Ontario is known to be super flat. So downhill biking in Ontario is not the first thing we would search for, or try, for that matter. We don’t get the Appalachian mountain range, nor do we get the rockies – far from it. Literally. Approximate 1,500 km from the western most side of Ontario to the Rockies. Everything in between that are now the prairies, which was home to an great inland sea, the Western Interior Seaway which split North America into two, during the Cretaceous period in our earth’s history.
But wait, this isn’t a geology lesson! Let’s get ripping to some downhill biking in Ontario! It’s flat, but not that flat you can’t find some hills to bike on. Ian went with his brother to Horseshoe Resort over the summer to get some laps in. Since Ian’s bike is a carbon fibre cross-country monster, he borrowed his brother’s old dirt jump bike. His brother also has a fancy downhill bike.
It had been a while since either of them hit up any downhilling and it was almost like putting on an old pair of shoes. Ian rode the bike so hard, he blew out the old forks on the old dirt jump bike. Admittedly the bike is super old and not meant for some of the trails being thrown at it.
Damian’s, an Explorations team member has this going out west, ripping up some crazy trails! What set up do you have going on?
Follow Damian as he goes motorcycling the Duffey Loop on his birthday. This loop is 580 km or so long, full of twisties and perfect for a motorcycle tour. What he did was way cooler than Bueller’s Day Off – (sorry, not sorry). He’s starting from a random gas station, in British Columbia, to do the Duffy Loop. This loop is 580 km or so long, full of twisties and perfect for a motorcycle tour. Amazing part of this ride, and perhaps even more to the ecological point of view, is the variety of such different ecosystems in such a small amount of time, through the interior of British Columbia.
Through motorcycling Duffy Loop, you’ll go encounter varying mountain ranges, deserts and back to rain forests, before returning back to Vancouver. Twisties for days, through this loop. It’ll take you through hope, Hell’s Gate (in it’s own right, passing through the narrows of Fraser River) and the rest you’ll have to learn about in Duffy Loop Part 2.
Rockwood Conservation is a quaint little conservation, a stone throw’s away from Toronto. It’s been hard getting out over the winter for a little day trip excursion, that’s less than a one hour drive from Toronto. But a little bit of Googling helped yield some results hiking trails around me and was reinforced through a paddling guidebook, for Southern Ontario region. This is perfect for those days you want to get out, not too far, and away from the usual crowds in other known spots.
Remains of the 19th century wool mill at Rockwood Conservation
Rockwood Conservation, part of the larger Grand River Conservation Authority system, this unique little spot boasts a historical and important aspect of the regions history of a wool mill. More than that, it’s a quaint little day trip out of Toronto with hiking areas and beach area over the summer. The lake is known to have some good fishing, too!
Geologically speaking, the limestone is littered with, what’s known as kettle formations. Formations in rocks when the glacier retreated and carved little circles and wells through the rocks. Left behind are some scenic cliffs, perfect for wedding photos! The hiking trails don’t require any fancy hiking boots, hiking pants, or hiking poles. It’s a leisure stroll through the woods for a nice easy break from the city and the crowds.
Check out some other day trip ideas around, less than an hour out of Toronto!
If you watched our Amateur Hour you’ll learn about where our love for nature came from. It’s only natural to share my thoughts on the best paddling guidebooks! Simply, stemming from the connection through camping, portaging and paddling. It is one of the most tranquil, sometimes rough, ways to ground yourself and just busy yourself with your day to day living. No phones (ok, admittedly I do bring the phone and use it for our Explorations photos, video and blog), no wifi, no constant bombardment of social media. It’s a time to disconnected and just… be. Just. Pure. Bliss.
The guides are to the very best canoeing regions for specifically Central and South Eastern Ontario, Canada. Frankly speaking, it’s just really one author I trust the most when it comes to the most detailed hand-drawn map guidebook, with historical explanation to the region. Light is shed to the First Nations in the regions, before the settlers came, punctuated by little pro tips and gems in the area where you’re looking to paddle.
