Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 8/25/17

Northwest:

--The Adventure Journal is reporting that, "After 10 years of planning, permitting, and fundraising, the Spearhead huts project is finally under way. BC Parks gave its final approval to begin construction of a system of three backcountry huts along the popular Spearhead Traverse in British Columbia’s Garibaldi Provincial Park, and The Alpine Club of Canada and the Spearhead Huts Society officially broke ground last week on the Kees and Claire Hut at Russet Lake." To read more, click here.

The White Pass to Chinook Pass section of the

PCT is extremely popular with beginning level backpackers.

--Due to a fire, the Pacific Crest Trail is closed from White Pass north to Chinook Pass. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--It appears that there was a fatality on Cathedral Peak this week. To read more, click here.

--Outside Online has a great report on the never-ending battle to keep the air clean from car pollution in Yosemite Valley. To read the article, click here.

--And speaking of Yosemite, there are several fires in and around the park and many roads are closed. To read more, click here.

--There is a large fire near Camp Nelson on Highway 190. This may be an issue for people trying to access the Needles. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--A canyoneering guide was injured this week in a fall near St. George, Utah. The St. George news is reporting, "A man was flown to the hospital Saturday morning after falling approximately 100 feet while rappelling in Birch Hollow. The man fell the day before, but by the time crews reached him, it was too late to get him out that day. When the incident was first reported Friday afternoon, Kane County Search and Rescue crews were shuttled to the man’s location via Classic Air Medical out of Kanab, Kane County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Alan Alldredge said." To read more, click here.

--The LA Times is reporting that, "a 10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the safe return of a couple reported missing in July in Joshua Tree National Park." To read more, click here.

Colorado:

--The Adventure Journal is reporting that, "It’s been a deadly summer on Capitol Peak, Colorado. In six weeks, five climbers have died on the technical fourteener. On Saturday, a 21-year-old climber fell to his death in the Knife Edge Ridge portion of the climb, apparently after attempting a shortcut descent that led to a 600-foot cliff. Pitkin County Sheriff’s Sergeant Jesse Steindler said the climber fell in the same area as an Aspen couple who died on the peak last week. All three bodies were found in a similar location, beneath the steep north face near Capitol Lake. Local authorities have yet to release the recently deceased climber’s identity." To read more, click here.

--An all women's adventure film festival will take place in Carbondale between September 14 and 17. To read more, click here. To see a trailer for the No Man's Land Film Festival, click below:



--Climbing magazine is looking for interns. To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--KSL.com is reporting that, "National Park Service rangers have rescued two injured climbers in separate incidents in Grand Teton National Park in northwest Wyoming over a three-day period." To read more, click here.

--Somebody shot at rock climbers in Utah's Little Cottonwood Canyon recently. To read more, click here.

--There is limited information, but it appears that a climber took a very serious fall in Kentucky. To read the limited information available, click here.

--Gripped magazine is reporting that Search and Rescue numbers are up this year in Canada. To read about it, click here.

--The Outdoor Alliance is reporting that, " Last Thursday, Secretary Zinke delivered his final recommendation on the future of 27 National Monuments to President Trump and released to the public only a short, 2-page “summary” of this report that provided scant details on his recommendations. Bizarrely, Sec. Zinke claims that that providing an “adequate public process” was part of the impetus for the review, yet the review process has closed out the public at every turn. The report summary summarily dismisses more than 99% of the 2.5 million public comments gathered during the review as part of a “well- orchestrated national campaign.” Interior has not shared any of the (seemingly arbitrary) criteria it has used to determine which monuments will be affected, and Secretary Zinke has still refused to release his full recommendations to the public." To read more, click here.

--The Denver Post is reporting that, The National Park Service has several big problems with NRA-backed legislation that would restrict the agency from regulating hunting and fishing within park boundaries. But according to a leaked memo obtained by McClatchy, the Trump administration has so far prevented the parks from voicing such concerns. National Park Service Acting Director Michael Reynolds prepared a June 30 memo detailing his agency’s objections to the draft legislation, the 'Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act.' Under the bill, the National Park Service would be prevented from regulating the hunting of bears and wolves in Alaska wildlife preserves, including the practice of killing bear cubs in their dens. It also would be prevented from regulating commercial and recreational fishing within park boundaries and from commenting on development projects outside park boundaries that could affect the parks." To read more, click here.

--The American Alpine Club recently purchased the Rattlesnake Campground in Rumney, NH...! To read more, click here.

--A production team currently has a kickstarter campaign running for a film about women climbing all over the world. The film, Pretty Strong, is about five elite female climbers and their travels. To read more, click here.