Kluke Lookout (Bear Mountain), Madawaska - New Ice Routes

Here's information on an area where we've put up some new ice routes in the last two years.

Kluke Lookout (Bear Mountain), Madawaska Highlands, Ontario

Kluke Lookout (Bear Mountain), Madawaska, Ontario, March 27, 2005A big cliff (c.100m) with 4 decent ice routes (unfortunately none at the tallest point of the cliff). A long drive from Toronto (330 km) and 30-45minute approach from the road. It’s called Kluke Lookout on the topographic maps, but named Bear Mountain on the sign at the start of the trail.

Directions:
1) Get to Madawaska, Ontario:
From Bancroft head north on Highway 62 to Maynooth (23 km, 15 min).
In Maynooth turn left (north) onto Highway 127. After 4.5 km turn right onto Madawaska Rd (which becomes Highway 523; don’t turn on the Old Madawaska Rd). Go 34 km to Madawaska (about 30 minutes drive from Maynooth). Here's a map (click for a larger view).Madawaska Highlands Ice Map
2) From Madawaska:
Turn right (east) onto Highway 60. Head east for 8.8 km (past lumber yard, over Madawaska River bridge, over Opeongo River bridge) to a point where there is a small swampy area on the left side of the road and the road makes a slight uphill turn to the left. Before this uphill curve to the left, look for a snowmobile path/ hiking trail heading right (south) into the woods. The trail entrance is marked with pairs of orаnge disks nailed to trees on either side of the entrance. (There іs also a pair of orange disks nailed to the third utility pole back from the curve, next to the trail entrance). Park on the shoulder.
Hike down the trail (snowshoes are a must). There is a sign near the entrance stating the distance to Bear Mountain (0.7 km). The trail will head downhill and cross a creek, then start to head slowly back uphill. Just before the trail starts to head more steeply uphill (to the top of Bear mountain where the Kluke lookout tower used to stand), look for red flagging tape and/or a faded old yellow blaze (on a birch tree) on the right side of the trail. Follow the flagging tape and/ or yellow blazes (they run almost together), contouring around the slope for 75-100m, then heading downhill past a hunting platform up in a tree, then more sharply downhill, back across the creek, then finally up a slight slope on the north end of Bear Lake. From here you have a good view of the northern end of the cliff (including the climb Ursus) and the central part of the cliff. Head down onto the lake (from where you can see the rest of the cliff and the remaining ice climbs at the south end). The distance is about 1.3 km. Map# 31 F/12 Reference 737448Kluke Lookout/ Blackcat Hill Topo Map
If snow conditions are good, then the approach takes about 30 minutes. If the snow conditions are bad and you’re breaking trail through deep snow (as is often the case) then the approach is a heinous postholing hell that can take a good hour or more.
If you have the opportunity, head to the top of Bear Mountain. The views from the top are quite nice. Look south to the big flow on Blackcat Hill and start salivating.

Climbs:
1) Ursus, WI3+, 30m
2a) Lepus americanus, WI2+ 60m
2b) Reversus Operandi, WI2 30m
3) Quercus, WI4 25m
4) Lontra, WI2-3, 20m

Danylo leading on Ursus. March 10, 2008. Photo by Don Collier.Ursus (Bear), WI3+, 30m
FA: Danylo Darewych, Don Collier March 10, 2008
Location: At the left (north) end of the cliff. It’s probably easiest to approach from the lake, although it’s a fair ways up the slope (or you can contour/ bushwack in from the approach trail if you know the location).
Route Description: 10-15m of easy angled approach ice, followed by 15-20m of steeper ice. Good, solid belay tree at the top. There are more ice bulges above, but they’re not really worth it.
Aspect: Faces north-west.
Consistency: Excellent. Comes in well every year. Nice fat flow. Stays in to the end of March (at least).
Name explanation: I was going to call the climb Bear, since it’s on Bear Lake and Bear Mountain, but because there already is one well known Bear Lake in Ontario, I decided to use the Latin name, Ursus, instead.

