Tentative plans are under way for the January 2007 treeclimbing expedtion to the Republic of Panama. It will be our fourth expedition to the rainforests along the Carribean coast of Bocas del Toro Province in Panama.

The exact date and cost of the expedition will be available later this summer, following final discussions with our hosts at the Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation, a working biological field station where the expedition will be _base_d.

This expedition is suitable for all climbers 18-years-old or older who have reasonable experience in double-rope climbing. It is recommended but not required that the men and women on the expedition also have some exposure to single-rope climbing. A one=day class on SRT will be offered at the start of the expedition.

If you are interested in the joining the expdition, contact Abe Winters at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Bill Maher at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you do not have a valid passport, now is the time to apply for one through the passport office at your local post office or courthouse. It normally takes about two months to receive a passport, so do not EVEN THINK about putting it off until the last minute.

We will leave home on Wednesday morning, January 10, and and arrive at the field station on Thursday morning, January 11. We will leave the field station on Saturday, January 20, and return home Sunday night, January 21.

The cost to stay at the field station for 10 days is $719 and includes lodging, all meals, an orientation hike with station biologists, most local transportation, boat trips to neighboring islands, an SRT class for those who need it, an after-dark hike to find the elusive night monkeys, swimming and snorkling beach, a mainland climb with native guide Enrique Dixon Sr. to the giant saltwater mangroves (and to see his favorite crocodiles), and 24/7 access to hundreds of the best climbing trees in Central America. The cost for use of the station is $81 less than last year and includes two addtional nights.

For more info, contact Abe Winters at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Bill Maher at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Is this suitable for women? My grad assistant and I want to learn additional climbing techniques. We are now climbing in conifer forests in the Northeast but we plan to study larger conifers in the Pacific Northwest in the future.

This expedition is definitely suitable for women climbers. We will be headquartered at the Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation, which is a biological field station that offers numerous coeducational courses for both undergraduates and graduate students, along with support for various field researchers. There are separate quarters for men and women, and several additional bedrooms for married couples.

We will provide references from previous women climbers and students upon request; contact Abe Winters at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Bill Maher at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Although there are few conifer-like trees in Panama, we do offer the opportunity to learn addtional techniques that can get you up to 200 feet, and to practice them while accompanied by veteran climbers and instructors.

This sounds like an excellent and unique tree climbing adventure.

Is there a deadline or anything to sign up for this trip? Something I would be interested in, but not able to commit at this date.

thanks,
coonrad

The deadline to sign up for this year's expedition is Nov. 15 (But hey, we don't get too excited about exact deadlines, as long as it's somewhere in the ballpark). A $250 deposit is due at that time, and the remainder is due at the first of the year, about 10 days before we leave for Panama.

E-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and I'll send you the whole itinerary and lots of other good stuff.