Einträge in Kingston Mills

Small crag close to Kingston.

The main wall facing the trail, sunny sheltered from the wind and about 25m high.

Helmets should be worn near the base of Main Wall as loose rock/gravel accumulates near the edge and can easily be knocked loose by walking near the edge or pulling ropes.

GM backwards. Named after a large loose boulder that guarded the start for many years. It has been removed, and this gem has been unlocked. Start up and left of the Kamasutra Wall. Make a bouldery move to gain the crack, and traverse right across the entire Kamasutra Wall, topping out on Synergy.

Climb the overhanging face at the left end of the cliff on small underclings and sidepulls with bad feet. First climbed in the early 80s and is unrepeated. Grade not verified.

A fun, pumpy traverse from right to left across the first horizontal crack on the Kamasutra wall. Start on Synergy. Go past the bolts to the horizontal crack. Traverse left around the corner on gear (airy) following the crack until you can dyno to the ledge at the left end of the wall. From here you can tip toe up to beer ledge above kamasutra for the anchors, or build your own. Many variations exist at easier grades using the cracks above GM.

Great position. Start on Beer Ledge and wander up and left. Protects well.

Runs left of the arete that is left of Kiddie Corner.

Climb the slabby left edge of the main wall. Mostly thin face climbing.

(Watch for fall potential at 2nd bolt. Might want to sling tree after 3rd bolt. Or, bring a few pieces for the easy climbing to the top of the cliff.)

*NB Many climbers go off route by moving too far right and using the arete, follow the bolt line.

A well protected crack leading up and slightly right from Beer Ledge.

The obvious crack that angles up leftwards on the left side of the main face. Follow this up to blocky ground, then angle up rightwards following the crack to a pair of bolts for an anchor.

Generally a good trad lead, taking good gear. Opening moves into the corner are far far harder than the rest of the route, perhaps 5.6 or higher. Can be avoided by a bit of slab climbing up the face just to the right, until reaching the good hand ledge & traversing left into the corner at about 5.3.

There are lots of lines/variants between "Kiddie Corner" and "The Wedge", two particular lines are "Dilemna" and "Odeum", but many choices exist and have been climbed.

Grade will vary depending on line chosen, probably from about 5.5 to about 5.10, depending on line and eliminates.

Start just left of Dilemna on the face. Head straight up for the cedar then go right around it and carry-on to the top through the notch above.

Start at the bottom of the rubble, as far right as possible. Climb up slab to the break in the lower over-hang, pull through this, then up to the left break in the upper overhang. From here, proceed either straight up to bolts, or up and left to bolts, depending on which anchor used for the top-rope.

The obvious wide crack behind the flake held on by bolts is out.

Start just left of "The Wedge", and climb directly up and through the overhang, through some underclings to a 2nd overhang and up through this at the right-hand notch/break, to anchors.

The corner to the right of Odeum.

An easy route, but new leaders might be disappointed with the pro for the first half.

Use the bolt at the top to re-direct your rope away from the trunk of the cedar.

On the face to the right of The Wedge is a jagged crack that angles up and leftwards. Climb this leftwards, then back rightwards to anchors above "Irving's Overhang".

Obvious tech slab. Work on your footwork and stay on the face. Avoid the crack for the full grade.

Climb blocky stuff just to the left of Irving's Overhang. Sparse and marginal gear.

The cliffs are on Parks Canada land, in particular they are under the Rideau Canal Authority. Currently they tolerate climbers, and have done work to make the cliffs safer (2001-2002). They ask that you sign and mail a waiver to them before climbing.

As of spring 2023, the waiver can be found here: https://www.ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca/downloads/Kingston%20Mills%20Waiver%20and%20Insert%202002.pdf

The Ontario Alliance of Climbers monitors crag status and climbers are encouraged to periodically check the website below to stay up to date with any potential issues, or changes in status.

https://www.ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca/crag-status/kingston-mills/

Additionally, the land owners whose property borders the cliffs to the south/south-east have posted no trespassing signs on several trees along the lake side trail above/below the cliffs and climbers are asked to please respect these signs.

A brief roof hand crack just off the ground with bomber gear, short but excellent.

Dangerous to climb with stabilization bolts located in the middle of the route.

The short face just right of Irving's Overhang.

Climb the open book to the overhang. Escape left onto the ramp, head back right onto the face and then follow the bolts over the bulge and to the anchor above.

Only the face above the overhang is protected by bolts. Bring a couple small cams for the open book and ramp.

Eliminating the left ramp and pulling the overhang directly is a fun and more challenging variation.

Start down right, head up, traverse left, then follow the bolt line for as long as you can before cutting back right to the arete. Climb over the bulge to the anchor.

5.8ish if you follow the bolt line (it's easier than the '5.9s' Synergy and Fred's). You can soften the grade by starting in the open book or cutting right to the arete sooner.

