Guidelines

The Toronto Section Leadership Committee is developing a set of best practices to ensure that our section trips continue to be an enjoyable and safe, and meet the increasingly diverse needs of our members.

We have followed the example set by other sections, and developed a set of guidelines appropriate to the Toronto Section. Included are degrees of difficulty and trip classifications allowing both participants and coordinators to select and lead trips that suit their abilities and objectives.

The Toronto Section Leadership Committee is developing a set of best practices to ensure that our section trips continue to be an enjoyable and safe, and meet the increasingly diverse needs of our members.

We have followed the example set by other sections, and developed a set of guidelines appropriate to the Toronto Section. Included are degrees of difficulty and trip classifications allowing both participants and coordinators to select and lead trips that suit their abilities and objectives.

The Toronto Section Leadership Committee is developing a set of best practices to ensure that our section trips continue to be an enjoyable and safe, and meet the increasingly diverse needs of our members.

We have followed the example set by other sections, and developed a set of guidelines appropriate to the Toronto Section. Included are degrees of difficulty and trip classifications allowing both participants and coordinators to select and lead trips that suit their abilities and objectives.

The following rules were established by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Alpine Club and the Bon Echo Park authorities. The MOU is renewed by the Alpine Club every year, sometimes with minor updates. Please respect this agreement - the future of climbing at Bon Echo depends on your co-operation.

• No new route activity.
• No new fixed protection. Permission from the ACC and the Park must be sought before replacing fixed protection.
• Avoid using a tree in any way, shape or form (even slinging them) for belays and rappels. The ACC will move quickly to install bolt belay stations on climbs where trees are commonly used.
  
  

General
The protection of provincially significant elements of the natural and cultural landscapes of Ontario is the overriding objective of the Provincial Park system. At Bon Echo Provincial Park, the spectacular sheer cliff on Mazinaw Lake epitomises just such a landscape. Rock and ice climbing has been a long tradition at Bon Echo, pre-dating the 1965 Park opening. Enthusiasts of the sport consider the cliff here to be one of the best climbing locations in Ontario. Cooperation and mutual respect has always prevailed between the climbing community and the Park.

• Important information about Bon Echo from the Access Committee
• List of Custodians
• Full text of our Memorandum of Understanding with the park authorities as a Word file or an RTF file
• Bon Echo guidebook - recently updated

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  [inlineright:be_boat.jpg=Martin in the boat]Martin le Roux piloting the club's trusty dreadnaught across the waters of Lake Mazinaw.
  Important: If you are planning on climbing at Bon Echo, please make sure you know and observe the rules. The park authorities take these rules very seriously. In particular, please note the following:
  
  

If you're new to the area, are just starting climbing or even just looking for something new, these notes may give you a feel for some of the possibilities for rock-climbing in and around Southern Ontario.

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