Introduction
Echo Creek is a relatively newly discovered cliff in the Kenora region. It is close to the Jones Road cliff, being only 13km away. There is ample bouldering on large boulders, some of which have been cleared around for climbing. This guide does not cover the currently developed boulders, however the potential for new problems is enormous. A few mediocre trad lines remain for the picking, but there is plenty of room left for development of sport routes, as the cliff is at least half a kilometre long! There have even been sightings of ice forming on the sections closest to the road in the winter.
Echo is located on an active logging road. Therefore, when parking you should make sure you are well out of the way so logging trucks can pass freely. Park at the obvious pullout 12.5km down the Echo road, in front of the tallest section of the cliff. If you walk back up the road from here heading east, a cut trail on the cliff side of the road will take you into the first boulders. From here, a trail on the right heads up to the camping spot, a trail on the left heads up to the cliff to the climbs on the left end of the cliff, while the trail that continues between these two takes you past more boulders farther down the valley in front of the cliff to the pocket boulder. There is also a small, shallow lake to swim in half a kilometre up the road, west of the pullout.
Driving Directions
- From Winnipeg, head east on Hwy #1
- Once you enter Ontario, it turns into Hwy #17
- Take the Kenora bypass
- Turn left onto Grassy Narrows Road (prov #671)
- After approximately 30km you come to the Jones Road cliff
- 1km after the Jones Road cliff, turn left onto a gravel road
- Just before 12km, a small outcrop of rock will appear on your right
- Continue to 12.5km at which time Echo will be seen on the right
To help with the directions, here is a satellite image courtesy of Google Earth.
The Area
The routes at the left end of the cliff are centred around a rock formation split away from the main face of the cliff called the Anvil, so called due to its shape when looked at fron the side. There is a 5.5 chimney exit route to the right of the front of the Anvil. Climbs in this area include Hidden Crack, Don't Tell Sherry, Short and Sweet (Steven Crazy Adventure), Zig Zag, and Puppets of our own Existence.
To the right of the Anvil are the Echo Slabs, where Slave to Freedom may be found. There are a few other TR bolt anchors set up.
The right end of the cliff (left and up from the pocket boulder) has some rather difficult (5.11/12) TR problems. This is where Robb's Extraordinary Crack, and Gayness in the Anus can be found.
Follow the main trail until it ends, look for red tape in a tree on the left that marks a faint trail to the left, from there blue tape further marks the trail. At the end, you arrive at the Pocket Boulder. There is a single rap ring at the top of the boulder for rappelling/getting down to the anchors to set up top ropes. This can be reached by scrambling up the back of the Pocket Boulder from the right. There are two routes here, Good Feet, and Pocket Protector.
The Routes
All routes have bolted anchors. Most routes have a single maillon for rapelling. When the number of bolts are mentioned on a route, they do not include the anchors.
| Don't Tell Sherry | 5.9 | trad |
| Gayness in the Anus | 5.10a | trad |
| Good Feet | 5.10a | sport |
| Hidden Crack | 5.10a | trad |
| Pocket Protector | 5.10c | sport |
| Puppets of our own Existence | 5.7 | trad |
| Robb's Extraordinary Crack | 5.11a | trad |
| Slave to Freedom | 5.9 | trad |
| Steve's Crazy Adventure | 5.11b/d | sport |
| Zig Zag | 5.10a | sport |
Want to add a route?
Email me: kinthelt@gmail.com
