North of Superior Climbing Company
Shaun Parent is the Director/Instructor of NORTH OF SUPERIOR CLIMBING COMPANY, located at Batchawana Bay on Lake Superior. The Rock and Ice Climbing School offers spring and fall rock and winter ice climbing instruction and guiding at many sites along the North Shore of Lake Superior.
As well he is owner of ALPAMAYO EXPLORATION AND ADVENTURE SERVICES LTD.
This company provides mining companies with Steep Terrain-Glaciated Terrain and Dangerous Terrain Sampling mapping and prospecting. In the summer he offers guided treks, climbs and paragliding adventures in Peru, South America.
Shaun has been actively developing the Rock and Ice Climbing areas in the North of Superior region since 1980. Since that time, he has authored many rock and ice-climbing guidebooks to the region. He has been called "The Father and the Pioneer of Rock and Ice Climbing in Northern Ontario". Probably his most well known guidebook is "The North of Superior Orient Bay Ice Climbers Guide" was published by Granite Publishing of Madison Wisconsin in 1993.
He is the main contributor to the guidebook "SUPERIOR ICE" published in December 2001 by Granite Publishing. The guide covers all known ice climbing areas located around Lake Superior. In February 2006, he published the "AGAWA CANYON ICE CLIMBERS MAP". second edition
Shaun has been actively developing ice climbs along the North and East Shore since the early 80's.
His contributions include the development of the Ice Climbs of Orient Bay since 1981, now known as a world class climbing area. The development of Ice Climbs at Thunder Bay, Kama Bay, Ice Station Superior, Paradice, Agawa Canyon, Montreal River, Nipigon and Red Rock, and other areas between Pigeon River and Sault Ste. Marie. At present, he is continuing to explore the North and East Shores of Lake Superior, for other high quality ice climbing areas. To date, since 2000 he has developed Ranwick Rock at Montreal River, Cerro De Hielo, Mile 38 Road, Summerian Slabs and River Bend Rock in Batchawana.
Since 2000 he has discovered over 100 new ice climbs in the Batchawana Bay-Montreal River- Agawa areas. Of these is the highest ice climb in the Midwest. "StratosFear" is 260 meters in height. He is the Founder of the "North of Superior Orient Bay ICEFEST" which in 2002 celebrated its 16th year. The festival has been passed over to climbers that frequent the area and is now called the "Nipigon Ice Fest" It attracts climbers from around the Midwest to a weekend of ice climbing activities and socials. He has founded both the Agawa Canyon and the Montreal River-Batchawana Ice climbing festivals.
His accomplishments in Rock Climbing include:
Introducing rock climbing to the Thunder Bay Area in 1980. Most notably, his early developments in rock climbing include some of the now, most frequently visited cliffs in the area. The Scenic Bluffs of Thunder Bay, Climbers Cliffs, Pass Lake, Silver Harbor, Squaw Bay, Mt. Helen, Kama Bay, and the unique "Dorion Tower" a free standing pinnacle. He had published several Rock-climbing guides to the Thunder Bay area before relocating to the Montreal River Harbour area in early 2000. Many of his early rock climbs are now considered "classic" climbs in the Thunder Bay area. They are mentioned in the Dave Smart's "Ontario's Finest Rock Climbs" published in 1998. Shaun's early guidebooks and climbing routes are now incorporated into the "Thunder Bay Rock Climbing Guide" which was published in 2003 ,2005,2006 now in its 3rd edition by Alex Joseph and Randy Reed
In the Montreal River Harbour area he is responsible for the development of the "Ranwick Rock- Keetes Bluff" climbing sites. His guidebook "Rock Climbers Guide to Ranwick Rock and Keetes Bluff" was published in 2004.
His mountaineering experience ranges from North America to Nepal, India and Peru and Oman. He has been on several first attempts and first ascents of peaks in Nepal, and India in the early 80's. As well having climbed many peaks in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. Most significant of these, is his "Peruvian-Canadian route" on the steep southwest face of Alpamayo, 5947 meters. He is presently writing a collection of short stories about some of his most "EXCITING" Adventures throughout the world over the past 25 years.
Not only are his adventures limited to "CLIMBING", Shaun is a Mineral Explorationist and has a Diploma in Geology from Sir Sanford Fleming College, and a degree from the University of Toronto. He has worked across North America, Peru,Chile, Mexico and Oman searching for mineral deposits, and utilizes his climbing skills in this geological profession.
As well he is an active "PARAGLIDER PILOT" having flown extensively in the mountains, and along Sea-cliffs in Peru
He has been the focus of several television and film documentaries on ice climbing, both national and international: TV Ontario, C.B.C. "Panorama", "On The Road Again", CBC "Let It Snow", TSN "Pumped", A documentary from Minneapolis entitled "Icefest at Orient Bay", A Confederation College Documentary "Tempest", Travel Canada, German "Sport Aktiv", MTV Sports. He has been on talk shows including "The Dini Petty Show", and on Canada AM with Valerie Pringle.
Major North American Newspapers and Magazines have featured many of his adventures: The Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Winnipeg Sun, Windsor Star, Ottawa Citizen, Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Buffalo Free Press, Outdoor Canada, Explore Magazine, Readers Digest Traveler, Canadian Alpine Journal, Canadian Geographic Dec 93, Rock & Ice Nov/Dec 96, Canada Journal, Eco Traveler, Thunder Bay Magazine 80, 84, and Lake Superior Magazine Mar.96, & Jan. 2000, Vertical Jones 2000,Windy City Sports, Seasons, Northern Impressions, Blue,magazine, National Geographic Explorer Sourcebook 2000, Explore Magazine Jan.2001,Michigan Sports & Fitness Jan.2001, Outdoor Explorer Magazine Feb/Mar.2001, Chill Magazine, Spirit of the North Magazine, National Geographic Explorer Magazine. During the 2004 to 2006 season he has been highlighted in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, New York Times. In the 2007 Ontario Tourism Winter Destinations Magazine is a story of his teaching a family with 2 young daughters. In the January 2007 CANADA WESTJET Airlines inflight magazine there is a story on his 25th anniversary ascent and climb in Orient Bay, Ontario.In the winter 2008 issue of canadas "EXPLORE" magazine, the "first Ascent private guiding is listed as one of the top 25 winter destinations. On Saturday december 20th, he was on "air" live with Karen, the host of CBC Radio's saturdy morning program FRESH-AIR talking about "his ice climbing exploits.
His Rock and Ice Climbing School was rated one of the best places to learn by both National Geographic Explorer Sourcebook and Outdoor Explorer Magazine in 2000 and 2001.
Some of his most dramatic and serious adventures include: Falling from a moving bus in India in 1984, and surviving 26 hours until finally making it to a hospital, with serious injuries. Being ambushed and attacked by the Sendero Luminosa while on a climbing expedition in Peru in 1988. Surviving a punctured lung while climbing at 5500 meters in northern India then recovering without medical attention.
Shaun is considered the pioneer of ice climbing in the Lake Superior Region and a modern day "Indiana Jones" type character.