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.
We've secured a beautiful camping location for an amazing price at the Lost Moose Resort. Fuller will be collecting camping fees from each driver, so make sure you find and pay him on Friday night or at the Potluck Saturday. When checking into campground just tell Phil and Kathy Basil that you're with the VOC (they know that I'm paying them for everyone). The fees will be $10-$15/car for the entire weekend. ("Note": Fuller will update with exact price per car before trip). They have OK'd it if people want to come one night early or stay one night later. If the weather isn't below freezing, there is running water, a bathroom, and even one shower. They're going to update Fuller about the water situation before we leave.

Directions can be found on the Lost Moose website here: Lost Moose Map & Directions. Note that their map has roughly South-East in the up direction. If you want to look for the streets on Google Maps, just look due east of the middle of Penticton.

Fuller

Boris

Jordan

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Champagne Charlie Christine Nadine Brian Alpha

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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 Boris Khramstov Fiona Campbell Mike Young

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

1. Boris
   
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, tent]
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

• 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

• Fiona Campbell (3 spots in a small car) (leave from UBC friday 4:00pm, return sunday night)

1. Mike Young (rope, rack, draws, guide, 2 person tent, stove etc.)
2. Greg Dennis - 7788664374(I have a 2 person and a 4 person tent, no rope, might buy draws)
3. Fuller! [rope, quickdraws]

• • • CARLESS PEOPLE - ANY SPOTS AVAILABLE?

1. Alpha (I have a 4-5 person tent and I think my mom might have a 2 person tent)
2. Jowen Yeo - I'll give you homemade granola bars
3. Eric von Lieres (2 person tent, camping gear, rope, quickdraws)

External Links

• Skaha Web Page