Routes in Eagle's Nest

Excellent gear climb, could use some more scrubbing. Start at the right end of the Rolling Stones Area (100m left of the Abbey). Scramble up a couple ledges to easy climbing that lands you under the small roof. Squeeze through the obvious slot in the roof and do a short traverse left to the main crack. Follow the crack to the top. Bolted anchors (2022). Rappel lands you 5 meters to the left of the start of the climb.

For protection, single rack to #5 cam with a double for #4 for comfort.

This climb will leave you smiling. Located in the Abbey. Climb up the dirty dihedral to the large suspended block, traverse left following the horizontal splitter until the far left of the roof and then mount up to Abbey Ledge. Bolted anchors (2022). Gear #0.2 to #5 plus doubles #0.3-0.5, if you want to be cruel to your follower, tricams also protect the crux well.

Bottom section seeps in early season and after rainfall.

Same start as Fancy My Chances. Climb up the dihedral and traverse left on the large suspended block to the horizontal splitter. After placing gear as far left as you can comfortably reach down the splitter, launch up to a couple rails on the lip, and work your way left and up to an incut crimp-dish. Mount the slab and follow the weakness to Abbey Ledge. Bolted anchors (2022). Gear to #5 cam placeable, double of #0.5 recommended.

Bottom section seeps in early season and after rainfall.

This route tops out, but you have the possibility to finish early at bolted anchors of Rocky Racoon. Same start as previous climbs, climb the crack to the right of the suspended block and gain the slab face. Follow the crack up to Abbey Ledge, straying left at the cedars, and continue the weakness to top out, building an anchor at the pine tree.

Bottom section seeps in early season and after rainfall.

Start on the ledge and climb crack through the small roof and around the cedar (crux of the route, once familiar with where the holds are, the grade is more-or-less consistent regardless if you use the cedar or not). Follow the wide crack and finish on easy slab to the top. Double of #3 will be handy, as well as a #0.2 cam to protect the finish, otherwise runout. Large pine for anchor with a seat and great view.

Around the corner from Walrus - start at the arete, follow the diagonal weakness, once you pass the cedar continue up the thin vertical splitter that guides you all the way up to the ledge beneath the headwall. Bolted anchors (2022). This route eats small gear.

Loose rock and dirty. Start up a few detached blocks behind a cedar to the obvious hand width crack, mount the headwall and continue following the feature nearly to the top, straying slightly left at the easy 5th class top. Gear double rack is adequate, triples of 0.75-2 could all be placed. Your choice of pine for anchor. Double rope rappel or gully walk off to climbers right.

Loose rock and dirty. The route has experienced recent (geologically speaking) rock fall at the base. Follows up the right side of the feature beside Here Comes the Sun. Start up the sharp chossy orange rock. Follow the feature to the top, be weary of hollow blocks halfway up. Pass the pine on the cliff and finish at the thick pine up top. Gear double rack is plenty. Double rope rappel or gully walk off to climber's right.

Originally graded 5.5, the route requires scrubbing, repeating and consensus on modern grade. Top section variations exist. Start right of Day Tripper, climbing underneath and around the protruding block and continue the ascending right diagonal weakness. The main line continues up the hand/ fist size crack past another smaller cedar. Here continue straight up to a large mossy ledge and then gain the final easy short headwall to top out. Your choice of pine for anchor.

Route name refers to the pop culture theories that arose regarding the meaning of the “O.P.D.” patch found on Paul McCartney's uniform on the inner gatefold of Sgt. Pepper’s album - in reality it was just a standard O.P.P. (Ontario Provincial Police) patch he acquired while on tour in Canada in 1966.

Top Access/ Decent Gully. Fixed lines placed in 2021. Cliff top trail accesses tops of routes for both the North End (climber's left) and Main Cliff (climber's right).

Starts aprox. 15 meters left of the chimney.

Start up easy slab to the first clip, then following up the right side of the bolt line, get right into sustained delicate face climbing for the next 3 bolts. Traverse slightly left into the dihedral and shake out on a no hands rest after clipping the fifth bolt. Climb up the dihedral on small sharp holds to gain the sixth bolt and then the anchor.

