CLIMBING THE FALLS

Participating or watching ice climbers make their way up and down the frozen falls is a popular attraction at three of the canyons at Starved Rock State Park�

Mike Binder of Indiana starts his assent up the frozen falls at Ottawa Canyon, located at Starved Rock State Park�

Fun, challenging spots await ice climbing experts at Starved Rock State Park

Story by Ryan Searl, Photos by Tom Sistak

Crack open your carabiners: Experienced climbers are permitted to scale three famous falls inside Starved Rock State Park.

Since the early 1980s, Starved Rock Country has been a leading winter destination for outdoor adventurers looking to challenge Mother Nature. Every year, hundreds of experienced climbers flock to Starved Rock State Park to spend the day scaling enormous frozen waterfalls with little more than an anchor line, ice ax and helmet. Pending conditions, three possible ice falls will be open for public climbing. Once the ice climbing season officially opens, climbers must use their discretion to determine if the falls are suitably frozen.

THESE THREE ICE FALLS ARE:

n LASALLE CANYON – A long, curtain-style fall, offering a milder climbing experience. n OTTAWA CANYON – Often one of the widest falls in the park; also one of the first to form in the winter. n WILDCAT CANYON – Easily the tallest fall permitted for climbing, a true highlight of the park for climbing enthusiasts.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND

Leave your skis and poles at home! Matthiessen State Park offers a hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts visiting Starved Rock Country: reasonably priced rentals for cross-country skiing.

Matthiessen State Park, located just 3 miles southwest of Starved Rock off Route 178, offers over 6 miles of beautiful, tree-lined cross-country skiing trails. The park sports a ski rental kiosk that is open select snowy weekends, December through March.

The rental cabin is located near the shelter and fort at the park’s Dells entrance. The rental stand, operated by a third-party vendor, is open Saturdays and Sundays when an ample amount of snow is on the ground.

Ski maps are available at the rental stand and at the Starved Rock Visitor Center.

MORE SKIING SPOTS

The Illinois & Michigan Canal Trail is also ideal for skiing in wintertime. This expansive trail offers more than 60 miles of flat cross-country-friendly trails.

Illini State Park in Marseilles, Buffalo Rock State Park just west of Ottawa and Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area near Morris all feature ski trails as well.

Climbers are required to bring their own equipment and have prior experience ice climbing or a chartered experienced guide. All ice climbing is done at the climber’s risk, and they are required to sign in at the park’s check-in station prior to their climb, and once again upon exit.

This self-serve check-in sheet is conveniently located outside of the park’s maintenance building, across the road from the visitor center. Upon the start of the ice climbing season, which is based purely on the conditions of the ice falls, sign-in sheets as well as rules and regulations will be officially posted outside of the Starved Rock Maintenance Building.

CLIMBING THESE FALLS IS NOT FOR NOVICES. HERE ARE SOME FAST FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU START PREPARING TO SCALE THEM:

n The Illinois Department of Natural Resources does not test the integrity of the ice — it is entirely up to the climbers to determine suitability before their climb. n Solo climbing is expressly prohibited; you must climb with at least one partner. Club and group climbing excursions are a very popular sight. n Ice climbing is only allowed at the park between 7 a.m. and dusk. All climbers must be off of the trail before dark. n Mixed surface climbing or any other form of rock climbing or scaling is banned in the park. Starved Rock’s canyons consist of incredibly fragile sandstone. These surfaces are not suitable for, and can be permanently damaged by climbing equipment.

n All equipment, such as riggings, ice cleats, crampons, ice picks, rope and other harmful supplies, must touch the ice/ice falls only. n Due to ongoing damage and hazardous trail conditions, ice climbing will not be allowed at Tonti Canyon this season. n Do not wear your crampons on the wooden bridges and walkways.

ICE CLIMBING IS A SERIOUS ENDEAVOR AND SHOULD NOT BE UNDERTAKEN WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING. VIEW THESE HANDY RESOURCES BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE:

n Vertical Adventure Guides on waterfall ice climbing: www.verticaladventure.org/iceclimbing n Starved Rock State Park’s Mountain Project Page: www.mountainproject.com/ area/106656040/starved-rockstate-park n Ice Climbing Packing List: www.vertical-addiction.com/us/ blogs/blog/ice-climbing-packinglist-the-essentials C S R

Mike Bularz of Roselle hops down the frozen falls after making it to the top of Ottawa Canyon