Gold Mine
From Sudbury, take the Trans Canada highway west towards Sault Ste. Marie. At about 108 km out of Sudbury, take Hwy 108 north towards Elliot Lake and travel north for 64 km, which will take you through Elliot Lake and the 108 will turn into the 639. After 64 km, the road will end at Hwy 546 - at this point turn left and venture southwest for 7.6 km, where you will find the trail into the crag.
At the 7.6 km mark is a small pull-off on the south side of the road. The trail to Gold Mine is on the opposite side of the road approximately 15-30 feet west of the parking area. The trail zig-zags through the trees and, as of last year, still had downed trees that need to be stepped over. The more the area is frequented, the more obvious the path will become. Follow the trail until you see rocks (3-5 minutes) and the trail will split off left (west) and right (east). Look left and you will notice a slab approximately 40 yards away. This is the Ant boulder. Travelling right (east, 3-5 minutes) the first boulder encountered is the Alexander the Great boulder. Gold Mine is split up between four different areas. (See topo below.)
Camping is located at the 10.7 km mark south from the Hwy 546 turn. Turn left onto the logging road and continue for 300 m and camp along the river bank area.
Sources
Routes
| Name | Grade ↑ | Star rating | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Buttersworth | V6 | - | Climb the arête from a sit start utilizing small crimps, big moves, and the splits. Start with left hand pinching the arête and right hand on your choice of crimps. Move up and right, establishing your feet in a split position and figure out how to get over the bulge.
FA: Brendan Baars |
| Sunday School | V6 | - | A short powerhouse of a problem. Start low on a small ledge and using a left foot low and a high right foot to create opposition, bump your right hand up the sidepull. Move feet and launch for a sloping mailbox slot on top. Mantle it out. A much harder version could potentially be climbed to the right.
FA: Brendan Baars |
| Tessalate | V6 | - | Stand start on a flat big undercling. Move left through a decent crimp and either use the awesome slopers as intermediates or make a big move to the best sloper and then move up and topout. |
| Tripped to the Yard | V6 | - | Sit start with a great left heel hook. Find the two improbable underclings and paste the right foot on a non-existent foot. Stand up and move to better holds and top out.
FA: Brendan Baars |
| Burn and Rage | V7 | - | Double toe-hooks? 360 spins? Feet first climb? This thing has all of the funky moves you may hate or love. Either way, an amazing climb on blocky slopers with excellent rock quality.
FA: Brendan Baars |
| State of the Art | V7 | - | Climbs the crimp rail in the middle of the large square face. Utilize a toe-hook and a piano match to get through this vicious crimp crux.
FA: Brendan Baars |
| Strikezone | V7 | - | Far left side of the boulder near the “cave entrance.” Sit start on two small jugs. Make your way up and left with the first 4-5 moves being the crux of the problem revolving around a thrutchy throw to a good crimp halfway up. Bust right after the crux and keep it together as you make moves with the tree at your back. Top of the boulder is a jug.
FA: Steve Taylor |
| Vintage | V7 | - | TBD |
| Major League Swing | V8+ | - | Start on a good edge to the right side of the arête and make a big move to a sloping dish around the arête. Utilize a heel hook and small crimps to bust to the lip. Press it out.
FA: Brendan Baars |
| Color of Time | V9 | - | A power endurance test piece. Sit start with your hands crossed. Heel hook near your hand and power up right to a sloping ledge. Continue right hand to a decent sloper ledge. Sink a heel on the upper start hold and make a big move to a ledge side pull with an indent. Take a breath and prepare for the crux. Find a way to cross up and over to the next ledge which faces the wrong direction, then adjust your feet holding maximum tension. Bust to the lip saving strength for a topout that could spit you off.
FA: Brendan Baars |