Skaha

View from Skaha Lake of Skaha Bluffs, Penticton, BC.

Introduction

Skaha is a rock climbing area located near Penticton, BC, in the Okanagan Valley. It is generally pretty dry, making it a common destination for times of the year when Squamish is a little soggy. The VOC usually runs a trip there around Halloween. Skaha has climbs at all levels, in both the traditional and sport styles. There is also a lot of top-roping possibilities for beginners.

The club has some guidebooks for this area, including "Skaha Rockclimbs" by Howie Richardson.

There is only one way to access the bluffs legally, and it involves paying to park on a private farm. This fee is around $4/day per person but could have changed. The access situation is complicated, and constantly in flux, so do your best not to annoy the locals and hopefully things will continue to work. The land owners have graciously donated their land so please respect the area. Please do NOT block private driveways and do NOT park on the roadside.

Directions

From Vancouver take the #1 east to Hope. At Hope, you have two options: 1) Taking the #5 Coquihalla saves 40 minutes but costs a $10 toll. 2) Taking #3 is adviseable because we're all poor students. Take #3 east towards Princeton and keep going past Princeton to Keremeos. At Keremeos take #3A north towards Pentiction, joining the #97 north for the final few kilometers along Skaha Lake into Penticton. Estimated time: 6 hours by the longer but toll-less route.

Directions from Vancouver to Skaha (Penticton, BC). Notice the two possible routes.

To reach the bluffs, take Valleyview Road south to the very end at the Braeside Farm parking lot. There is a user fee, $3 per person. Please pay because we may not have access for much longer (parking lot is on private land that is being sold in the near future). (Notice the green arrow on the map)

Location of Skaha Bluffs in Penticton, BC (Green Arrow)

Camping

The Stather's place, unfortunately, is unavailable this year. Fuller is currently looking into campsite options - any beta would be more than welcome!

There is a free campsite (as suggested in the guidebook) at the top of beaverdell road. From Main Street, go east on Carmi up a hill and past a race track then turn right on Beaverdell Rd. Go past the Lost Moose restaurant and turn right before a cattle guard. There are a few outhouses and a plenty of campsites here. (note that this info is old and hasn't been confirmed for a couple years)

Fuller has spoke to the Lost Moose Resort and has arranged a very inexpensive camp site at their campground ("inexpensive" being less than $5/person for entire weekend). If the weather isn't below freezing, there is running water, a bathroom, and even one shower. They're going to update Fuller the week before we leave. Directions will also be posted here in due time.

Food

We typically celebrate Halloween in style and have a potluck dinner on Saturday night. Otherwise take care of your own food or organize something within your car group. Penticton has lots of grocery stores so don't worry if you forget something.

Climbing

This is one of the best sport climbing destinations in BC and has lots to offer for trad, sport, and top roping. Here's a short list.

Beginner-friendly walls

• Fern Gully (5.6 to 5.9, don't know about top-rope access),
  
• Go Anywhere (5.7 to 5.9, with access for top-roping),
  
• Far Away (5.6 to 5.10b with access for top-roping),
  
• Red Tail Wall lower tier (large with 5.8 to 5.10a, most have access for top-roping)
  
• Another Buttress (large with 5.6 to 5.9, access for top-roping)
  
• Claim It All Wall (Mostly 5.10 sport, with 5.8 and 5.9 also, lots of routes)
  
• Doctor's Wall (Slighty overhanging wall, with 5.11+ sport)
  
• The Fortress (lots of climbs in 5.10-5.11 grade)
  

Fun Routes

• The Dream 5.9 gear (Redtail, The Turret)
  
• The Raven and the Bear 5.9 sport (Raven's Castle)
  
• Plum Line 5.9 sport (East Fortress)
  
• Ready to Strike 5.10a gear (Diamondback)
  
• Grassy Glades 5.10a gear (Grassy Glades)
  
• Assholes of August 5.9 gear (Red Tail Upper)
  
• Brilliant Pebbles 5.10c sport (Grassy Glades)
  
• Double Exposure 5.8 gear (East Portal)
  

Note: Sometimes it can rain when you are outside. If it does, there is a cave at Cave Hill to explore, but remember to bring a headlamp and helmet.

What to bring

As with most trips you should have an adequate sleeping bag, tent, means to cook (i.e. stove or someone to share with), food, and appropriate clothing. If you don't have a tent try to find one within your car group to share. If you don't have a stove, bring something delicious to bribe someone and they'll let you share. You should all own sleeping bags by now - c'mon this is an outdoor club.
Don't forget to have something for the Saturday night potluck dinner. Mmmm I can't wait.
At this time of the year, Penticton is pretty chilly with daytime temperatures averaging in the low-teens and night-time often dropping below 273 Kelvin (also known as 0˚C, for all the non-nerds out there). Keep this in mind when packing clothing.

