Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 1/14/21

Northwest:

--Mt. Rainier National Park is reporting on a fatality that took place on January 10th: "Rangers at Mount Rainier National Park today recovered the body of Constance Markham, 65, of Eatonville, Washington, from a steep slope below Ricksecker Point in the southwest corner of the park. Markham’s accidental fall was reported at 12:30 pm yesterday. Searchers located her in steep, hazardous terrain and confirmed that she was deceased. A ground team returned to the area today and she was recovered using a helicopter to complete the extrication." To read more, click here.

--On January 7th, a 26-year-old snowboarder died after falling off a 65-foot cliff at Whistler near the Peak Chairlift. To read more, click here.

--Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho is partially closing over the Martin Luther King weekend (January 15-17). In a statement, the mountain's CEO cites an "overwhelming lack of compliance with our mask policies and social distancing in the rental shop, day lodge, and lift lines during twilight skiing." Additionally he notes that he, "will not continue to tolerate the verbal abuse that has been directed towards our staff as they have attempted to enforce our safety requirements." To read more, click here.

--Following the Sea to Sky Gondola sabotage -- the cable was cut for the second time this summer -- the Squamish based attraction has found that it is not adequately covered by insurance. They are suing their insurance broker. It's not clear what this means for the gondola's future. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--A snow cave collapsed this week on a Boy Scout near Red Lake in New Mexico. Adult leaders dug the boy out and transported him to the hospital, but the child did not survive. To read more, click here.

Recent new graffiti in Red Rock Canyon.
It's not clear if the BLM is pursuing the individuals who defaced these rocks.

Colorado and Utah:

--The Utah Avalanche Center has posted a report on the fatality of a 31-year-old man in the Dutch Draw area near Park City late last week. To read more, click here.

--Snow Brains is reporting that, "A $10,000 reward is offered for anyone offering information to help identify the hit and run skier that put a 74-year-old lady in the hospital with serious injuries. Betty Benjamin was skiing in the China Bowl area of Vail Mountain, CO, at 2 pm on January 6th, 2021, when she was hit straight on by a teenage male on skis. She is currently recovering in hospital with a collapsed lung and every one of her right-hand side ribs broken. Her brother, Jim, is offering the reward." To read more, click here.

--The following video is an emotional recount of an avalanche that took place on January 9th in Steep Hollow, Franklin Basin, Utah. Thankfully, the victim survived:

--Out There Colorado has posted a story and a video of someone getting avalanched near Loveland Pass on January 8th. To see the post, click here. And here's a news story on the accident. The snowboarder did deploy his airbag on the 1000-foot slide.

--The Colorado Sun is reporting that, "Colorado Court of Appeals panel last week delivered the first state appellate decision affirming the use of waivers to protect ski resorts from lawsuits filed by injured skiers. " To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--KURL 8 is reporting that, "A group of Bozeman-area skiers climbing up The Fin on Republic Mountain outside of Cooke City were swept down by an avalanche on January 8, 2021. According to a report by the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center (GNFAC) one skier was seriously injured and had to be evacuated by helicopter and another was temporarily unconscious and not breathing." To read more, click here.

--A Wisconsin skier was airlifted to a hospital after hitting a light pole on Saturday. To read more, click here.

--The Access Fund is promoting a free slot in the Uphill Athlete training program. The slot is for a woman, or person who identifies as a woman, in the women's training group. To read more, click here.

--This is a spooky story about some climbers that were attacked by killer bees in Hueco Tanks, Texas.