Kluke Lookout - South End Routes, February 15, 2009. Photo by Don Collier. Routes by DD.The next 4 routes are located at the right (south) end of the cliff. Approach from the lake up the slope to the base of the route. These climbs face west and get a lot of sun. It can be positively balmy at the base of these routes on a sunny day. As a result these routes are probably in good shape only to the end of February – after that they start getting quite baked.

Lepus americanus (Snowshoe Hare), WI2+ 65m
FA: John Chan, Don Collier February 15, 2009
Location: On the left side of the right (south) end of the cliff. Route description: Start at a big fat bulge to the right of a big block. Hop happily up fat bulges and easy angled ice for a full rope length. Set up a screw belay at a low-angle ice bulge or, if the second can simul-climb a short distance, there is a suitable tree to belay from. Rap from a tree to climber’s right of the top section (two ropes required) or walk off to climber’s far right (where the cliff peters out).
Consistency: Very good. Seems to come in every year. Single, huge, wide sheet earlier in the season (February), two separate distinct lines later in the season (March). Can have a fair bit of snow cover. It’s in to about mid-March.
Name explanation: “Fits the character of the climb well, as the snowshoe hare’s camouflage changes with the seasons like the climb (chilly and icy at the bottom, but springlike and bare at the top).”

Reversus Operandi, WI 2+, about 30m (of ice)
FA: Dave Britnell, Danylo Darewych, February 15, 2009
Location: Leftmost route on the right (south) end of the cliff, 5m left of Lepus.
Route description: In a fat year this route is just the left side of the wide flow that is Lepus. In a thin year, or later in the season, it’s a separate line (as in the cliff photo above). Start 5m left and about 8m upslope from the start of Lepus, at the ice ramp to the left of the big block. Head rightwards up the ramp, then romp upwards, staying on the left side of the flow until the ice peters out in juniper bushes, and finally head for the nearest tree. Or head right to the top section of Lepus. Rap down Lepus.
Consistency: Same as Lepus.
Name explanation: Named by Dave “Goo” Britnell, who does things in his own unique style.

Danylo leading on Quercus. February 15, 2009. Photo by Dave Britnell.Quercus (Oak), WI4, 23m
FA: Danylo Darewych, Dave Britnell, John Chan, Don Collier, February 15, 2009
Location: Middle ice on the right (south) end of the cliff. Approach from the lake up the slope to the base of the route.
Route description: Climb the left side pillar in a bit of a corner straight up for 8-10m (quite pumpy; there are two not-completely-restful ledges for one foot on the right side), then continue up easier bulges for 10-15m, and head for nearest tree.
Consistency: Doesn’t come in solidly every year. It’s probably only good to the end of February, as the sun really clobbers this climb.
Name explanation: It’s a stout route. The belay tree it ends at is an oak (at least, I think it’s an oak; otherwise, this will be the second biggest misnomer in Ontario after One Pine at Bon Echo).

Lontra (Otter), WI 2, 30m?
FA: Danylo Darewych, Catherine Ranger, March 9, 2008
Location: Rightmost ice at the right (south) end of the cliff. Approach from the lake up the slope to the base of the route.
Route description: Start at a big, fat, wide, blue 4-5m ice bulge, onto a snowy ledge, past a tree into a left-facing corner with another section of more vertical ice (7-10m), then head uphill up the low angled slope, connecting blobs of ice, weaving around blocks, wallowing in snow to the nearest tree (another 20m?).
Consistency: Comes in every year. The amount of ice depends on the snow cover. I’m not completely sure how much actual ice there is on this route, because when we did it there was a tonne of snow. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the route – the sunshine, the elevation gain, the views from the top. Others might not be so appreciative.
Name explanation: Looking down the snowy gullies from the top, I thought to myself “Wouldn’t it be nice to slide down like an otter?” Then I looked at all the sharp, pointy implements attached to me, thought better of it, and walked off to the left.

Parting Shot. John Chan leading Lepus (on left), Danylo Darewych leading Quercus. March 15, 2009. Photo by Esther Collier.

Danylo Darewych