The snow scene on the left was taken on January 9 this year at Galactic HQ in the north Georgia mountains, when the temperature was about 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The climbing scene with Larissa (who works for a sustainable forest company in Bristol, England) on the right was taken two days later on January 11, about 140 feet above the rainforest floor in Boca del Drago, Panama, when the temperature was 93 degrees.



WHERE WOULD YOU RATHER CLIMB IN JANUARY?

In just a few short hours any experienced tree climber can travel from winter’s icy grip to a jungle paradise with gigantic green trees, hot Latin nights and the warm blue Caribbean.

From Sunday, January 9 to Saturday, January 22, 2011 we will make our eighth wintertime climbing trip to the rainforest canopy at the Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation (ITEC) in the tiny fishing village of Boca del Drago, on the Caribbean coast of Panama. We will have access to several thousand acres of rainforest trees up to 200 feet tall on the isolated west end of Isla Colon, along with miles of unspoiled beaches.

You can also explore the dozens of limestone caves that are hidden by lush tropical vegetation, immerse yourself in the friendly local culture, or snorkel a world-class reef just a few dozen yards from the spot where Christopher Columbus anchored his fleet in 1504.

So, what will this grand adventure cost? We provide basic accommodations, meals, guide service to the finest climbing trees, and local transportation. You get yourself to the “international” airport in Bocas del Toro, Panama and we’ll pick you up there. You can stay one week or two weeks in the palatial dormitory at ITEC (no hot water, no phone, no TV, no maid service, only basic food, electricity only when the generator runs from 5-11 p.m. each day, toilets that sometimes work) for a mere:

· $300 for either the week of Jan. 9-15 or the week of Jan. 16-22 (no partial weeks, you pay the full week’s price even if you arrive late or leave early) -- if you register and pay by November 1, 2010. After November 1, the price increases to $350 and you must bring cash (no checks, money orders or credit cards) with you to ITEC.

· $600 for the two-week period from Jan. 9-22, if paid before November 1. The two-week price will increase to $700 after November 1. (You get an extra night in this option at no additional cost.)

You can expect to spend about $1,800 to $2,000 for this entire adventure, including roundtrip airfare from your home to Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama, and then on the small local airline from Panama City to Bocas del Toro. That amount will provide you with plenty of "pocket money" for the little incidentals that you want or forgot, and for the souvenirs that'll make the spouse and the kids happy.

Contact Joe at jmaher@treeclimbercoalition.org or Wild Bill at bill@treetrek.net for more info on this awesome wintertime adventure, or call 706-974-1630

Does that Include a free Membership to TCC?

I really wish I could go and not risk getting sick!
jajajajajajaja

Not only do you get a free membership in the TCC (oops! There's never, ever been a membership charge) but the first five climbers to call 706-974-1630 to sign up and pay for this awesome wintertime adventure will get their directional signs installed on the new 35-foot-tall sign post at Galactic HQ for FREE. ...that's 706-974-1630...! You can join the dozens of climbers who've already taken this awesome adventure, and you can be one of the first quarter-dozen climbers (what the heck is a quarter dozen...?) to have their own personalized sign on the sign post. ...that's 706-974-1630...! Phone lines are open NOW! ...that's 706-974-1630...! Operators are standing by NOW, have your credit card ready! ...that's 706-974-1630...!

This message was approved by Alice Lou Cornshucker, patron goddess of adventure, research and educational tree climbers everywhere!

You know Bill, I will have to seriously consider making the 2010 Panama trek if even for a shorter time and taking it easy at the beach for relaxation, etc so I do not get my RA out of control. Not hard core climbs, good eating, good behaviour, no drinking, etc, etc.....

I just looked for trips to Vzla and the cost of tickets are even higher than last year so I will not be visiting the family this year either boomer!

The Panama Trek including room and board is a lot cheaper how could that be.! It is chaves fault!

Speaking of Panama...I'm out of here! Tomorrow!

First, ten days in Ecuador. Then three months in Panama. I'm sure everyone will be glad to see me gone...for a while!

Anybody at all interested in an adventure in Panama get in touch with WildBill, Glenn, or Hunabku. They know everything about everything. If you don't believe it just ask 'em! Or me...when I get home.

A couple of contacts have asked about getting to the climbing site at ITEC by going through Costa Rica. Several climbers did this last year but we don't recommend this route unless you speak good Spanish, are at least slightly familiar with the area, and don't mind a five-hour bus ride followed by dragging your luggage across a wobbly 1,200-foot-long railway bridge into Panama and going through the customs/immigration hassle for the second time in less than 24 hours.

(A note of caution: There are A LOT of pick-pockets and luggage thieves in Costa Rica -- take your eyes off your bags for even one or two seconds and they WILL be gone. Abe and I have already suffered that experience, so you won't have to ...! I am still wondering what the thief did with a brand new large size New Tribe saddle and related gear. Ouch...!)

It might cost $50-$100 more to fly into thoroughly modern/cosmopolitan Panama City and take a short commuter hop the next morning to the island where we'll stay, but Panama is a much, much safer country with a modern police force that is well trained to help visitors. And, besides, you get to see the Big Ditch, aka the Panama Canal...!

Still, if any of you insist on coming in through Costa Rica, send me a private message and I'll try to give you some good instructions on how to get from the airport in San Jose to the bus terminal and then to the Panama border.

I got a voice mail from somebody in Ohio who asked what kind of climbing equipment was available at ITEC and what he should bring. My reply:

Airlines are getting squirrelly/greedy about weight and extra baggage, so we're recommending you go as light as possible. But, by all means, bring your harness and other equipment needed for DRT, and bring SRT equipment if you have it.

There is some arborist rope available at the field station where we'll stay, but we suggest you bring one with you if at all possible. A 150-footer is preferred, but a 120-footer will be okay, and if weight's still the issue then a 50- or 60-foot rope for tying off in the canopy will work. There is NO need to bring anything longer than 150 feet.

Save weight in other areas by avoiding heavy clothing like denim blue jeans, and instead go with cheap T-shirts and the extremely lightweight (and comfortable) nylon pants. Tennis shoes and flipflops are fine around the field station, and you can buy rubber knee boots for jungle hiking at the island store for about $10 or so (up to men's size 11 -- they don't carry the larger sizes.).

I was recently able to fly from Atlanta to the West Coast for eight days of climbing, and I took all my gear and clothes in a carry-on backpack. My secret? I planned ahead and packed only the essentials. (Of course, the ladies behind the counter at U.S. Airways looked slightly skeptical when I claimed I'd measured the backpack and it was within thier max size allowance. They let me aboard with it, however and somehow I managed to jam it into the overhead bin.)

I can't make it this year, but I highly recomend it to anyone that has the time.

Warning: You will want to go back!