jmace

http://sonnietrotter.com/roadlife/

Maybe I am blind, what are the 7 picture categories?

Nice Vid at 1:32 while he is belaying off two axes only? Belayer to leader, "um might wanna put a screw in" hahaha, good job at keeping the winter stoke alive, although it does look quite warm out. keep up the good work

My friend is a ski guy in Austria, he is helping a young british girl (child) to put on ski boots. He keeps telling her I need you to put your pants on the outside of your ski boots...thankfully the parents stepped in before she started crying nice pics

these two routes are slow driers, multiple days of sun type thing although climbable when wet

1) yes thats the place 2) Should be fine its not that busy but a plan b is always good, as usual 3) Lots of snow plods around, Wedge mtn/hut would be the place to explore if you get keen. Easy access type thing 4) Also Vantage, Tieton, Trout, Skaha Enjoy

Whats on your mind? I am in Van BC

The other choice is magic....so yes go buy some rap tat and buy the dark stuff so its not visible from space...save the red slings for other stuff

Maybe once the manufacturers make them in other colours besides black...them euros like their colours, well at least red!!!

manicuring bouldering landings is lame, sack up. well said Dane!

This trip had many many highlights for sure, starting out when I told my girlfriend I was booking a hotel for a one week adventure with a girl I met on the internet...should have re-worded that one!! The hotel was not happening anymore, however a hostel seemed to fit the bill so we booked in at The Hostel Bear This was a reasonable adventure with the total cost coming in at 175$ for 7 nights. With me at the wheel I was definitely making a statement to the youths as I piloted the lowered Mitsubishi with personalized plates "Feisty" into the lot! They knew I was badass for sure!!! We ended up having the dorm room to ourselves for 3 nights followed by a busy but tolerable weekend and then a very interesting young couple from Manitoba stayed on. The neat thing about this hostel is that you get your own personal curtains to close your entire bed in for privacy. Yet they are not sound proof... Now having been a young guy, for sure I have used the "dont worry we will be quiet" plea... but jeez I dont think these folks cared too much. I woke up to someone saying spank me...and then actual spanking... My witty remarks were no where to be found, it was 2 am and I was dumbfounded. Then it was over, then it was round two. Then apparently, I missed this part as I cranked the headphones to 10. There was quite commotion as someone was not living up to their end of the bargain...im sure he was wishing her to be quiet as she voiced her concerns over his performance, hahaha I think I will go back to my tried and tested hotel with kitchenette. The rest of the trip was fun and enjoyable and Nastia turned out to be keen for everything that was not cragging, a welcome change from some of my more lazy partners. WE also met some great folks from Vancouver and Portland and it just made for a highly enjoyable and social trip. A welcome get away from the warm wet weather on the coast at that time. She missed this great pic of her coming up Snowline.

in every town in Italy is a information place, they generally speak english. You can call them or just walk in and they will call and find you the cheapest place. IF your going in September you should be good for cheapish places, I wouldnt spend more than 30 euros a night. But why bother, stay in the dolomites the whole time and the huts with the CAI are only 10 euros. Have fun, its the best place in the world for long rock routes.

Its pretty much take what you get when it comes to the weather and the roads. drive bc will give you up to date weather and road conditions so you can plan as you go. http://www.drivebc.ca/#welcome Ft Nelson to White horse is 1200km or so, there will be gas stations in between. BC Gas is more than Alberta gas I believe, gas here in Vancouver is 1.20 /L

Ya too bad they arent available in summer...would make a trip to Wahoo and areas much more reasonable than the heli bill. Someone mentioned to me Mike Kings brother has float plane now making some wadd range trips cheaper...I believe it can do air drops as well

Hows that temperature trend line doing for ya Dane Dont worry when it comes to weather I keep it honest see you in the rockies....

