On an Ontario ice wall, the loudest sound is the beating of your own heart

Northern Ontario boasts some of the best ice climbing locations in the world. From Thunder Bay and Red Rock to Marathon and Orient Bay on Lake Nipigon, this is the ultimate ice-climbing country. Dozens of ice-clad routes reach heights of over 130 m (400 ft.) and the waterfalls freeze so thick that the ice can stay until late spring.

With colourfully descriptive names such as Threshold of Acquaintance, Comfortably Numb and The Wall of Deception, ice climbing is a sport for those...