Mill Lake, Thursday, January 20, 2011
Icefall on the point (far left) of cliff, Mill Lake
Unnamed 2 (in the mini-bay)?, Mill Lake
Unnamed 2?, Mill Lake
Ice-olation, WI3+, 50+m, Mill Lake
Ice-ometrix (?) and unnamed 3, Mill LakeI was at Mill Lake on Thursday, January 20 with Antonio, Pietro and Stephanie.
Conditions:
Ice-olation – in, except for initial ice which was thin and sickly. We by-passed it on rock to the left. Rock protection would have been useful. Solid ice the rest of the way.
Easier route (slabs) to left of Iceolation (Unnamed 2) – in
There are two routes further left:
Furthest left (on point) – thinnish at bottom (but you can use a fixed cliff-jumping rope for assistance); fat up top.
Not that far left – (Unnamed 1 in mini-bay?) – thin
Ice-ometrix – on the thin side. Route to its right (Unnamed 3) - same as Ice-ometrix.
Access notes:
We parked on Parton Rd on the east side of Mill Lake to access the climbs.
From Highway 400 take exit 224 and head east down McDougall Rd for about 2.5 km until you see a quarry on your right and the cliff starting on the left. Do NOT access the cliff from here - the owner of the property below the cliff doesn't want people crossing his land (big No Trespassing sign). Head another 3 km down McDougall Rd and turn left on Parton. There is a snowmobile access point here. Park between the "Parking signs" not at the very end of the road (which is signed Fire Route – No Parking). Head down the narrow bay, turn left (south) around a point. There will be a cliff down the bay on your left, but this is not the main cliff. Head around the next point (which is actually an island; you can go around it on either side). The main cliff will be visible once you go around the island. About 30minutes walk. I think it's closer than crossing the whole lake from the Parry Sound boat launch.
Jon G. tells me that last year some friends of his were climbing Ice-olation and were told to leave by the cottage-owner nearest the cliff who said the whole cliff was on his land. However, he's also been told that the cottage owner's property line starts somewhere to the right of Ice-olation. Jon also says that he's been told that it's the route closest to the road that's called Ice-ometrix. Anyone know anything definite (and the names of all the unknown climbs)?
Danylo
