tlinn

I was just in Zion last week after Joshua Tree and Red Rocks. Iron Messiah was very highly recommended to us so we went there an got a photocopy of the topo at the ranger station. By this time my climbing partner`s foot had started to swell up really badly . He had been pricked by a yucca plant in Joshua Tree and his foot had become badly infeted. Anyway, we were blown away by the scenery and it supposed to be an awesome route. The hardest pitch has a move of 5.10c and the rest is pretty cruisy. I believe it is 12 pitches in all and you can rappel the whole thing with two ropes. Have fun! Utah rocks but the beer sucks!

any pics?

When in Joshua Tree...Sierra Nevada Pale Ale When in Cuzco...Cuzcuena When in Arequipa...Arequipena Go figure?

On another note the Pieps is pretty sweet for multiple burials as you can flag a victim isolating that signal and then move onto the next victim. It is also so accurate that if the victim is buried hopelessly deep in the snow you can move onto the next signal as this person is not likely going to make it. The Pieps is the best of the digital transceivers.

I did my avy course with a dude that is known in the industry as THE beacon guy and this is what he said. Pieps DSP - very easy to use and is relatively foolproof but there are still some erros with the digital beacons Ortovox M2 and Mammut - same deal. The M2 is the worst Tracker - nice and easy to use but has a button that is easy to push by mistake making it easy to start transmitting by mistake in a search. Also, the range with this one isn`t as good as many of the others. Ortovox F1 - my pick. Is nice and easy to use. Cheap. And is analog so it doesn`t have the same transceiver issues. Make sure you get one with a digital display. I have an old one I picked up in Europe that only uses sound and it take much more practice to become proficient. Whatever beacon you choose make sure you know it inside and out. THis is far more important than the type of beacon you are using. Also, get to know your partner`s beacons. cheers

www.allegiantair.com I believe.

Jmace...do you have a US credit card or is there some way around that? They seem to need a US billing address for the credit card.

Now I know why Las Vegas is so environmentally friendly.

You guys totally rock! Thanks a lot jmace...I will go check out priceline. Kayak seems to be pretty good too. They are showing the cheapest as Dollar and Alamo. I`m going to try and priceline these prices. The Moped idea sounds interesting but I don`t know if it would work too well with a rack, rope, tent, etc. Plus, we might look like Dumb and Dumber if we headed to Yosemite afterwards.

Hi there, I`ve never been to Red Rocks but I`m meeting a friend down there on March 31st. We are considering renting a car. What is the cheapest company to rent from or the one without as many hidden fees? Better yet, is it possible to get to the climbs without a car? Thanks,

Nice pictures and good luck next time!

hmmm...well I guess the Coquihalla is the exception. But the avy bulletin is good for the south coast. http://www.avalanche.ca/default.aspx?DN=5,4,3,Documents

Somebody should go in and ski the North Face of Hozomeen. Right now would be perfect!

I dunno...but they certainly shorten the approach time.

Sorry Dru, didn`t check that one out. But they`re forecasting colder temperatures by the end of the week so you never know. The area is quite dry right now. There is no snow at the Goldpan campground.

So did the mystery date work out? This should be a good TR!

As usual I had the day off when no one else was available to climb so I headed off from Kelowna in search of ice. - Had a look at Private Idaho on the way through; too thin right now. - Spences Bridge Overflow was gushing like crazy and the right side still hasn`t touched down. - the Goldpan area had a couple good climbs. Happy Boy was a bit too thin but Energizer was good enough to climb. While on the way down from Energizer I went over and had a look at After the Gold Rush and it looked nice so I went over there for a few hours. After the Gold Rush is a bit thin but climbable. I made the mistake of leaving my pack below the first steep pitch and I had to try and scramble down a choss/dirt chute with some of the worst rock I`ve ever encountered. This was true training for the Rockies at its best. Whatever you do follow the recommended descent route! - afterwards I had a look at Oregon Jack from the field. It looks in and there was a car parked at the end of the road. I didn`t want to get out of my car because there was a pack of dogs I didn`t want to mess with.

I hope that snaffle is fixed

What is that? If you don`t mind me asking.

I was talking to a backcountry skier today about good backcountry areas near Kelowna and he was telling me there`s a great place 10km, past Sicamous by a mill? He said take a left off the road then a quick right. Can someone tell me what this area is called and some better approach details? What is the starting elevation? He also said you need a radio to use the road due to logging. Can you get up there on the weekends without a radio? It sounds like a cool place. Thanks,

I guess it just wouldn`t have been a proper VOC trip without someone taking their clothes off. I`m just sorry it had to be Rennie`s ass in the trip report...as I remember there were some girls along on the trip. Don`t you have pictures of them Jordan? Maybe we can make Maxim and not just the VOC journal this time.

So you can drive within 7 miles of the pass if coming from Mazama?

Sweet TR! Let`s do it again next year and see if we can really get kicked out!

That looks sweet! Way to get it before it all melts out!