Direct line up the middle of the wall. Same start as Dirty Little Secrets, after the 4th bolt continue following the thin crack up through the steep face to gain the last bolt shared with Comfortably Numb.

Starts 3 meters right of Dirty Little Secrets.

Follow the bolt line up the dihedral until reaching the obvious semi-exposed arette. After clipping, climb out onto the arrete and then up towards the small cedar. At the Cedar, step out and up leftwards to the next clip - this is a runnout spicy move providing for the R rating. Climbing directly above the cedar is off-route and makes the moves even scarier. Finish with a traverse to the same anchors as Dirty Little Secrets.

Third climb left of the chimney. Shares the first bolt of "Unknown Sport Climb", then heads up leftwards following a crack towards a cedar tree. Follow the bolt line to the anchors, or clip the last bolt and traverse to directly below the anchor then climb the face for a slightly harder finish (5.9).

Second route to the left of the large gully that is the Dirty Hairy ice climb in winter, is a pleasant & well bolted prow. This climb roughly follows an old 5.6 trad line, and remains an excellent climb for beginner trad with the security of bolts if desired.

First route left of the Chimney.

Climb up the sloping corner onto the slabby face at 5.6ish climbing, and follow the orange "slushy" stain on the rock.

Starts just right of the large, black chimney known as the Dirty Harry ice climb were there is a ledge 3m up. Climb the face to a bolt, continue on the left leaning crack that cuts the side of the Dirty Harry gully (mid way up) traverses back to the ledge higher up shared with Dave's Route (anchors) or continues Dirty Harry to top out (no anchors).

Starts just right of the large, black chimney known as the Dirty Harry ice climb where there is a ledge 3m up.

P1 (25 m, 5.10c mixed, 1 bolt): Climb the face to a bolt, continue on the left leaning crack to a finger crack that splits through the bulge, directly up to the ledge and anchor. One of the finest finger cracks of its grade in the area.

P2 (15 m, 5.8 sport, 7 bolts): Fun variety of rock features and anchors at the top of the cliff.

Start just to the right of Dave's Route. Climb up a flaring finger crack that heads straight up then trends to the right side of a large bulge, to a ledge with an anchor shared by Dave's Route. The 2nd pitch of "Dave's Route" is a 15 m, bolted 5.8 with anchors that takes you to the top of the cliff.

Start 10m right of Rob's Route. This previously mixed climb had bolts added in 2018, eliminating the need for gear but the 1st bolt is very high. For shorter people, the crux at the last bolt feels more like 10a/b. Belay from chains above the leaning cedar. P2 of "Balk and Chalk" (25 m, 5.8, 10 bolts) starts at this anchor and is a great way to finish.

Start 4m right of Dude, I Think She is the King.

P1 (27 m, 5.7 trad): Climb the obvious weakness on gear trending left past shrubs to a corner with a pin in it. Climb above the leaning cedar to a bolted belay.

P2 (25 m, 5.8 sport, 10 bolts): Continue up, following a nice hand crack through a small bulge, past a fist crack to a bolted belay. Bolts added in 2018 rendering this second pitch a sport route. Bolts are very close together. What was once a slightly runout but fabulous 5.8 mixed route is now super “safe”.

Start as for Balk and Chalk but climb straight up on big holds through a well protected right facing crack onto runout easier slab above. Head straight up to FIXE rings at the anchor. Gear to 4"

Start 3m right of Unknown 1. Climb easy ground up to the first bolt, following the bolts through progressively harder slab climbing. At the top, easy but runnout climbing leads to a two bolt anchor.

Start 7m right of The Agony of De-feet at the top of the hill. Shares the same start with Freudian Slipper and Lichen It.

P1 (25m, 5.9, mixed 4 bolts): Climb up a steep slab past 2 far apart bolts to a large dirty ledge. At the large dirty ledge move left up a dirt ramp past two bolts to a chain anchor.

P2 (33m 5.10R, mixed 7 bolts): Starts up the bolt line shared with Freudian Slipper, and after the third bolt, delicately traverse left to the dihedral feature. Follow a couple more bolts and slim gear to top anchors. P2 will be great once additional bolts are added and lichen scrubbed.

