Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 4/29/21

Northwest:

--A 27-year old climber died in Leavenworth on Friday at Bruce's Boulder. It appears that he had some kind of a trad gear failure that lead to a fall. To read about it, click here.

--Go Skagit is reporting that, "The Highway 20 west entrance portal to North Cascades National Park was recently vandalized, and thefts at the park’s trailheads are increasing." To read more, click here.

--Who's winning? From the Seattle Times: "the two biggest rival corporations in ski resort management staked their claims in Washington state in 2018 by purchasing two of the Central Cascades’ most beloved ski areas. Vail Resorts, based in Broomfield, Colorado, bought Stevens Pass, the lovably crusty ski area on one of the continent’s snowiest mountain passes reachable by road; meanwhile, Denver-based Alterra Mountain Company snapped up Crystal Mountain, a resort founded by Seattle ski bums at the edge of Mount Rainier National Park." To read more, click here. And do click, it's a good article.

--North Shore News is reporting that, "Two rock climbers have been fined and banned from entering Grouse Mountain Regional Park for a year after pleading guilty to damaging natural features of the park to create a new climbing route. In September 2019, Brent Nixon, 45, and Sara Newhook, 31, began work on an unsanctioned trail, cutting down branches and trees, removing mosses and lichens, and drilling anchors into a rocky outcrop in a closed area not far from the top of Grouse Mountain, the court heard at their sentencing on Wednesday (April 21)." To read more, click here.

--The Canadian Government is worried about people visiting Squamish during the pandemic. To read more, click here.

--Gripped is reporting on the fastest known time on the ski traverse between the Bugaboos and Rogers Pass. To read about it, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--After a climber vandalized a rock art panel two weeks ago, now we have to deal with this below. To read about this fresh nightmare, click here.

--Out There Colorado is reporting that, "Rescuers were called to the Second Boulder Flatiron on Sunday after a 25-year-old male climber became stuck on the formation while attempting to ascend it with no ropes. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office reports that the incident occurred at about 3:30 PM when the climber became stuck in the area of the 'Dodge Block' route. According to Mountain Project, Dodge Block is a 5.0-rated route that takes climbers up the Second Flatiron formation. It's not bolted for sport climbing, meaning that most climbers either use trad climbing gear or no gear at all." To read more, click here.

--The Outside Business Journal is reporting that, "twenty-two months after the staging of the last Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in June 2019, the industry’s largest trade show is finally set to run again in person. The event, scheduled for August 10 to 12, officially opened registration today, and leadership is hopeful that in the 15 weeks until the show stages, a majority of past-show attendees will feel comfortable signing up to return to Denver and gather again face to face. Show director Marisa Nicholson told Outside Business Journal this week that interest in the show at an all-time high, and that she’s confident the event will be able to stage uninterrupted." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--Patch is reporting that, "Emergency crews rescued an injured adult who was rock climbing in the Cleveland National Forest Sunday. The injury was reported at 3:14 p.m. at Ortega Falls off Highway 74 near El Cariso, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department." To read more, click here.

--SGB Media is reporting that, "according to the monthly report from the National Parks Service, visits to national parks totaled 20.6 million in March, up 37 percent from 15.1 million in March 2020 as the pandemic emerged." To read more, click here

--Should discussions of police reform include law enforcement rangers in National Parks? Recent incidents indicate that the answer to that question is likely, yes. To read about this, click here.