Ontario Alliance of Climbers

10/09/2026

We are deeply saddened to share the loss of Jeremy Fortier, following a rockfall incident while climbing on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

By day, Jeremy was a civil servant working in government policy. Outside the office, Jeremy lived a rich and engaged life. Filled with relentless stoke and possessing a smile that lit up the room, Jeremy was always eager to meet new faces and quick to extend a helping hand. Jeremy was unable to hold back a corny joke. He was a metalhead that loved to be in the thick of things, happiest when he was thrashing up front and center at concerts. Jeremy’s love for the outdoors extended beyond climbing to include winter camping, canoeing and backcountry hiking.

We are deeply grateful for Jeremy’s years of dedicated service to the Ontario Alliance of Climbers. Jeremy began volunteering as Board Secretary in 2018 and joined the Board of Directors in 2023. Jeremy was a dedicated volunteer, and his attention to detail, organizational skills, and drive made a meaningful impact to Ontario climbing.

Jeremy’s passion for community building was unmatched. You may recognize him from calling out winning raffle tickets at the Beaver Valley Climbing Festival, greeting people at film festival showings, participating in events held by the ACC, or just meeting him out at the crag. His contributions to climbing advocacy in Ontario have helped shape the community for decades to come.

Our thoughts are with Lauren, Joanna, Gord and the rest of the family in these difficult times. A Celebration of Life has been scheduled on Sunday October 25th, from 1PM to 4 PM, at Humphrey Funeral Home (1403 Bayview Ave).

Jeremy, you will be missed.

09/30/2026

09/30/2026

Last week, Sonnie Trotter stopped by MEC Greater Toronto Area to take part in their Mountain Speaker Series in collaboration with Patagonia !

Sonnie is a local legend who's taken his adventures far, chronicling them in his book Uplifted: The Evolution of a Climbing Life. (Don't sleep on it; we've already read and love it! 🤓) It was a fantastic night of sharing, connecting with the community, and getting inspired.

But this was more than just a meet & greet with one of Canada's greats. Mountain Equipment Company generously donated all the proceeds from ticket and book sales to the OAC ❤️ That amounted to $1800 raised for climbing advocacy in Ontario!

We'd like to extend a BIG thank you to Mountain Equipment Company for supporting climbing access. And to you, the community, for showing up and representing Ontario climbers!

🙏

08/14/2026

Hope you brought your climbing shoes AND your dancing shoes, because we're bringing back Wh**ky River to this year's ! Live entertainment with dinner, yes please 💃

The weather is looking absolutely AMAZING this weekend, and we're so excited to spend it with you all! Couldn't ask for better temps! Many participants have already begun arriving, come get your tents set up while it's still light out!

08/14/2026

The Collingwood Brewery | Craft B**r will be on site at the tomorrow, selling delicious craft b**r for your post-climb celebrations! What better way to kick back and enjoy the festivities. 🍻

Hope you're ready to party, the weather looks like it's going to be beautiful!! 😎

08/14/2026

And we're starting with a 🎉!

We've essentially sold out the 🙌 🙌

Did you slack on getting your ticket? No worries, we still have room for you! You can register in person at the check in tent. You'll still get access to our amazing , vendors, challenges, camping and live entertainment! But you'll have to bring your own dinner. To make up for that, tickets bought in person will be $20 less.

We're excited to see you!!

08/14/2026

We've got a full festival weekend planned for you! Climbing clinics put on by On the Rocks Climbing Guides and MUSKOKA MOUNTAINWORKS , topropes set up by the Alpine Club of Canada, Toronto , dinner, live music from Wh**ky River, the biggest and best climbing out there... Plus some extras to complete your experience!

🗨️ Join Justin Dwyer for a seminar on the History of climbing in the Beaver Valley on Saturday at 4pm, complete with a slideshow!

🔩 Representatives of the Bolt Fund and Javier Kenigsberg will be on hand at the OAC tent to discuss how you know whether hardware is reaching end of life, and how to proceed when you find bad bolts.

🧘‍♂️ Morning and Evening yoga sessions will be led by Jen Zuccato once again! A hit every year, remember to pack your own yoga mat and stretch out in the open air.

We're so excited to spend the weekend with you all!

08/13/2026

📢 Patagonia will be setting up a Repair Station at this weekend's
!

At the festival, they'll be able to patch small to medium holes (tenacious tape or sewn ), sew on buttons, replace zipper pulls and do light repairs to zippers (ex. replace zipper sliders). They will also have some Cleaning and Proofing to share if/when there's a need. Replacement buckles will also be available!

So bring your clothing and gear in need of minor fixes!

🙌 Here's to sustainability and extended life!!! 🙌

See you all SOON!!

08/13/2026

Collingwood is getting a new climbing gym! Come meet the Collingwood Climbing Centre team at this weekend's for prizes, giveaways, and talk about the new gym!

They've already broken ground and have started construction... Get psyched for training there later this year!

08/13/2026

Thank you to Climb Smart Shop for supporting this year's Beaver Valley Climbing Festival! You can check them out for all your climbing gear needs! Located conveniently inside Boulderz Climbing , they have all the gear and apparel to keep you in sending shape and preparing for your next adventure.

We're SO close to getting to party with you all this weekend! Get your tickets to the now at the link in our bio!