Wow 62 years old and the kid has more class than you. Its people like you that corrupt the youth. Josh keep it up man, nice to read a honest report that is from the heart! Was a great read!

actually the forecast is for above zero in the short range with the long range temp forecast falling back to seasonal range cause long range temp forecasting sucks Not trying to dissuade anyone...you decide

Now if you want to go skiing...well now that sounds amazing Mainly cloudy with a few flurries. Afternoon freezing levels near 1000m. Highs minus 2. Alpine winds southeast 20-30 km/h. Accumulations 5 to 10 cm. Thursday Snow developing. Afternoon freezing levels near 1200m. Lows minus 6. Highs minus 3. Alpine winds southeast 40 km/h. Accumulations 30 to 35 cm. Friday Snow. Afternoon freezing level near 1300 meters. Lows minus 4. Highs minus 1. Alpine winds southeast near 50 km/h. Accumulations near 35 cm. Saturday Periods of snow. Afternoon freezing level near 900 meters. Lows minus 3. Highs minus 1. Alpine winds southeast 30-40 km/h. Accumulations 10 -15 cm.

Not sure if you have been around Lillooet long Dane but stuff being in one weekend dont mean shit all about the next weekend... With forecast highs well above zero for the nest 10 days or so I cant see how Lillooet has much to offer besides some rambles and icy bc...I suppose if everyone shares TR's it will be somewhat friendly. Also I have been told Honeyman is the most dangerous climb in Lillooet, it has the propensity to collapse in one entire piece. Climb it when its cold! See you in the Rockies hahaha

Frank Jourdan is my hero! Must be the most badass under the radar guy around!

The Czechs http://www.wikileaks.ch/

I enjoyed the wire that the CBC, Canada's Public TV, promotes "insidious negative popular stereotyping" of Americans. hahah some of these wires are quite funny

Matt I joined Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) for 50 euros for 1 year, covers my mountain rescue via heli 100% and makes the hut 10 euros a night. Wine is 5 euros for a half litre and dinner is about 10 euros. Very very affordable, I am pretty much in love with the Dolomites! FGW and MVS who post here also have very good info as well. I made sure to ride my bike through Arco, and wow that place has it all, big walls, beautiful lake, awesome city and the women... Arco walls Garda Lake I did really enjoy checking out the Julian Alps in Slovenia, that place was very affordable...worthy of a trip for sure!

