Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/20/21

Northwest:

--The San Juan Islander is reporting that, "A Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island rescued an injured skier near Snoqualmie Mountain in the afternoon on May 15, 2021. The SAR crew launched at from NAS Whidbey Island at about 2:40 p.m. after receiving a request to rescue a 64-year-old skier who had fallen 30 feet and had a possible head injury." To read more, click here.

--On May 16th, two skiers were caught in an avalanche in the gully separating the Price and Nooksack glaciers on Mt. Shuksan. Both skiers were carried over 1000-feet down. Both suffered injuries, but survived and were helicoptered out. There haven't been any news reports on this as of yet. A video concerning the incident may be found below:

--An obscure big wall aid climb in Squamish just got its third ascent. Gripped is reporting on the A4 line: "Neil Chelton, Chris Trull and Jon Rigg just climbed Bald Egos over five days for the third ascent this past week. The first ascent was by Conny Amelunxen and Adam Diamond in 2000, and it was repeated by Matt Maddaloni and Susie Beliveau in 2009." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Wilderness climbing permits will now be required for big walls in Yosemite. To learn more about them, click here. Lots of people are upset about this, which is dumb. We'd rather have a reasonable experience on a wall. To read about those who are upset, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--KLSA TV is reporting that, "A climber was rescued after he fell approximately 70 feet in Big Cottonwood Canyon, suffering severe injuries. The incident happened around 10:11 p.m. Friday at Narcolepsy Wall." To read more, click here.

--Out There Colorado is reporting that, "Several dispersed camping areas in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest will temporarily close due to overuse, abandoned campfires, littered trails, trampled vegetation, and polluted waters. 'National Forest visitors created thousands of new campsites as they pulled off roads and damaged resources, trampling vegetation and compacting soils with tents, campers and vehicles," stated K. “Reid” Armstrong Public Affairs Specialist. "Visitors built hundreds of new rock campfire rings and negatively impacted municipal water supplies with human waste and trash.'" To read more, click here.

--The Colorado Sun is reporting that, "backcountry snowboarders Evan Hannibal and Tyler Dewitt will not have to pay $168,000 for damage that resulted when an avalanche they reported buried a service road above Interstate 70 in March 2020. The two also were facing misdemeanor charges related to the March 25 slide that damaged avalanche mitigation devices above the west portal of the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels." The pair will have to complete community service. To read more, click here.

--The Durango Herald is reporting that, "At least 11 skiers were killed in traumatic crashes at Colorado’s 26 ski areas this season. That is about the average number for a ski season – “about” because it’s difficult to learn when and how skiers and snowboarders die in bounds at the state’s ski areas. Ski areas are not required to share information about deaths that occur on ski runs, just as they don’t have to share details about accidents or injuries. (A recent legislative effort to require ski areas to report annual fatalities and injury data, as well as provide skiers with detailed safety plans, failed in a committee vote in April.)" To read more, click here.

--Sky-Hi News is reporting that, "Rocky Mountain National Park officials are investigating an incident where a man ran down the Gem Lake Trail yelling that he was being chased by someone with a rifle. On Thursday afternoon, park rangers responded to visitor reports of this incident near the Lumpy Ridge Trailhead parking area, according to a release from the park. While responding, rangers received an additional report about a woman who had been knocked down on the Gem Lake Trail by a man running down the trail." To read more, click here.

Alaska:

--Gripped and others are reporting that, "climber from Idaho was killed and another was seriously injured when they were hit by ice from a collapsing serac in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, an official said Friday. The accident happened Thursday as they were starting up Reality Ridge at the southern flank of Denali, said park spokesperson Maureen Gualtieri. The accident happened at 5 a.m. One climber, described by park officials as a 31-year-old man from Logan, Utah, was knocked unconscious. When he woke up, he found his climbing partner, a 32-year-old man from Rigby, Idaho, dead from the accident." To read more, click here.

--Dispatches from AAI's trip to Denali can be found here.

Notes from All Over:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "comedian Jake Adams, who unexpectedly found himself in hot water over his successful mission to hit a golf ball in every state in thirty days, has issued a video apology on his Instagram channel. Several law enforcement officers are investigating the videos of him hitting golf balls in national parks. Videos of him teeing off in Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and Grand Canyon national parks have since been removed." To read more, click here.

--There are a number of COVID cases at Everest basecamp. Outside has been reporting on this for awhile. Many sources say that the outbreak may not be as severe as reported. To read the Outside article, click here.