But more importantly, the information details exactly what you need to know, what to expect and straight to the point with no over the top superfluous writing that is irrelevant.
The author is Hap Wilson and his several paddling guide books, with regions including Temagami, Upper Ottawa River, Muskoka and several more regions. He sells it through his website, link below, along with his art and literary books!
The first book I bought from Hap Wilson was over 20 years ago for the Muskoka region in Ontario. It immediately became my best paddling guidebooks that I kept on hand. It included regions like Moon River, where Rob had gone to explore. I discovered some of the best back country camping and paddling decades before the Toronto crowds descended upon my once favourite camping spot. As trails and best-kept secret places become increasingly exposed by newer technology such as Alltrails and the likes, time honoured writing, illustration and the spirit of solace in the woods become loss to quick searches and instant gratification.
However, technology like this has it’s pros and cons. It provides accessibility for many who are otherwise unable to acquire these types of guide books. But with accessibility also brings people who have no respect for the space, portage in outboard engines into non-motorized lakes, and partying all night long. Com’on folks – it’s no wonder spaces are becoming more pressured and less people are even willing to talk about where they go to their secret spot to go camp!
On a 2 week trip through Temagami and down the Ottawa river, dodging in between Ontario and Quebec
During the pandemic, my favourite camping spot just 1.5 hours away from Toronto exploded with Torontonians and the small parking lot became over flowing through onto the cottage country roads. New “No Parking” signs are put up and the police now more frequently patrol. Just the nature of everything happening, the pandemic, lock-down and the need for outdoor spaces; and not blaming anyone. As a consequence, I don’t plan on going back to that spot and on the hunt for new, quieter, less accessible areas, pushing me deeper into the woods, which is not a bad thing, but difficult time-investment wise for a weekend trip.
The hand drawn maps of Hap Wilson’s guide books
But I digress and back to the best paddling guidebooks! In the hunt for more areas, I had previously gone on a 2 week trip, over 10 years ago now, through Temagami and down the Ottawa river, dodging in and out of Quebec province. One of the biggest trips I ever did, and one of the best and most beautiful places too. Remembering this, and also remembering Hap Wilson’s books to the region, I ordered, the guidebook for those regions. Hap Wilson, with his personal and traditional touch, signed the books.
Check out his store, with several more books! https://hapwilson.com/shop/ What’s more, he has a cabin, Cabin Falls Ecolodge in Temagami, in a remote area far from civilization that you may visit! I should mention, I’m not in anyway associated with the lodge or Hap Wilson’s shop, just merely a fan of his and his wife’s work.
Our third episode of Amateur Hour, where we’re not experts, but we have a little more experience than the lay person on various topics. This episode, we’re talking about winter camping! Check out our first episode here where we introduced ourselves and various topics on back country camping.
Being in two different provinces with wildly different terrains, we touched upon differences in BC (British Colombia) and in Ontario, they type of gear to bring and why.
Drawing from that, we dive a little deeper into camping trips and tricks for winter season. We spoke to topics, such as:
Much younger us, haul in sleds for a few nights in the back country
Why winter camping?
Layering system
Sleep system
Staying warm
Winter gear
Tents
etc…
and a fire round of tips and tricks
While there was limited time to discuss everything in detail, some of the key points that are different than camping in summer were staying warm. It’s just as easy to get hypothermia as it is to get heat exhaustion. We just don’t recognize it. There is a bit more gear to bring, no doubt, but that will also help keep you warmer and enjoy your time outdoors in the negatives.
Of course the barrier to entry is slightly higher for winter camping, as equipment is more specialized. If there was one piece of equipment to invest in, is the sleeping bag. You could get away with a 3 season tent, but ideally you’ll want to focus on the bag. This will need to be kept in consideration with your entire sleep system, from your sleeping pad (thicker and keeping yourself off the ground), to your layering system of what you’re wearing in the sleeping bag.
