Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/5/16

Important Recall Notices:

--WARNING: Petzl has reported that a third party has been selling "modified" Petzl ASPIR harnesses on ebay. These harnesses have been modified in a way that makes them EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. If you own a Petzl ASPIR harness, click here to learn more...

--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 26-year-old Seattle man died Tuesday (May 3) after falling more than 100 feet while climbing Goat Wall near Mazama, according to the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office. It appears that the fall resulted when a knot tying two climbing ropes together came undone, said Steve Brown, chief criminal deputy with the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office identified the victim as Ryan Kautz. Brown said Kautz was an experienced climber and was climbing with two other experienced climbers from Seattle, Keith Erps and Matt Jackson, on a multi-pitch sport route on Goat Wall called Prime Rib of Goat. To read more, click here.

--The Big Four Ice Caves reopened this week. There have been limited changes since last year's tragedy when a collapse killed a pair of adult siblings leaving behind seven children. In a related tragedy, a 7-year-old boy died this week after he was separated from his family and drowned near the Ice Caves. To read more, click here.

--It appears that a new line has been climbed on Dragontail Peak. The Direct North Buttress goes at WI5+, M4 and joins the Triple Couloirs route about a third of the way up. To read more, click here.

--Beware and park appropriately if you are hiking Mt. Si or climbing at Little Si. The no parking signs are being enforced and people are being towed with some frequency. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--The climber who fell roughly 100 feet in Arizona's Echo Canyon last month has died. Makayla Castro, a freshman at Grand Canyon University, was climbing on Camelback Mountain April 20 when she fell an estimated 100 feet . Phoenix firefighters brought her out on foot and she was taken to the hospital in critical condition. To read more, click here.
--Here's a cool destination guide for climbing in Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas!
Colorado:

--The 5Point Film Festival recently premiered, The Width of Life. This film honors the climbing legend, Dave Pegg, who took his own life in 2014. To read more, or to see the film, click here.

Alaska:

--The Alaska climbing season is afoot and AAI has teams on Denali. Check out our dispatches, here.

Notes from All Over:

--On April 27, alpinists Ueli Steck and David Goettler came across the remains of two climbers encased in ice, emerging from a glacier. The pair planned to climb the south face of Shishapangma and had been acclimatizing. Conrad Anker and Jennifer Lowe-Anker (Alex's widow), were in Nepal when they received a call from Goettler. After hearing a description of the clothing and packs of the climbers, Anker concluded that the climbers had to be Alex Lowe and David Bridges. To read more, click here.

--The most famous grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park was recently shot and killed. To read more, click here.