In my opinion the coolest, best and most worthwhile sport climbing location in Ontario. The location, exposure, quality and quantity of the
climbs are all unbelievable. However, if you can’t lead 5.10 and up, there’s not much here for you. If you can, you’re in for an absolute treat.
Located on the Bruce Peninsula, there are three separate climbing areas, which are all worth a visit.The bulk of the climbing is located in the town of Lionshead, along the Bruce Trail system skirting 100 meters cliffs dropping into the blue waters of Georgian Bay. All of the climbs here require a rappel from the top of the cliff to mostly hanging belays (the bottom half of the cliffs are unclimbable), ledges if you’re lucky, then the you pull your rope and hope to hell you can climb back up on lead. For people with no sense of adventure, you could take two ropes and leave one as a fixed rope to bail out on. If your really stuck you can rappel to the bottom and walk out, but apparently it’s a lengthy, cumbersome bushwhack. It’s pretty much required to have the guide book so you don't waste your time rapping down things you can’t dream of climbing.
White Bluff, which you can see from the climbing at Lionshead is awesome, because even if it’s absolutely pouring down rain, you can climb great quality climbs and stay bone dry due to the huge overhanging nature of the cliff. The climbs here will really test your stamina, because every single one of them has a significant overhang. One climb in particular aptly named the Punisher due the punishment it doles out on your forearms as you head up the steep overhang going from two finger pocket to two finger pocket. If you don’t like lactic acid building up in your forearms, best to avoid this cliff.
The smallest cliff of the three is the TV tower crag, at which all climbs are accessible from the bottom. The climbing quality is again top notch, and some of the most satisfying bouldery moves can be found here.
Getting There: Reserve a spot on the Chi-Cheemaun ferry ahead of time. Head west on Hwy 17 to Espanola, then head south on Hwy 6, heading onto Manitoulin Island all the way to South Bay Mouth to catch the ferry. Get off the ferry at Tobermory, on the tip of the Bruce Peninsula and continue driving south on Hwy 6 until you come to Hwy 9. Turn right on Hwy 9 and continue to the town of Lions Head.
Guide Books:
A Sport Climbers Guide to Ontario Limestone - everything you need to know
Camping: There's a bunch of campsites around the area, some expensive. The best bet is to make friends with somebody with one of the big cottages right beside the cliffs, be sure to let me know if you find any. Or park some place and sleep in your vehicle.
Links: RockClimbing.com – Some good information about access and such.
Lions Head Gallery