Climbing, Coronavirus and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/28/20

Northwest:

--The NCW Life Channel is reporting that, "A climber who fell near the top of a ridge in the Wenatchee Foothills on Monday had to be rescued by crews from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office’s and Chelan County Fire District 1. The climber was coming down the peak above the WRAC in the Wenatchee foothills when he started sliding and injured his shoulder, said Capt. Clint Webley of the fire district said." To read more, click here.

Mt. Hood from Timberline Lodge

--There were two rescues on Mt. Hood over the holiday weekend. Conditions were bad, and the mountain was busy. There is some concern that pent up demand as we reopen is leading to poor choices. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--The Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive will be reopening on June 1st...just as it gets too hot to climb. To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--Fox News is reporting that, "A Utah climber who fell and cracked his head while scaling a cliff by himself on Sunday was rescued after he regained consciousness, and nearby campers heard his cries for help, authorities said. The 52-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was climbing up a slot in the cliff near Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery, by the Colorado border, when he fell an unknown distance, the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office said. He told rescuers he didn’t know how long he was unconscious before he awoke and yelled for help." To read more, click here.

--Some yahoos lit a massive bonfire under the Red Monster Boulder in Utah's Ibex climbing area. There is carbon damage on two popular hard boulder problems. To read more, click here.

--Eldorado Canyon's The Naked Edge (5.11b, 6-pitches) , has a new speed record: 24-minutes and 14-seconds bridge-to-bridge. To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--REI and MountainProject.com are parting ways. To read more, click here and here.

--Ski is reporting that the "Indy Pass Adds 7 Independent Ski Areas for 2020-’21 Season.

The $199 multi-resort season pass will now offer skiers access to 52 independently owned ski resorts across North America." To read more, click here.

--If the Olympics aren't able to happen next year, they won't happen...

--There is real concern that summer sleep-away camps for children may go bankrupt this summer. A New York Times guest columnist and summer camp owner believes that there's an answer: Make summer camps available to families. "We believe that summer camps heal and strengthen social bonds, and therefore provide a vital service during these stressful times. While we cannot predict exactly what the state of public health will be in our home state or other states during the summer months, we do know that families are yearning for safe outdoor spaces where their children can feel free again. We know that camps have always been those safe spaces. By opening cabins to entire families, camps can provide the same invigorating social connections and memorable moments for parents and their families as they always have for kids." To read more, click here.

--A boy in the Italian Alps had a very close call with a bear this week. The family was on a picnic when a bear approached. The boy's dad filmed the boy as he carefully moved away. We're not huge fans of people who film close calls with bears. This is because it's better to be focused on the animal and doing the right thing than on getting something for facebook. However, this boy does such a good job, it's worth watching him as he escapes the animal:

--Check out these national park social distancing posters. 

--Snews is reporting on how many outdoor brands are now manufacturing masks, not just as PPE, but for activewear. To read more, click here.

--From the New York Times: "How the Pandemic Splintered the Appalachian Trail: The coronavirus scuttled plans and forced officials to ask people to get out of the woods. Of the thousands who hoped to hike the trail this year, only a few hundred remain." To read more, click here.