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leek_lad
Mar 29, 2007, 2:55 PM
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I live in the peak district, England. Have approx 5000 routes & as many boulder problems within a one hour drive. My wife is from Montreal.
I've been finding it hard to find info on climbing/bouldering in the Ottawa/Montreal region. Can anyone give me any info on the Eardley Escarpment? Is there much climbing there? Where is good to climb in the area? Is there any bouldering?
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shakylegs
Mar 29, 2007, 4:40 PM
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Leeks? Leeks?!? You must be from Wales.
Can't help you about Ottawa, as it's beyond all hope. Toutefois, there are several crags, mostly single pitch within an hour's drive of Montreal, sport and trad.
Mention the Laurentians and Eastern Townships (les Laurentides et l'Estrie if she's of the francophone persuasion), and she can clue you in.
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bumpkin
Mar 30, 2007, 4:00 AM
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If you are based out of Montreal, you won't want to be wasting your time going to Ottawa and climbing in Luskville.
What you want to start googling and searching rc.com about are:
Val-David
Lac Superieur
Mont Nixon
Weir
Rigaud
Poke-O-Moonshine
Adirondacks
Moss Cliff
Orford
Mont Pinnacle
That should get you started. Beware the blackflies in May!
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leek_lad
Mar 30, 2007, 10:30 AM
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Leek is in staffordshire, England. A town based in the shadow of a crag called the roaches.
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leek_lad
Mar 30, 2007, 10:32 AM
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I heard about the legendary black flies!!
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shakylegs
Mar 30, 2007, 1:59 PM
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Mont Nixon is now, I believe, off limits. I'd like to thank the FQME personally for their buttinski ways.
Sorry, leek_lad, I was just thinking of Wales because, you know, leeks being their emblem and all. Well, that and binge drinking.
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leek_lad
Mar 30, 2007, 2:58 PM
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No worries, My father in law (from Montreal) had never heard of Wales!
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cjburchell
Mar 30, 2007, 3:04 PM
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Ya I agree, unless you are stuck in Ottawa there is really no point in climbing around here best to go to some nicer places in and round Montreal.
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leek_lad
Mar 31, 2007, 8:29 AM
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The name Leek came from the Saxon word for fountain which was Lek. Its not much of a town really but an excellent base for climbing in the peak.
So does anyone go climbing at the local crag after work in Canada?
I'll be honest here, I'm considering a move to Canada. Because of the area that I'm from I took up climbing and there's as much climbing in my local area than I can ever hope to do in a lifetime, so as you can imagine I'm slightly hesitant.
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bumpkin
Apr 1, 2007, 1:02 AM
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Well, if after-work climbing is important to you, where are you thinking of moving to? Montreal is an amazing city (best city in N.A. in my opinion), but the after-work cragging scene is, umm, very limited. However, if you can live with climbing within a two hour's drive, then things open up, and the amount and diversity of climbing is quite good. Not world class, mind you, but quite good.
In Ottawa, the nearby cragging is "ok", but what Ottawa has that Montreal doesn't is that from downtown Ottawa, you can be in the middle of the woods in 15 minutes, swimming in a gorgeous river or lake in 20, or walking to a beautiful (but small, and limited) crag in 30. The best thing about Ottawa is how easy it is to get out!
Of course, maybe you might be able to swing a move to a smaller town. Val-David, for instance. Or Lac Superieur. But you better learn to speak French then!
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leek_lad
Apr 2, 2007, 12:28 PM
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I really liked Ottawa on first impression. I think learning french is something that I could do but Getting away from the city & going cragging after work takes priority. So to work in Montreal I could get away with not speaking french?
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granite_grrl
Apr 2, 2007, 2:11 PM
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leek_lad wrote: I really liked Ottawa on first impression. I think learning french is something that I could do but Getting away from the city & going cragging after work takes priority. So to work in Montreal I could get away with not speaking french?
Gah, the times I've been in Montreal I've never had to speak a lick of french. Almost everyone there speaks english (though maybe not as their first language). I'm not sure how hard it would be to get a job if you're not bilingual though, guess it would depend on what field you're working in.
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leek_lad
Apr 2, 2007, 2:29 PM
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I work in construction as a CAD technician / Draftsman
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leek_lad
Apr 2, 2007, 3:00 PM
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Don't the french canadians get a bit grumpy if you don't make the effort?