Trip: Dolomites Date: 07/20/2010 Trip Report: This is part 2 of my climbing trip to the Dolomites part 1 is HERE pics are clickable After leaving the Tre Cime I easily found the bus that would take me to Trento. I figured all I needed was one night but after a shower and a night in an air conditioned hotel I realized I was much more tired than I thought. I had some blisters, some of my gear was breaking down and I was just generally tired, I had been climbing for 2 weeks. So the two nights I had to refresh were well worth it. As expected,after missing a summer trip last year Toby showed up rarin to go. Fully stocked up including multiple bottles of whiskey we quickly made tracks for the Brenta range. We figure we should get him warmed up so we choose the friendly V 12 pitch South face Via Keine The summit as usual has a statue of Mary The next day we decide to check out the Campanille Basso. The route takes the obvious groove to the shoulder below the summit right at the pointy rock. The climbing was superb and Toby was finding his groove. On the advice of some Italians we decided to forgoe the summit in favour of getting on the descent route first. The raps are steep and its the same descent for all routes so it can get busy at the end of the day. Toby on rap 4 of 9. Then after some discussion we decided to move camp to Rifugio Pedrotti. Pedrotti and Tossa can be seen in the distance; bottom left and upper right. The weather was crap but we decided to take advantage of a sucker hole and run up Cima Marguerita, unfortunately it was a small window and we were forced off at the halfway point. good times while it was good though! After that we went back to the hut and planned for the big route. Route finding in the dolomites is trying at the best of times,therefore I generally like to stick to the ridges. So I have no idea how we decided that a route that is labelled "very difficult route finding" made it on to the list. There ended up being three traverses across this big intimidating face, put up in 1934 by the famous Bruno Detasis, VI- 21 pitches The NE face in early morning light, what a route! The route starts just left of the snow patch at the base on the far right. The face was steeep!! Route finding was very difficult and for sure added to the stress of an already intimidating route, always second geussing your place on the face. Then when the clouds and rain moved in we just wanted it to be over, somehow there is always one more pitch. At the top we were frazzled, but we still had some daylight for the descent. We missed dinner so instead we sucked on power gels as we fell asleep in our bunks. The summit frazzle The next day all we wanted was food and more food, if you have been to Italy you know breakfast is not one of their strong points. So after some bread with jam we were off to find pizza and beer in the city. Next stop was to go back to the Pala range, I wanted to do a Buhl route and Toby wanted on the 20 pitch Gran Pilaster. The Gran Pilaster takes the sky line to the right on the biggest peak, just left of the snow patch on the right is the start. Interestingly the route in the lower half is mainly in chimneys, Toby gets ready to enter while some dudes who ended up being kinda weird are already situated in the chimney above. The trick to be able to stay on route is to make sure both climbers have photocopies of the route. As we left the chimneys we emerged onto the face, I stopped to see where we were and how far we had to go.. The route itself was easy and enjoyable, the descent was another story. We actually had to descend the serrated ridge to the right, 5 of those towers had to be turned and each one was taking time. I really had no desire to repeat my gel for dinner adventure again. The plan originally was to head back get some rest and head for the Buhl route the following day, the night prior the hut warden mentioned we had not made a reservation for a busy Saturday night. Not to worry though, I belong to the CAI and they must provide me with emergency accomodation. Toby and I talked about what that may be: the generator room, the food shed, possibly the beautiful handmaidens quarters... Well I suppose it could always be worse, although at the time I was at a loss for what that might be. Our mats in front of the bathrooms on a busy sat night, we did not climb the next day... Oh man the Buhl route looked so good, and now with the weather forecast to crap out the next day we were pretty bummed. The Buhl on the Cima Canali, takes the line just right of the obvious water streak in the centre of the photo mmm goodness!! As a consolation prize, we decided to head up another Detasis line, this time on the Cima Wilma. The route takes the yellow pillar in front and then descends the major left to right ramp on the face. The route was a great way to end the trip, highly enjoyable! I have dropped nuts and a cam before and felt pretty bummed, I bet this guy felt alot worse at dropping these. I found these near the base After that it was just one more crappy breakfast, how these guys climb these routes on this just blows my mind. I think I have this Dolomite thing figured out, but I have not cracked the breakfast thing. Pop tarts only last so long... Nutella, three packets of jam, maybe some schinken creme if your lucky Toby and I managed 80 pitches, which made a total of 153 pitches and ten peaks for my 2010 Dolomite tour. A very grand adventure!! Slide show of all photos are here Slideshow Individual pics here Individual Then just like that I was in Turkey fishing for Dorado on my girlfriends dads boat. If your interested the slideshow is here Slideshow Pics here Pics After that it was time to head back to the mountains, this time my long time friend Dom and I decided to ride motorbikes across the alps. We started at his place in Barcelona ripped across France until Albertville where we headed into the Alps. After that it was 10 days and 3500 km of AMAZING alpine riding until we reached the end of the Alps in Slovenia. A small ride through Tuscany to the coast then an overnight ferry back to Barcelona wrapped up the tour. I wont write TR since it motorbiking, but here are few pics. We managed to camp most of the way. Slideshow here Slideshow Pics here Pics Then some cragging in Spain and I went home two months after I left, now what to do next summer...

Too bad the Catalans hate Spain, nothing like watching the world cup in Spain rooting for the Germans. I checked out Montgrony at the end of my summer trip, was pretty nice. Spain sure seems to have it all! pretty neat Tufa climbing Montserat looks good as well