In time, we’ll provide more tips and tricks through more articles or videos, but for now, enjoy the video, below!
Weekend warrioring from Vancouver, follow Damian trying to find Granite Falls and his overlanding journey! The journey to the falls is in an inlet up through Indian Arm or Halkomelem, or Sleilwaut (səl̓ilw̓ət) in the traditional indigenous name. This inlet separates North Vancouver and the rest of Vancouver.
Normally, during regular times and not COVID times, you could kayak. But since everyone is eager to get outdoors and do things, wait times and rentals are jammed packed. So, to get out, Damian follows the Sea to Sky highway, cut through Squamish and head into the back roads! This takes about 2 hours.
In the video, you’ll find some of the best damned views in all of Canada through several water crossings, and very quintessentially Canadian rocks and trees and water! Of course, it’s also dotted by old and abandoned machines and building, reminiscent of years past when logging and mining and other resource harvesting activities occurred. Spoiler alert, bonus points if you spot the pentagram. Finally, you’ll see some influence of MTV My Crib of quick camping setups.
Check out Damian’s Journey to Granite Falls!
If British Columbia content is something you’re looking for, checking out more of Damian’s adventure in:
Follow Ian, as he heads into the back country, solo, during shoulder season in an area that was before crown land where a lot of hunt camps were grandfathered into a provincial park. This trip reminded him of why he loved the back country, as discussed in our Amateur Hour episode. Keeping it safe, he wears hunters orange to be visible to ensure his safety hiking in. A few shotguns here and there, but nothing crazy.
In this video, Ian describes what to look out for in reading the signs of weather, some fire starting tricks and, generally, how he likes to relax on his days off from work! He brought in his fishing rod to try his luck on trout in the lakes and enjoyed some beautiful sunsets between showers of rain and, in the end, snow.
In case you were wondering (and it’ll make more sense at the end of the video), closing the loop on his weather prediction, on the drive out, it snowed tons and hammered down. He was glad he got out when I did as it would’ve been more of a slog to get out. His weather prediction coupled with the radio is a good combo to ensure your trips are safe and stays fun, on the weather front! All in all, this was a great shoulder season back country camping trip!
Where is this place, you ask? Well, watch the video to find out!
This post is on Damian’s trip in alpine mountain camping, but this also touches upon issues on climate change. As I’m sure most of you know, British Colombia took a beating of a heatwave in the summer of 2021 with temperatures hitting 50 degrees celcius for several weeks, infamously calling it the “heatdome” of 2021. Doing a quick plug of climate change action and awareness, the heatdome set the stage for severe floods in the fall into the winter of 2021. The hydrological cycle was broken when the trees died, not allowing runoff water to be absorbed by the trees, causing flooding and landslides.
The insurance bureau estimated about $450 million CAD of damages paid out, but the real damage to infrastructure repair, the economy and raw resource extraction is estimated to be roughly $7.5 billion CAD, rating it the 5th most expensive extreme weather event in 2021. We don’t usually discuss climate change and impacts in these posts and videos, but climate grief is real and discussing this hopefully encourages more climate action. As readers may recall, the Explorations Team have a huge interest in sustainability and part of the whole blog is sharing their connection and experience in nature.
Moving On… Camping!
But, moving on; what do you do in times like these? Well go backcountry camping, of course! Damian took this opportunity to go to Watersprite Lake in Mamquam, above the tree line and into the alpine mountain. As he puts it, “into natures air conditioning!” Even at that altitude and alpine, it’s still 20 degrees celcius.
As per usual, taking the Sea to Sky Highway, but head through Mamquam River Campground, overland a bit, park, and up the hiking trail to Watersprite. The hike took them into the night, but some spectacular views of the colouir and the gorge during the day. Who thought you’d be able to do a polar bear dip in July 1st during Canada Day?! All this and more, in the video below, on alpine mountain camping!