Climb up the right face to the big slot before gaining the arete and carrying on up to the Brown Shoes Don’t Make It anchors

Starts above and right of "Brown Shoes Don't Make It." Start in the chimney and continue straight up through horizontal cracks until you get scared and step right.

Done everything else at the mills? Give this a go. Starts above and right of "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" in a chimney. Scrape up to the horizontal, and follow it until you can flop over the top.

The steep blocky face just right of the first easy way up, directly up from the gate. Start swinging on jugs, finding gear where you can. Rest on the ledge out left and get stoked to round the lip. Step off the ledge, and climb the headwall (crux) - clipping a single bolt to protect this section of the climb. Pull over the lip to top out at a two bolt anchor (mallions) about a meter back from the edge.

Protection throughout is good, but can be tricky to place. A standard rack should be more than enough to get to the anchor.

Due to the location/configuration of the anchor rappelling is the recommended descent option.

This slab always looks wet. Go straight up from the gate and take several steps right to find the start. Start wandering up to the slab past an old fixed piton. Balance your way through the crux and finish on much better holds to the top. It's been led on gear before, but it doesn't protect well. Build an anchor on top (trees).

The large boulders near Karma Sutra and the Main Wall.

Starts low on a flake, then moves up the right of a bulge. Gain the bulge, via a crimp on the left and go to the sloper on the right before throwing to the jug at the top.

Not a great landing.

The overhanging wall in the gully to the left of the Main Wall.

This route has a stopper crux. Hug the corner and get tech trying to figure out how this is possible. Fun finish. Could be a great mixed route if a bolt were added to protect the crux. Could be harder than 5.11.

Start on Deliverance. At the roof, traverse left on slopers and finish up the spider-route dihedral.

The obvious, chalky route about 20' left of Fred's Folly. A sweet route that climbs up the overhang. The little tree is not in. Contrary to popular belief, you're in its way.

This is a popular route, and many of the holds rarely see any rain fall. As a result, the bottom 2/3rds of the route suffers from some greasy/polished holds that may make the grade feel harder.

Two glue-ins at the top form the anchor.

Be aware of the rope hungry crack if you decide to top rope the route.

If top roping, use the anchor far back from the edge, you'll need a long rope for this. Do the first moves of Deliverance, then traverse right past the sketchy block (make sure your belayer is well clear). Dyno to the feature at the lip, then get super tech going up the face above with the mini dihedral. Great moves. It's been sent on gear.

This route is a bit of a legend. Known to be led by a certain bold and strong lad. The legend is as follows. Start on Camisole Cusp. When you finish the first steep section and the short left traverse, keep going left of the bolts. Continue up on really small gear.

Starts just left of Fred's Folly, goes up an overhang (gear) to a crimpy and difficult-looking finish on 3ish bolts above.

The obvious right-leaning crack at the right end of the wall. A classic for the area.

If leading on gear, a standard rack should be enough to get to the anchor, but new leaders should beware of the often greasy/polished holds at the start, and a famously sandbagged grade.

A wonderful, steep technical climb on small holds, with a dyno in the middle of the climb. May be 5.12 if you can't reach the good crimp.

Easier from left to right. Start on Deliverance and traverse right along the base of the overhang. Go past Testicular, around the corner down low, and finish on jugs just before it becomes dangerous. Go there and back again for a solid 5.12-5.13 burn. Some fun variations exist going up to the ledge at various spots on the corner. Downclimb from these beside testicular.

The southernmost large cliff in the climbing area, the other side of the canyon that Canyon Wall faces on to. It tends to be dirty and lichen-covered.

NO CRAMPONS!

Please do not use crampons on any of the rock routes! Someone has caused significant damage on the rappel line from the Lichen Overhang / Lichen Direct anchor.

An old trad route long since reclaimed by moss and lichen.

Start in the obvious right leaning crack then head straight up through the bulge on good holds. Glue-in anchor above. Walk-off if the quick links are missing.

Aim just right of the overhang on Lichen Overhang and start directly beneath that. Shared anchor with the previous route.

Head for the grassy ledge where you'll pass a random anchor. Find your way around a thin section and then keep heading up towards a left facing corner.

Very vegetated.

The only sport route on the Lichen Wall. Fixed anchor above, but the rap rings and chains never seem to last long on this route. Plan to walk-off.

Bad Mantle's predecessor. An old trad route that climbed the blank, slabby bulge between Bad Mantle's last bolt and the easy exit on Thread Belay.

Shares the same start at the previous two routes, but after the gully keep following the path of least resistance to the right and bypass the slabby bulge.

Start 10 meters right of the sport route Bad Mantle on a low angle dirty face that leads to a ledge. Continue straight up the steep face to a few horizontals. Glue-in anchor above. Rap or walk off.

As of spring 2021 this route is pretty dirty, but definitely climbable and it looks like someone's been cleaning it off. The gear isn't abundant, but some horizontals might be better if you dig them out.