McLeod Hill climbing

[Graham]

Had an awsome day out on the south face (Loosest sense of the term) of mcLeod hill. There was an old Quarry with a perfect mix of rock and ice that made for excellent mixed climbing. The top section along the cliff is a roof about a meter wide that makes for some awsome finishes. The rock however is typical of NB rotten and decrepit, which reseulted in some pant filling action when the solid block you hook with the axe explodes in a dazaling display of pyrotechniques and sends you spralling upside down towards death. But for one reason or another, the routes were still a blast to climb and the ice was just good enough to hold you up but weak enough to make you think where to place the axe.
None of the routes are that big, the longest being about 10 meters and it deffinitly isn't leadable but it does provide for a solid days mixed climbing fun. even if I was picking rocks and dirt out of my underwear when I got home.
I probably didn't sell it too well, but i'd highly recomend it to people who want a fun day of climbing and aren't at a high level of climbing yet.

P.S. Gorgeous weather today, hope everyone was able to get out on some ice.

[Stef]

Cool, I have checked out that quarry in the summer and wondered about the possibility of ice. Might be a good place for some "ice farming" as well. There is also an old basalt quarry on Carlisle Road, that might have some potential. I would be VERY cautious about rock fall at McLeod hill, however. There is serious potential for large "death blocks" to come down. They specifically quarried there because the rock naturally fractures into large, boulder sized blocks.

Cheers,

Stef

[Fred]

I don't know but sounds like you two aren't talking about the same cliff. Sounds like Graham is talking about the cliff directly opposite "Royal Road Riding Stable" up high on the ridge. This cliff is sort of like an Amphitheatre. I don't think that is a quarry but I could be wrong. I've check it out for ice before by driving by but never saw anything.

There is a quarry not far from there closer to Fredericton. It is directly opposite the saw mill on Royal Road. They quarried the rocks for the banks along the Westmorland St bridge from this quarry. Bassalt I think. I've check this place out for ice numerous times but nothing. There was one trickle that just never seemed to get fat.

[Stef]

Maybe, I was talking about the armour-stone quarry, across from the saw mill that you have to hike into. The "amphitheater" that you can see from royal road is really short and scruffy.

[Fred]

yup. I've been to that Quarry but never found enough ice to climb on.

The cliff that Graham is talking about can be accessed either by McLeod hill or Royal Road. You can see it when you drive by if you go about 2minutes down the road from the saw mill on Royal Road. Duno if that's the cliff Graham is talking about but sounds like it. I haven't seen ice on that one either but gone out several time in the winter.

[Richard Eh!]

The first time I ever tried rock climbing was at that "amphitheatre" alone in 1961 (no rope, no gear, young and stupid) and only made it half way up the cliff before bailing because every hand and foot hold was falling out or giving way. IMHO It's a useless chossy pile of sh*te
Even frozen I would think a lot of it might pry out, but on TR the worry would more be about getting hit in the head and upper body...

[Graham]

The area I was at wasn't the ridge like cliff thats close to esteys bridge, it is quite close to the saw mill. you can see it quite clearly from the road as you drive by, the easiest way to get to it is via a woods road that has a sign "open pit mining" nailed to a tree that goes off the royal road. you get to the top and join another old road that leads you up past what I think Fred was refering to as the Amphetheater. About 2 minutes past that is the ice.

There were only two places where the ice formed to climb adequetly, so there were about 4 or 5 rout options.

It's important to remember that me and Joell are not the most experienced (especially me) so what I thought to be awsome mixed climbing with challenging and thoughtfull routes, are probably horrible, and useless routes to anyone who has experienced anything any better. Well, I guess it would still be considered thoughtfull routes, because if you don't think about where to put your axe, the rock will explode and you'll die.

Still an awsome day out though, and I look forward to more this winter

[Fred]

Graham, the pit you speak of is the Quarry I mentioned and also the Quarry that Stef is talking about. There are two pits there. You can see it from the road when you drive on the flats near Royal Road riding stables. The Amphitheatre cliff is further down that way directly accross from the stables. It's not the first pit you come to at the armerstone quarry.

[Graham]

Well, the point is, it exists, and McLeod Hill is not completly useless. Oh and don't any body get confused and think we're talking about the gravel pit on the top of the hill. Completly differnt. Man My hill has way too many quarries and pits, and they're friggen clearcutting the top, and the awsome swimming hole in the gravel pit was filled with logs to prevent usage. Friggen everything. McLeod Hill has gone down hill so to speak.

[martha]

Well, the point is, it exists, and McLeod Hill is not completly useless.

you need to get out and do some real ice climbing. Like Fred said, we had been there a few times over several winters with our gear in tow hoping for something....and nada... well...nada worth doing.

i'm sure Hayes Falls is freezing up nicely by now. Anyone want to check it out during the week this week? (mind you if you go with me you'll end up carrying most of the stuff.. hehehe) but it'd be nice to know if it was ready or not.

Stef? you interested?