Welcome, fellow climbers, to your ultimate guide on the best rock climbing shoes for beginners. Whether you’re just starting your climbing journey or looking to upgrade your gear, choosing the right pair of shoes is crucial for your comfort and performance on the wall. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the top five rock climbing shoes that are perfect for beginner climbers, while also discussing what to look for when selecting the ideal pair. Let’s get started!
What to Look for in a Rock Climbing Shoes
Before we dive into the specifics of each shoe, it’s essential to understand what features to consider when selecting the best rock climbing shoes for you. In our second episode of Amateur Hour we explained more about talking about rock climbing shoes! The market can be over whelming with the amount of products out there. Some, what I call “myths” are “beginner” vs. “advanced” shoes. I characterize it as purpose function shoes. If you’re predominantly bouldering and doing steep sport routes, you’ll want more aggressive shoes. If you’re doing crack and slab climbing, much less aggressive. But also depends where it is you’re climbing. There is no “real” best rock climbing shoes!
If you’re in Southern Ontario on limestone the best rock climbing shoes for beginners may look a lot like crack climbing shoes, easy soft and pliable leather that allows the foot to move. This is where I would start. Leave the more aggressive “shark fin” types of shoes later, as they do require a bit of getting used to in climbing shoes.
For a new climber, I would suggest prioritizing comfort and fit, looking at toes, width and then heel cup. Everything will come later, ie knowledge of the rubber, shape and shoes used for what climbing. The below are a few suggestions that should cover most feet shapes and size.
However, in short, choosing the best rock climbing shoes in around your street shoe size; don’t worry too much about how tight they should be as you’re learning, or much your toes are curled; if they hurt too much, you won’t have fun climbing! And this defeats the purpose of enjoying the sport!
Best Rock Climbing Shoes for You
Here’s a breakdown of what to look for:
The best rock climbing shoes for you will last for several adventures!
1. Fit and Comfort: When it comes to climbing shoes, fit is paramount. Some argue either you should go super tight where your toes curl under your feet and others argue to keep it loose and flat. As a beginner, the best rock climbing shoes for you is to look for a shoe that snugly wraps around your foot without causing discomfort or pain, otherwise you won’t enjoy climbing at all! Women may prefer shoes designed with a narrower heel and lower volume to accommodate their foot shape.
2. Type of Climbing: Consider the type of climbing you’ll be doing most often. Are you primarily indoor bouldering, or do you plan to tackle multi-pitch routes outdoors? Different types of climbing require different shoe designs, so choose accordingly. Most who start climbing tend to start bouldering or begin with indoor routes. If this is you, the suggestions below are targeted for indoor routes.
3. Closure System: Climbing shoes come with various closure systems, including lace-up, Velcro, and slip-on. Each has its advantages, with lace-up offering a more customizable fit and Velcro providing quick adjustments. Choose the closure system that best suits your preferences and needs. My preference is lace up system.
4. Rubber and Sole: The rubber and sole of a climbing shoe determine its grip and durability. Look for shoes with high-quality rubber compounds that offer excellent friction on the wall. Thicker soles provide more support for long climbs, while thinner soles offer increased sensitivity and precision. But as a beginner, don’t worry about this too much for now. Understanding that the rubber is a key part of the climbing performance will come as your grow as a climber.
5. Budget: As with any gear purchase, consider your budget when selecting climbing shoes. While higher-priced shoes may offer advanced features, there are plenty of affordable options available for beginner climbers.
Recommended Shoes for Beginners
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La Sportiva Tarantula: Explorations choice! This is the best rock climbing shoes in this context. Laces generally fit better as they have more points of contact over your feet to ensure better a closer fit. Available in both men’s and women’s versions, these shoes offer the same great features as the original Tarantula with the added benefit of a customizable fit.
Why We Love It:The La Sportiva Tarantula Laced provides unbeatable comfort and performance for climbers, with the added customizable fit of a lace-up closure system.
