Topic: A diverse group of Toronto ACC climbers travelled to a world-class sport climbing destination on an idyllic Greek island – Kalymnos before COVID. We want to share the highlights of our fun time adventure and inspire you to visit and climb in Kalymnos.

Join us on Zoom via:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5093999952

Once again, immediately following the presentation from our guest speaker, we will be hosting a virtual social gathering via Kumospace. To join, please go to ACC-YYZ’s Virtual Pub Nite Room. To enter, you will need to register. Our room size is limited so don’t be late!

For more information on Kumospace, you can find them here.

Topic: A diverse group of Toronto ACC climbers travelled to a world-class sport climbing destination on an idyllic Greek island – Kalymnos before COVID. We want to share the highlights of our fun time adventure and inspire you to visit and climb in Kalymnos.

Join us on Zoom via:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5093999952

Once again, immediately following the presentation from our guest speaker, we will be hosting a virtual social gathering via Kumospace. To join, please go to ACC-YYZ’s Virtual Pub Nite Room. To enter, you will need to register. Our room size is limited so don’t be late!

For more information on Kumospace, you can find them here.

Time: Tuesday March 23rd, 7:30 pm.
Speaker: Roger Wallis
Bio: Roger has been climbing for a very long time.  He joined the ACC when he emigrated to Canada in 1968 and has been a member of the Toronto Section since 1970. He was the Toronto Section’s Mountaineering Chair for 13 years and a long time member of the Leadership Committee. Roger encouraged a generation of Toronto Section members to join him in exploring some relatively unvisited parts of the Coast Ranges, Purcell’s, Selkirks, Monashee’s, Premiers, Cariboo’s, the Rockies, and in particular, six climbing trips to the St.Elias mountains. Following Ted Rosen’s classic dictum of “striving for mediocrity”, the group made more than 60 mountain First Ascents and innumerable new routes – all of which were of their specialty – being “Remote, Obscure and Easy”.

Though naïve, incompetent, and ill-prepared, he learnt many valuable lessons in the “School of Hard Knocks” and he did manage to participate in 36 Mountain First Ascents. These activities were endured/enjoyed a long time ago most of the “Lessons Learned” have stood the test of time and many are still relevant to today’s mountaineers – especially those interested in organizing/participating in Wilderness or Expeditionary mountaineering.

Roger has been awarded the ACC’s Silver Rope and Distinguished Service Award  and he has been elected an Honorary Member.

Topic: This is a fun talk in which Roger will describe a wide range of screw-up’s whilst participating in six expeditions to the Arctic during the 1960’s.  He has few excuses as he was the nominal Leader or Deputy Leader of five of them.

Join us on Zoom via:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5093999952

Once again, immediately following the presentation from our guest speaker, we will be hosting a virtual social gathering via Kumospace. To join, please go to ACC-YYZ’s Virtual Pub Nite Room. To enter, you will need to register. Our room size is limited so don’t be late!

For more information on Kumospace, you can find them here.

Time: Tuesday February 23rd, 7:30 pm.
Speaker: John Wright
Bio: A long time climber, skier, kayaker and general outdoor type, John grew up near Birmingham, England. After gaining a BSc in Geography and being bored out of his mind working in the water industry, his passion for mountaineering led him to join the British Antarctic Survey as a field guide.

John overwintered at Halley Research Station, conducted field operations on the Polar Plateau and The Shackleton Mountains and experienced an additional enforced winter at the Argentine Belgrano Station. On return to the UK he qualified as a teacher of outdoor activities and taught for four years before joining the British Army as an Education and Training specialist.

He served in the UK, Hong Kong and Germany and took every opportunity to continue his climbing in the European Alps, New Zealand, Greenland, Svalbard and Southeast Asia. After an exchange tour in Canada he transferred to the Canadian Army in 2007 and finally retired in 2012.

Although he rarely climbs these days he still skis, kayaks and canoes and enjoys guiding on ships in the Polar Regions.  He lives with his wife Pippa, dogs and assorted poultry on a rural property near Merrickville, Ontario.

John was awarded the British Polar Medal with Antarctic and Arctic clasp by The Queen in 1999. He’s a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and a Senior Polar Tourism Guide with the Polar Tourism Guides Association. He’s also a member of the Alpine Club of Canada and the Alpine Club in the UK.

Topic: John’s presentation will comprise an overview of climbing and ski expeditions with young people and soldiers going back to the early 1980s as well as more recent work on board cruise ships.

Join us on Zoom via:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5093999952

Once again, immediately following the presentation from our guest speaker, we will be hosting a virtual social gathering via Kumospace. To join, please go to ACC-YYZ’s Virtual Pub Nite Room. To enter, you will need to register. Our room size is limited so don’t be late!

For more information on Kumospace, you can find them here.

The annual South Ontario Ice Fest is this weekend! All events are hosted online – one even featuring our very own section chair, Bryan Thompson! To register for clinics and presentations, please buy a pass in the FestShop.

The afternoon section of the festival contains presentations on technique, movement, safety, and leading on ice.

The festival contains two evening presentations:

At 7:15 pm Ian Welsted talks about ‘Avoiding Hockey: From the Wheat Fields to the Mountains’

And at 8:15 pm, a fireside chat with Barry Blanchard on ‘My Favourite Eastern Climbs’.

To join, please go to ACC-YYZ’s Virtual Pub Nite Room. To enter, you will need to register. Our room size is limited so don’t be late!

For more information on Kumospace, you can find them here.

More on Susanna Oreskovic @ http://www.susannao.photography/

Join us on Zoom via:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5093999952?pwd=TUxrc1dLMVg5ZTYxL245SnRNNmVtdz09

The 2020/2021 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival & World Tour is bringing adventures & stories to a couch near you!

We do not expect to be running the World Tour show in Toronto in 2021. But, what better way to keep us distracted through a social distancing holiday season than the opportunity to watch the tour from the comfort of your own couch.

The Film Festival ran virtually in November and now the World Tour is available from the comfort of your own couch. You can choose from two specially curated programs with up to 4 hours of films you can watch on repeat.

To find information on film programs and to purchase tickets, please visit the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour in Toronto webpage . Proceeds from sales through this unique link benefit the Alpine Club of Canada Toronto Section.

Enjoy the show!