Descent: 60m does not reach P1 anchors, rappel slightly climber’s right to P2 anchors of Freudian Slipper, or use one of trees to the left in the gully. 70m rope just long enough for P1 anchors.

P1 (25m, 5.9, mixed 4 bolts): Same as Father’s Day Slab. Climb up a steep slab past 2 far apart bolts to a large dirty ledge. At the large dirty ledge move left up a dirt ramp past two bolts to a chain anchor.

P2 (10m, 5.9, sport 3 bolts): Follow the bolt line, after the third head up and slightly right to a ledge with anchors.

P3 (15m, 5.9, mixed 2 bolts): Climb straight up past the two bolts and around the left side of the small roof to anchors shared with Lichen It. Linking pitches is possible.

Shares start with Father's Day Slab.

P1 (25m, 5.9, mixed 4 bolts): Climb up a steep slab past 2 far apart bolts to a large dirty ledge. Move up and right past 2 more bolts, then follow the right leaning hand/fingers crack to an anchor.

P2 (30m, 5.8, mixed 2 bolts): Continue straight up past 2 bolts, then pick your line leading up through the right side of the roof to anchors.

Alternative first pitch to Lichen It. Scramble up a brush gully with a fixed line 5m right of Lichen It to a dirty ledge. Climb up past 2 bolts, plugging excellent gear between them, keep right after the 2nd bolt. Shared anchors with P1 of Lichen It. Stick clipping first bolt highly suggested due to the dangerous fall zone and crux of route gaining the initial flake.

Climb a short, slightly overhanging left facing corner, up the face to the right side of a large flake under a roof. With style traverse the flake left using underclings to a handcrack in the roof. Climb through the roof and up to a large tree with slings on it. Gear to 3". Rappel off.

Start up the cracked arete just right of Johnny Be Good to gain the runout bolts protecting the crux. Some psychological gear may be found to supplement the bolts to the anchors. Belay at a tree with slings on it.

P1 The Rocks (5.9, 15m, 8 bolts): Dance up the technical cracks then up the left traverse to the arête beside the steep head wall. Stick-clipping the first bolt is recommended as the crux is low. Left of Swiftly Tilting Planet.

P2 The Waters (5.9, 22m, 9 bolts): Crack your way up a deceivingly easy looking slab to a mid slab crux that takes a moment to figure out but feels good when you do. Follow the bolts to some fun moves into a traverse with lots of great holds all the way to the anchor for a relaxing finish.

P3 The Forests (5.4, 10m, 4 bolts): Casual pitch that heads up a fun and easy little crack to Snake Ledge. Easy but mossy walk onto the ledge.

P4 The Skies (5.6, 13m, 6 bolts): One of the best pitches on the route that follows more slab on great holds and great feet with an even more spectacular view. Wonderful way to finish it off.

Finish the route off by rapping back down from the top of pitch 4 to the top of pitch 2. From here rap down through some trees that part to allow passage down to the top of pitch one. Rap to the ground from here.

Option to also walk off the route. Follow pink marking tape to the left through an old trail and down a class 4 scramble with some fixed roped sections.

5m left of Perspective. Follow the bolted line up a steep thin slab to rappel anchors.

The prominent hand crack up the buttress. Gear to 4".

P1 (25m, 5.6): Follow the right of two crack systems (the offwidth) up and through a blocky overhang (crux), continuing up to a small ledge and anchor.

P2 (15m, 5.5): Either climb straight up from the belay (harder) or traverse right around a large block and up a hand crack to a large ledge with Metolius rap hangers. Rappel.

This was the first sport climb at Eagle's Nest and was hand drilled while the first ascensionist's father belayed patiently over 2 days (bolts took 30 min. each!) Start 3m right of Perspective at an aspen tree. Climb the bolted S-shaped line up the sustained wall to the Metolius rap hangers for the first pitch of Perspective.

Start 3m right of Father and Son. Either climb the crack direct on gear or scramble up right to a ledge to reach the 1st bolt. Continue up the wide crack to the 4th bolt (can supplement with gear in the 2 - 4" range) where the route forks. Either traverse left from here (5.9) or climb up to a 5th bolt, then traverse left (5.10a) to rejoin Father and Son and the Metolius rap hangers of Perspective.