La Sportiva Tarantula Original: They are your go to for introduction to climbing and are not yet ready to drop some coin into your shoes! These will probably be the most comfortable shoes and as they break in, it will fit even better!
Available in both men’s and women’s versions, these shoes feature an asymmetrical shape and sticky FriXion rubber for excellent grip on a variety of surfaces.
Key Features:
FriXion rubber for superior grip
Asymmetrical shape for enhanced performance
Velcro closure for quick and easy adjustments
Why We Love It: The La Sportiva Tarantula strikes a perfect balance between comfort and performance, catering to the needs of climbers.
La Sportiva Finales are considered “better” in some circles and have been known to be a little bit more “aggressive”. Without getting into too much technical detail, the Finale’s will have better edging performance and will fit tighter.
available in both men’s and women’s models. These shoes feature an unlined leather upper that molds to the foot over time, providing a customized fit and enhanced performance on the wall. The downside is that if you have wide feet, these may feel tight and take a while to get used to the tightness.
Key Features:
Unlined leather upper for a customized fit
Vibram XS Edge rubber for superior grip
Lace-up closure for a precise fit
Why We Love It: The La Sportiva Finale offers exceptional performance and versatility, making it an excellent choice for climbers who are looking to improve their skills.
The Black Diamond Momentums came a little later to the rock climbing shoe game, but they did come out with a decent quality entry-level shoe. Major difference is that this is synthetic and does not stretch as much as the leather shoes and the rubber is known to not be as sticky with their brand of rubber compound.
These shoes are designed with both men’s and women’s versions, ensuring a comfortable and precise fit. The neutral shape and flat last provide ample support for long sessions at the gym or out on the crag.
Key Features:
Neutral shape for all-day comfort
Engineered knit technology for breathability
Velcro closure for easy on and off
Why We Love It: The Black Diamond Momentum combines comfort and performance, making it an ideal choice for beginner climbers
Scarpa Helix are probably my favourite shoes, and arguably the best rock climbing shoes I’ve ever bought. They are super comfortable, sticky and great for crack climbing as well, available in both men’s and women’s models.
These shoes prioritize comfort with a flat last and padded tongue, making them ideal for long days at the crag. The suede leather upper molds to the foot over time, providing a customized fit.
Key Features:
Suede leather upper for a customized fit
Flat last for all-day comfort
Velcro closure for easy on and off
Why We Love It: The Scarpa Helix offers unbeatable comfort and performance in a stylish package, catering to the needs of climbers looking to climb in sport multi-pitch and cracks
In conclusion, selecting the best rock climbing is very subjective, but is essential for a successful climbing experience. Whether you’re a beginner climber or a seasoned veteran, choosing a shoe that fits well and meets your needs is key to enjoying your time on the wall. With the options outlined in this guide, you’re sure to find the perfect pair to take your climbing to new heights. Happy climbing, everyone!
Ian is the Subject Matter Expert in this case, having started climbing in high school. Launching outdoor climbing for over 10 years of climbing, getting into trad and vertical ice, then having gone to the Himalayas, climbed in Southern Africa, United States, Canada and Korea. Read up on Ian’s post on Rock Climbing in Korea, here! Damian with a close second on climbing experience with getting out in Southern Ontario and British Colombia. Rob… well, he’s the one who needs climbing shoes!
Following up our tasting of the White Boxed Wine video, Explorations search for the best boxed wine continues, this time with a selection of reds. Which one tastes the best and is worth bringing along on your next adventure?
Remember, the idea was that, if you can’t bring glass bottles of wine, what’s the best alternative?
The wines we tried this time around:
Peller Estates Dry Red
Peller Estates Shiraz
Don’t Poke the Bear Baco Noir Cabarnet
Pelee Merlot
Naked Grape Cabernet Sauvignon
Who won!? Who lost?! Wait are there losers to this wine tasting…? Well, no spoilers here. Watch the video!
