Attention: Sandy Cove rock climbing access DENIED

[Simon]

Attention: Anybody who climbs in Sandy Cove, Digby Neck area;

I did a trip to the rock face of Sandy Cove last week: while we were getting our gears ready, the daughter of the the owner of the red cabin (who onws the cliff) came and gently told us we couln't climb there anymore for liability reasons (thanks to all the assholes whos sue people when the hurt themselves on somebody else property...). The day wasn't ruined, we went down to Centrevill instead which is 5 min down the road.

Simon

[mick]

Hi Simon,

That's not good news at all. Did you get her name or any contact information? Climb Nova Scotia would definitely like to get in touch with them and discuss this.

Was there an accident there or did something else spook them? I know people have been climbing there for a long time without incident, and land owners are largely safe from legal liability for injuries on their land here in Canada.

Please send any details you have to climbnovascotia at gmail dot com

cheers
mick

[martha]

Hey Mick, I know lots of people in Digby and down the neck, If I can be of any help in this access issue, please let me know.

[Simon]

Hi Mick,

sorry I don't have any more information. The military can still train on the cliff because they have their own insurance. She also mentioned that because I asked if we could climb (to be respectful) she had to say no, but made us understand that if we didn't ask, we might have been able to climb...which was very vague. I didn't ask her name. We are still allowed to go hike in there or go check out the view.

Simon

[martha]

So aren't CNS members covered by the insurance policy? Perhaps she just needs to ask that all climbers there are members of CNS?

Sounds like we can still climb, but don't ask/don't tell.

[william]

Was down to Sandy Cove weekend before last. We asked at the cabin and the quebeckers staying there had no problem, we hiked up and set up a top rope off the bolts in the middle of the face thinking it was the 5.8/5.11 right beside each other. Got about half way up with many small flakes cracking off, loose rock galore etc. Went for a big over hand onto a jug and had a piece the size of a large watermelon come down on my head/shoulder, there were some choice words. This may have been a contributing factor to the cliff owners nervousness?(they were all outside and saw/heard the rock fall)

On that note, what is the climb in the middle of the wall, as it isn't the 5.8/5.11.
Also for anyone who hasn't been to sandy cove, cool climbing but the path to access the cliff bottom is very steep and gets super slippery when wet, not dog friendly(had to sling the mutt). Everyone wear helmets. Great blackberries on the way down.

We also headed over to trout cove and did some sport. Super fun with great climbs and good spread of grades. There are a few very rusty bolts on the 5.10 and 5.11 though. Also when walking the beach headed right from trout cove there are some very neat blocks forming a little bouldering area by the point, mostly roofs, but solid(ish) rock and reasonable landings. Great raspberries in trout cove.

[Fred]

I placed the bolt anchor several years ago and had plans to develop a route there but abandonned the project. So to answer your question, it's not a route and has not been cleaned or climbed.

[mick]

Hey William,

Thanks for the update and glad to hear you weren't seriously injured. It does sound as though your accident may have contributed to the nervousness of the landowners. When I first read this post I was thinking of the sport climbing area at Trout Cove, but now I realize it's a different area - I guess past the bouldering at Sandy Cove? I've not actually climbed at that location so I'm not sure where it is exactly.

CNS members are insured by CNS only during CNS events. If we held a clean and climb down there (which sounds like it might be a good idea some day) everyone would be covered, but a small party who happens to be CNS members would not be.

Evidentially the area you are talking about does not get a whole lot of traffic, if things are still breaking off. Hopefully this incident will serve as a reminder to everyone that helmets are always a good idea when climbing on a rope, both for the climber and, maybe more importantly, the belayer. Nothing is guaranteed when climbing on rocks and holds certainly do break from time to time. Be careful when you climb and realize that you can be hurt or killed by no fault of your own, or anyone else for that matter. Risk is part of climbing and something we implicitly accept whenever we tie in.

[Adam]

helmets are always a good idea when climbing on a rope

i've pulled rock off at new and well established areas... as uncool as they might look, helmets will save your life. i've been hit by rock in the head on big walls... that flowers moves pretty quick after falling a few hundred feet. even a pebble is gonna do major damage at that speed.

DON YER BRAIN BUCKETS OR DIE!

[peter]

I know the names of the family members involved, if CNS wants to reach them. They summer here from Montreal.

I would hate to see stellar routes like "My Roots Are Showing", "Home Boy", "Raven", and "Lena Horne" go unclimbed ...

(The Climber Formerly Known as Peter)

[mick]

Don't you mean Peter, formerly known as a climber?

I'd be interested in route descriptions (unless they are in Cassidy's guide and I never noticed them) and also contact info for those folks. Email the deets to climbnovascotia at gmail dot com please and thanks.

[Nate]

Read the guidebook. Its in there with pictures and everything.