Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 4/21/16

Important Recall Notices:

--Black Diamond Equipment has issued another recall. They are recalling the Easy Rider and Iron Cruiser Via Ferrata lanyard sets, Index Ascenders, Camalots and Camalot Ultralights. This is in addition to previously announced recalls of select carabiners and nylon runners. To learn more and to see if your equipment has been affected by this recall, click here.

Northwest:

--A 48-year-old woman was found dead at the base of a 25-metre cliff at the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort on Wednesday afternoon, according to the RCMP. The local woman was discovered by another skier in the West Ridge area on Whistler Mountain around 3:30 p.m. PT. said Sgt. Rob Knapton. To read more, click here.

--It took a Boise Fire Department rescue team at least 45 minutes to carefully walk the climber out of the ravine he fell into Tuesday, Capt. Randy Barnack told reporters. Firefighters and medics responded to a ravine in the Black Cliffs along Highway 21, about a half-mile east of the diversion dam, after a noon call to dispatchers. The 56-year-old “was climbing up there with a partner, and something went wrong and he ended up taking a fall,” Barnack said. To read more, click here.

--The American Alpine Institute has gone "greener." The company has already been offsetting energy use with carbon credits, but recently AAI had solar panels installed at the company's headquarters in Bellingham. To read about AAI's green initiative, click here.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article72658822.html#storylink=cpy

Sierra:

--Rebuilding hiking trails and restoring the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias are among nearly three dozen projects being funded by a $15 million donation to Yosemite National Park. The Yosemite Conservancy is funding the projects. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--National parks in Utah are reporting less trash in their bins thanks to bans on selling bottled drinks within the parks. Arches and Canyonlands National Parks have seen 15% less overall waste, including 25% less material in the recycling bins. Zion National Park estimates its ban prevents more than 5,000 pounds of plastic bottles ending up in the trash every year. To read more, click here.

--A pair of California Condors has chosen to nest in the main canyon of Zion National Park, providing visitors with the opportunity to see one of the world's most endangered species as it makes a comeback. To read more, click here.

--Vandalism is hitting our country's national parks hard, and it's keeping park rangers on their toes. That problem echoes all the way to Southern Utah. Zion National Park officials said the problem is only getting worse with the record-breaking attendance. To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--A university educator who was mauled by a bear while teaching a mountaineering course to a group of students in southeast Alaska was in critical condition Tuesday. A sow with two cubs attacked Forest Wagner on Mount Emmerich, where he was leading 11 students and two teaching assistants Monday, University of Alaska Southeast spokeswoman Katie Bausler said. A student hiked down the mountain to get cellphone reception and called for help. No one else was hurt. To read more, click here.

--A dramatic rescue operation was conducted on Alberta's Mount Yamnuska Tuesday after a climber sustained a 'traumatic injury' halfway up the Forbidden Corner climbing route. High winds made it unsafe to conduct a helicopter rescue and rappelling from the peak of the mountain was too dangerous -- so rescuers had to resort to a 'Plan C', the CBC reports. To read more, click here.

--Tyler Armstrong wanted to be the youngest person in the world to summit Mount Everest. He trained hard, applied for a permit from the Tibetan side and anxiously awaited approval. At a mere 12-years old, he was denied. To read more, click here.