Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 6/2/16

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:

--There was a large rescue mission on Guye Peak over the weekend. Check out Seattle Mountain Rescue's blog to learn more.

--The Methow Valley is a climber and skier's paradise. A Canadian company has filed for permits to conduct exploratory drilling for copper on Flagg Mountain, which sits on U.S. Forest Service land. In response, the Methow Headwaters Campaign proposes to secure a “mineral withdrawal”from the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. This action would prohibit mining on the Methow watershed’s federal lands—approximately 340,000 acres in total. To read more, click here.

 

--The western region mountains were greeted with plenty of snow and lower than expected freezing levels from late November through early January that created strong snow bases. This created a banner year for ski resorts. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--Two hikers were killed in a fall over the weekend in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Tragically, one of the hikers was trying to save the other, when they were both killed. It appears that the party was scrambling somewhere above Pine Creek's Fern Canyon when the incident took place. To read more, click here.

--We often forget that most of the bees in the southwest are killer bees. Don't mess with swarming bees or beehives: A 23-year-old Louisiana man died after being attacked by bees Thursday morning as he and a friend were hiking within Usery Mountain Park in Mesa, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said. A medical exam determined the man had been stung more than 1,000 times. To read more, click here.
Colorado:

--Rocky Mountain National Park's Trail Ridge Road is open...

Alaska:

--See where all AAI teams are on Denali this week... To read their dispatches, click here.

--Twelve-year-old Romanian climber Dor Geta Popescu reached the top of Denali last week, and can now join Alaskan Merrick Johnston as the youngest women to reach North America's tallest peak. To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--In a tragic turn of events, authorities recently found the body of a woman who got lost on the Appalachian Trail. It appears that she was lost long enough to starve. To read more, click here.

--New Hampshire Fish and Game officials say they rescued an injured Massachusetts rock climber from Humphrey's Ledge in Bartlett Sunday. Officials say 33-year-old Philip Giampietro of Boston lost his handhold at about 10:40 a.m. while climbing the steep ledge and fell 30 feet before the rope stopped his fall. To read more, click here.

--A rock climber was flown to a Vermont hospital after suffering severe injuries in a 60-foot fall from a cliff on Pitchoff Mountain on Monday afternoon. State Police identified the victim as Kyle R. Ciarletta, 22, of Eagleville, PA. To read more, click here.