Climbing in Sherbrooke and the Eastern Townships

Vertige Escalade

Vertige is in the former Église Christ-Roi on rue Brooks, built in 1940 and converted into a climbing gym that kept the pews, the original floor and the stained-glass windows, which cast coloured light on the walls. It has more than 5,000 sq ft of climbing: top-rope and lead walls over 22 feet high, graded 5.4 to 5.13, and bouldering walls of 14 to 16 feet. Two to five new routes go up each week, and about a quarter of the boulders are reset every Wednesday. If you already belay, accreditation cost $7 in October 2026 with proof from another gym, or $13.50 without. There's a weights room for ages 14 and over, a shop and a lounge serving coffee, and courses include Women Rock!, children's classes, a parent-and-child course for ages 5 to 7, a development team and sport-études. It opens from 09:00 to 22:00 on weekdays and to 21:00 at weekends.

D-Vert, Magog

D-Vert is a 16,000 sq ft climbing centre in Magog with a 30-foot auto-belay tower, a large bouldering area, a MoonBoard and a children's cave, plus a fitness mezzanine and a bistro-bar. It opens early every day, and you don't need to book.

Prices

In October 2026 an adult day pass cost $22 at both Vertige and D-Vert. Children 12 and under paid $15 at Vertige and children aged 3 to 12 $16 at D-Vert. A month at Vertige cost $105 and a year $815. Further west, O'Bloc Escalade in Granby is a bouldering gym with problems from V0 to V10, reset weekly, and a $23 day pass. The Université de Sherbrooke's old climbing wall no longer appears among its sports facilities.

Mont Orford

The Pic aux Corbeaux in Parc national du Mont-Orford, about 29 km west of Sherbrooke, is mostly sport climbing from 5.9 to 5.13 on gneiss that is solid but sharp on crimps. Leave Highway 10 at exit 115 and use the climbers' car park, not the park entrance, and pay the Sépaq day fee there or online. The approach is 1.2 km, steep and about 30 minutes. The trails to the cliff close during the spring thaw, until about mid-May, and climbing on the cliff, nearby trails and the Revenant boulders is restricted from early May to late July while peregrine falcons nest; the other boulders stay open. Les Blocs du Mont Orford covers 186 boulder problems from V0 to V12.

Lac Larouche and Mont Pinacle

Lac Larouche, on Route 222 less than half an hour from downtown, has anchors for top-roping. Since the national park was enlarged in April 2026 it has been on Sépaq land, so you pay park access fees. It closes during the thaw, from mid-March to May, with no overnight stays or fires, and helmets are strongly recommended. Mont Pinacle, in parc H.F. Baldwin near Coaticook, has rare Quebec granite, climbed in a traditional style from the ground up, with sectors of 15 to 55 metres and long routes of up to 160 metres. You need FQME membership or a day membership, registered at the park's reception; park behind the church and take trail 2, and check for falcon closures.

The FQME and the regional club, the CERCLE (Club d'Escalade des Cantons de l'Est), look after Larouche and Pinacle. In June 2026 they held a first coordination meeting with the Sépaq, and the FQME reported very heavy use and conflicts between hikers and climbers at Larouche, with work already under way to improve things. See outdoor climbing near Montréal for crags further west.

Competitions

Vertige holds the Coupe des cantons, a friendly bouldering competition with 40 problems from V0 to V10 and junior, open and recreational categories. The 2026 edition was on 21 February; the 2027 date hadn't been announced in October 2026.