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shakylegs
Apr 2, 2007, 9:00 PM
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My (much) better half works at Cirque du Soleil, couldn't speak a lick of French when she got there, is now somewhat better. And she's a team leader, so conclude what you will. My boss has been here in Quebec for over 20 years, has a separatist spouse, and freaks if he has to order food in French. Again, conclude as you will.
If you're in high tech, you don't really need to learn French, though it is appreciated, I guess in the same way that you poms prefer us to have awful teeth and be able to drink multiple pints of piss-warm beer.
BTW, there's a small crag about 40 minutes outside of the city (Montreal) where some folks go after work. There's another crag in town, though I've never been.
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bumpkin
Apr 3, 2007, 5:30 AM
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Within Montreal, you can get away w/o French, though that will hugely limit the crowds you will hang out with. As for work, its very much dependant on the field. If you're good at what you do, then apart from the public sector you might be ok.
French Canadians can tell the difference between Americans, Anglo Canadians and Brits. Being from Blighty, people will be surprised if you try to speak French. Even a few words will cause great amusement, surprise and delight. Like a talking dog, really.
The crag 40 minutes from town, Rigaud, totally blows. Better drive the extra half hour (if there's no traffic) to Val David. The crag within town - Ile Ste. Helene - is worth a visit. But only one. When you're so hungover, all you can manage is staggering on to the subway. Having been once, you'll never be tempted to leave the gym again.
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leek_lad
Apr 3, 2007, 9:19 AM
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Sounds like I'm better off staying put or taking up another sport if I move over there.
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niloc
Apr 12, 2007, 6:55 PM
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There is a great diversity of crags within 1 to 2hrs from Montreal. Just to name a few of the more popular: Val-David (1h), short approach, with many boulder problems and 100+ nice routes mostly trad & mixed single pitch. Very nice place actually. Montagne d'argent (1h30), short approach, many sport & trad routes and some nice cracks. Weir (1h30) short approach, 1 to 3 pitches routes, sport, trad and mixed. Also from Montreal, the Adirondack region in the New York state is about 1h drive. You can go to Poke-o-Moonshine in 1h30 and this is really one classic trad spot in the north east. Also, Ottawa if about 1h30 from Montreal so you can always go explore on that side too.
For weekend type outings:
If you like sport you can go to Rumney, a classic spot, about 4hrs drive from Montreal. For trad you can go to the mega-classic Gunks, it's about a 5hrs drive from Montreal.
Now, this is just to name a few of the more popular, there are many many more. Plus, if you like ice climbing, well, you'll be very happy here because we DO have a winter and lots of ice.
For the language part, you can perfectly spend your whole life speaking only English in Montreal - or until you learn French ;) Montreal is a multi-cultural city with lots of immigrants so there is really no reason to be afraid of the French culture. In the more French neighborhoods people appreciate if one make the effort to try in French but will gladly switch to English if needed.
If you make it around here I'll be glad to show you around. If you want to see a few local topos PM me!
Colin.
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bumpkin
Apr 12, 2007, 9:44 PM
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Hmm ... you sure drive fast Niloc.
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niloc
Apr 13, 2007, 3:46 AM
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Actually, I do. But not for the European standard! :)
Nonetheless, the local numbers should be quite accurate give or take 15 minutes. When going to the US the big unknown is at the border: if you hit a crowded period you can loose 1 to 2 hours. Better plan accordingly and try to cross the border very early in the morning if possible.
Cheers,
Colin.
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headchop
Apr 23, 2007, 5:26 PM
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Another spot in the US with a relatively short drive (1-1.5hrs) is Smugglers' Notch near Stowe, Vermont.
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leek_lad
Apr 30, 2007, 10:42 AM
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Is that 1 - 1.5hrs from Montreal?
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shakylegs
Apr 30, 2007, 2:51 PM
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bumpkin
Apr 30, 2007, 5:42 PM
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No kidding. For those of you without an Improbability Drive, Smugg's is actually 2.5 to 3 hours from Montreal (door to boulder). Great bouldering, ice climbing, pretty limited cragging (not nice rock, bushy, wet, chossy).
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