Sat phone rentals in Utah?

[Ryebrye]

Anyone know of anywhere in Utah that rents Sat phones? Ideally some place in the Utah valley, or maybe in St. George.

Bringing one on a trip would make it a LOT easier for me to get out the door... :nono: as it would reduce the stress on my wife a great deal to know that we have a Warp Whistle with us. :2thumbs: (And seeing as I've got a few canyon trips planned about four weeks before her due date... reducing stress = reducing chance of premature labor = reducing my being in the doghouse for the rest of my life! :haha: )

I've found some decent places on the net... looks like you can get them for $30 a week, but then you have to pay to get them shipped to you. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any places to get them closer.

I looked into getting a PLB - but that seemed kind of like overkill... and afaik you can't rent those anyway because of how you have to register them when you get them.

Oh, and it really doesn't matter how likely it is that I will get signal with only a 15 degree view of the sky... Just having it is all the use I really need.

[Udink]

Carbon County Recreation (http://www.carbonrec.com/Recreation_Rentals.htm) will rent you one for $35/week. I'm not sure if that helps you, unless you're planning on doing some canyons in the Swell.

[Iceaxe]

I am able to get cell service is some strange and remote places. Have you considered planning your canyons around areas where you can get cell and do the "check in" deal several times a day?

Just a thought that might help you get out the door.....

[Ryebrye]

The problem is that last year (right before we got married, no less) we got stuck in a canyon overnight and missed our midnight check-in time... which left me with a very very nervous fiance - (If you recall, last year around this time was the Choprock incident... which didn't help ease any tensions on her part...)

If we had a sat phone last year - we could have made a phone call from our emergency bivy spot. (We got a GPS signal there - so we probably could have had a Globosat or Iridium signal there as well).

Just knowing I wasn't floating face-down in a pool of water would have probably helped her sleep easier...

[marc olivares]

The problem is that last year (right before we got married, no less) we got stuck in a canyon overnight and missed our midnight check-in time... which left me with a very very nervous fiance - (If you recall, last year around this time was the Choprock incident... which didn't help ease any tensions on her part...)

If we had a sat phone last year - we could have made a phone call from our emergency bivy spot. (We got a GPS signal there - so we probably could have had a Globosat or Iridium signal there as well).

Just knowing I wasn't floating face-down in a pool of water would have probably helped her sleep easier...


DUDE, DUDE, DUDE, WTF are you thinking...????
if you've blown it once w/ your wife (well, then fiance')
you are simply retarded for even thinking of doing a trip when shes about to have your kid. SAT phone or not, kids can come quickly, miss that and YOU'LL regret it for the rest of your life.
don't blow it again, the canyons will be there long after your kid is born. :nod:
sorry i have no phone help

edit: by the way , that knitted sushi on your blog is awesome... :2thumbs:

[Scott Card]

I have to agree with Marc. I have 4 kids and a wife who sounds like your wife. Great wife but nervous. A couple of tricks to getting out and easing the tension/ aka happy marriage while canyoneering.

1. Overestimate call in time. Add several hours even it means the next morning before you tell her you will call. I just about lost all canyoneering privileges over a Kolob canyon hike that took too long. Called about three hours late. I did the whole Kolob thing ending with the narrows. The second day was a longer slog than I thought. Wife not happy, me not happy. I almost had a tee shirt printed that said "I'm Sorry" so I could stop saying it and just point. I remember wondering what price I could fetch for my used gear because I truly thought I may never canyoneer again.

2. Take her canyoneering. Start with the Subway or some such thing. Then maybe Mystery where the raps are not to bad. Stay in a really nice hotel in Springdale at night and go out to dinner. Carry all the heavy stuff and let her have fun with you. Then she will see that it is not too bad. Never take her to bad nasty canyons in the swell or roost or North Wash to begin with, unless she is into dirt, skin loss, craping her pants while stemming etc.

3. Don't mess with important dates. Like baby births, anniversaries, birthdays (hers or kids), Mother's day, and stuff that is important to her. This may sound restrictive but remember canyoneering like life is journey, not a race. You make her happy and you canyoneer for many years. You make her mad and you better get all you can now or you may be forced with a choice-- her or canyoneering. (Don't answer that -- ever)

4. Find other couples that do this stuff and go with them. The rules apply with couples as in number 2 above. Some of the best times I have had canyoneering were the hours after the canyon when my wife and I and the other couples were deliriously tired and eating dinner. I have not laughed so much as I have after the hikes with people I enjoy.

5. Bribes and deals are a must. Small gifts, a flower (not a piece of cool sandstone you found) or a note under her pillow of the night you are gone goes a long way.

I am sure there are more suggestions. But take it from one who has made most of the mistakes in this canyoneering/wife appeasing business but is still alive and married and canyoneering.

Scott Card

[DirkHammergate]

I have to agree with Marc. I have 4 kids and a wife who sounds like your wife. Great wife but nervous. A couple of tricks to getting out and easing the tension/ aka happy marriage while canyoneering.

1. Overestimate call in time. Add several hours even it means the next morning before you tell her you will call. I just about lost all canyoneering privileges over a Kolob canyon hike that took too long. Called about three hours late. I did the whole Kolob thing ending with the narrows. The second day was a longer slog than I thought. Wife not happy, me not happy. I almost had a tee shirt printed that said "I'm Sorry" so I could stop saying it and just point. I remember wondering what price I could fetch for my used gear because I truly thought I may never canyoneer again.

2. Take her canyoneering. Start with the Subway or some such thing. Then maybe Mystery where the raps are not to bad. Stay in a really nice hotel in Springdale at night and go out to dinner. Carry all the heavy stuff and let her have fun with you. Then she will see that it is not too bad. Never take her to bad nasty canyons in the swell or roost or North Wash to begin with, unless she is into dirt, skin loss, craping her pants while stemming etc.

3. Don't mess with important dates. Like baby births, anniversaries, birthdays (hers or kids), Mother's day, and stuff that is important to her. This may sound restrictive but remember canyoneering like life is journey, not a race. You make her happy and you canyoneer for many years. You make her mad and you better get all you can now or you may be forced with a choice-- her or canyoneering. (Don't answer that -- ever)

4. Find other couples that do this stuff and go with them. The rules apply with couples as in number 2 above. Some of the best times I have had canyoneering were the hours after the canyon when my wife and I and the other couples were deliriously tired and eating dinner. I have not laughed so much as I have after the hikes with people I enjoy.

5. Bribes and deals are a must. Small gifts, a flower (not a piece of cool sandstone you found) or a note under her pillow of the night you are gone goes a long way.

I am sure there are more suggestions. But take it from one who has made most of the mistakes in this canyoneering/wife appeasing business but is still alive and married and canyoneering.

Scott Card

eh, if the wife bans you, you could always hook up with LJ down in Springdale. She's hot.