A guidebook would be very useful, so try and scrounge one before coming. If not, a photographic memory will suffice.

Also don't forget your Halloween costume for our potluck Halloween party! (Note: "Rock Climber" is not a very original costume)

Skaha Trip 2006

Oct. 28-29, 2006

• Note: likely with some people coming a day early and some leaving a day late.

Instruction

There will be a short course, called Rock 2.5, on Sunday morning. This is designed for people who are comfortable top-roping and interested in learning the principles of sport-lead climbing. We'll teach lead belaying, clipping techniques, ideas regarding catching falls, etc. Students should be very comfortable climbing 5.8, just so we're all on the same level.

The set up will be as follows: the instructors will give a demonstration for the students and explain things. After the demo the instructors will each take a pair of students off to give them a chance to try one lead climb. This means that the course has a limit of 2 students per instructor. Additional students are welcome to watch the demo and hear the explanation but likely won't get to lead climb. After the course, students can go back to their top-roping (unless they already own quickdraws and a rope) and instructors can go back to whatever climbing they had intended for the day. The entire course should only last 2 hours.

Rock 2.5 Instructor Sign Up Fuller

Rock 2.5 Student Sign Up Champagne Charlie

Trip Sign Up

Jordan Tam Mike Fuller Richard So Matthew Breakey Charlie Caunt Alice Leppitt Afton Halloran Evan Morris Greta Raymant Scott Webster Bob Lai Robert Fischer-Summers Christian Champagne Julie Patrick Ben Webber Irena Kuca Jowen Yeo Nadine Harris Brian Condon Jeff McCord

Elizabeth hubert Michael Blicker Charissa Pinnell Katie Mollema Eric von Lieres Greg Dennis Alpha Lam Cynthia Thomson Lara Thompson Eva Wingren Claire Heintzman Piotr Forysinski Christian Veenstra Marcin Mirski Andre Malan Christine McLaren Ben Singleton-Polster Stephen Lerch Meghan Trepanier Natasha Berntsen

Jeff Mottershead Iva Cheung Leah Nurmi

Cars

If you have space in your car, please post the spots. Passengers pay for gas. If you have a rope and/or rack, please indicate so that we can try and even out people with gear into cars with less gear.

• Jordan Tam (# spots) [rope,rack]{Thursday afternoon/eve - Sunday early evening] Hey!! Who put my car on here??

1. Fuller! [rope, quickdraws]
   
2. Richard! [quarter rack]
   
3. Alex [rope, quarter rack]
   
4. Afton

• Matthew Breakey (# 4) [rope,rack]{departure - arrival]

1. Angela Markwart
   
2. Charlie Caunt
   
3. Ben Singleton-Polster[1/4 rack]{leave evening of the 27 at earliest}
   
4. Christine McLaren (Friday classes end at 4- if problem, call 604-619-7996)

• Bob Lai (# 4) (leaving Fri afternoon)

1. Evan Morris (hopefully will have a rope, but no draws:( )
2. Greta Raymant
3. Robert Fischer-Summers [rope, draws]
4. Jeff McCord

• Julie (3 extra but not much gear (Jeep)) (anytime after friday 5pm)

1. Christian Champagne
2. Ben Webber
3. Irena Kuca

• Elizabeth (3/4 spots) [maybe a rack, need a tent, have a stove and camping gear]{departure - arrival?? - you tell me]

1. Alpha (I have a 4-5 person tent and I think my mom might have a 2 person tent)
2. Greg Dennis (I have a 2 person and a 4 person tent, no rope, might buy draws)
3. Jowen Yeo (no tent yet, I have draws and can be peer pressured into buying a rope)
4. Eric von Lieres (2 person tent, camping gear, rope, quickdraws)

• Lara Thompson (3 extra but not much gear -- tiny Escort)[rope,tiny rack,tent,camp stove](leave friday late afternoon)
  

1. Alice Leppitt
   
2. Eva Wingren (i also have a car if needed)
   (A FRIEND AND I ARE STILL LOOKING FOR RIDES PLS GIVE ME A SHOUT IF YOU ARE STILL THINKING OF DRIVING CHEERS! NADINE 6048137923)
3. Christian Veenstra (rope, rack + bivy sack)
   

• Katie Mollema (3 spots)

1. Cynthia Thomson
2. Charissa Pinnell (rope, tent)
3. Claire Heintzman

• Michael Blicker (3 spots) [trad rack, tent, stove, stylishly good looks]

1. Natasha Berntsen
2. Marcin Mirski (rope, some biners and slings)
3. Piotr Forysinski (ropes (halves), trad rack (limited camming power), bivi bag, small stove...)

• Scott Webster (3 extra spots) (have everything) (leave Fri. 4pm, return Sun. night)

1. Jeff Mottershead
2. Iva Cheung
3. Leah Nurmi

External Links

• Skaha Web Page