Start 3m right of Killer Pillar, up a rock step and around the corner. Climb the right leaning dihedral to a bulge with a finger crack through it, around a small roof to anchors.

Located between Dragon and Stairway, mid way up the face starting from a large ledge is a steep bolted line with a fixed rope located near it. Project?

One of the finest finger cracks in Ontario. P1: Climb the first pitch of Stairway (5.8, 15m); P2: Traverse left and climb up and left along a diagonal crack until you are at the roof below the headwall crack. Layback and stem strenuously over the roof and climb the finger crack to an anchor (5.11b, 20m). 70m rope rappel or climb up to the top (5.4, 15m)

Located 10m right of Spine of the Dragon. P1: Climb the blocky, black and grey streaked corner. Pull the roof to the belay station at the tree - anchors on the left (5.8, 15m). P2: Climb the steep flaring groove and traverse right across a cracked slab to the off-width base of the giant flake. Climb the offwidth crack and continue up the large easier flake to an anchor (5.8, 35m). Rappel to the new anchors some distance above the ledge and again to the ground. The anchor at the ledge is rusty. Bring doubles of large gear to 6".

Alternative start to Plumber's Crack, start just right of Stairway to Heaven. Climb up and left to a bolt, then up past another bolt to a large ledge with shared anchors.

Start 5m right of Face Climb at the chimney-like corner.

P1 (10m, 5.8): Climb up past a piton and bolt to a large ledge, to shared anchor with Face Climb.

P2 (35m, 5.8+): Climb up the namesake crack and through a tricky face climb. Continue through the easier climbing past your rappel station, and eventually follow the thin diagonal crack up left, gain small roof, and into a larger crack leading to finish with Stairway to Heaven. Old school 5.8 grade.

Starting from a ledge 3m up just right of Plumber's Crack is a bolted face leading to an anchor.

Climb an easy orange slab past 2 bolts, then launch up the overhanging roofs and finish on a thin face to a bolt anchor with quick links. Beware of the loose x'd out block right of the 6th bolt (it could not be pried out).

Directly to the right of Van Gough's Ear. Start in the stem and end over the roof.

One of the anchor bolts is little wonky and will need replacing. Option to traverse right one metre to use other set of anchors.

Open project. The route is to the right of Stemburg Lake.

Bolts out right of The Optomologist.

Start far right on two underclings. Make your way left traversing under the slanted roof to gain a sidepull and a series of small rails. Fire up and left diagonal to the top.

Sidepull hold broke sometime late season 2020, harder transition but still climbs at V4.

Same start as High Waisted Pants, punch through the roof early and head to the top.

Slab region between the plaza and the ice gully.

Start in an offwidth and fight your way up an awkward hanging chimney and dihedral facing left. Exit up large detached flakes and a short headwall.

Right of Santa Claus. A very dirty rock route, named for the poison ivy on the route.

Right of Ivy League. Take a gully in an open book past an overhanging lip to a ledge. Climb the rock gully past a large pine tree to the right.

Start beneath the table overhang in the washbowl gully at the south end of the cliff. This route tends to be wet, dirty and vegetated.

From the apparent gear-up spot at the base, climb up the wide set of rollers, opting for a line that suits your intents. A large platform at 2/3 height offers tree belays on the left, and frequently transforms into advanced base camps for parties that play on the Curtain. The climb continues up the ice, bypassing trees on the left and right as required.

This is the leftmost line of the curtain, featuring a few body lengths of steep ice. Even in the early season, the ice extends widely on the face. Climb the pillar below the 3m rock step at the left hand of the curtain. More ice lies beyond the ledge, on a small headwall on the left.

The best route on the cliff. Long, sustained, vertical ice in a deep chimney. (Rap rings with chain installed as of 2020)

Start at a thin, hollow smear of ice and climb to a ledge with a rap station (as of 2020). Stop here to belay to reduce rope drag. Continue left up a ramp over snow, rock and thin ice.

Start at the obvious blue icefall just south of the main parking lot. Climb the icefall to a pine tree. Belay here. Take the rotten gully just right of the main cliff to the top.