about the misinformation with the trad routes on Shovel Point, I forgot about “Did Plato Love Tree’s?.”
Back to a guide book for the shore, I was talking with Dave Pagel and he said that he is working on updating and publishing Superior climbs some time within the next year or so.
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