Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/23/21

Northwest:

--Cascadia Weekly is reporting on the East Baker Lake Trail: "This trail area at the edge of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest complex is being recognized as Whatcom County’s representative in a national network of protected, publicly-accessible old-growth forests. The forest will be the first in Washington to be added to the network that includes 25 states. Other old forests in the state may soon join the list." To read more, click here.

--The campfire ban in Olympic National Park and National Forest has been lifted. North Cascades National Park has also lifted the ban.

--Due to summer heat, Mt. Shasta is nearly snowless.

--The Chronicle is asking questions about flightseeing over PNW National Parks: "Should visitors to Washington’s national parks hear only hooting owls and bugling elk, or are the sounds of low-flying aircraft also part of the experience? Administrators at Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks, along with the Federal Aviation Administration, are formulating policies to determine the future of commercial sightseeing flights over the two parks." To read more, click here.

--"The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Don Striker to serve as the superintendent of North Cascades NPS Complex starting in November. This position oversees North Cascades National Park and Ross Lake and Lake Chelan national recreation areas. Striker currently serves as the superintendent of Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska." To read more, click here.

--Gripped is reporting on the ongoing rockfall incidents in Squamish: "A huge rockfall that occurred from the North Walls on The Chief in Squamish after midnight on Sept. 20. A number of well-travelled routes were damaged or destroyed. A huge area has now been closed." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Large parts of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park are closed right now due to fires. To see a map of closures, click here.

--The Tahoe Daily Tribune is reporting on the impacts of the Caldor Fire: "he Caldor Fire burned hottest in decimated communities and the landscape has dramatically on the main highway leading to South Lake Tahoe. Blackened earth, scorched trees and burned homes are prominent alongside U.S. Highway 50 from Echo Summit to Kyburz. The USDA Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response Team recently completed data gathering and analysis of the Caldor burned area to produce a soil burn severity map of the 219,578-acre, 76% contained blaze." To read more and to see photos of the devastation, click here.

--The Squaw Valley Ski Resort will now and forever be known as Palisades Tahoe. Here's the official announcement:

--Speaking of Palisades Tahoe, a popular patroller there is battling cancer. His friends have set-up a go-fund-me.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe announced today that it has raised its minimum wage to $15 per hour for all positions that were previously below. The increase represents a 66% increase over the standard $9 per hour mandated minimum wage in Nevada. The resort will also require employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19 ahead of the start of its 2021-22 winter season." To read more, click here. It should be noted that many more resorts will be required to vaccinate their employees due to the new Biden Executive Order concerning companies that employ more than 100-people. UPDATE: Liftblog and Snowbrains both keep reporting on more and more resorts that will require the vaccinations of employees.

Desert Southwest:

--The lodge at Mt. Charleston - a popular restaurant with climbers and skiers from Las Vegas - has burned down. To read about it, click here.

--An individual is facing federal charges for committing arson in Petroglyph National Park. To read about it, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--Summit Daily is reporting that, "An injured climber was transported to a Front Range hospital via Flight for Life on Sunday, Sept. 19, after suffering a serious fall down a cliff face near Montezuma. At about 11 a.m., the rescue group was dispatched to a climbing area between Keystone and Montezuma known as Haus Rock, located a short drive down Montezuma Road off a pullout, according to Summit County Rescue Group Public Information Officer Anna DeBattiste." To read more, click here.

--The Bellingham Herald is reporting that, "A Pennsylvania man faces homicide charges after a Texas bow hunter was found shot and killed Friday in San Juan National Forest, Colorado cops say. First responders were dispatched to Kilpacker Trail Head on Friday morning for reports of a hunter who was accidentally shot, according to the Dolores County Sheriff’ Office. It took a search party 10 hours to come upon the body of 31-year-old Gregory Gabrisch, according to KDVR." To read more, click here. It is hunting season. Keep your eyes open and make sure hunters know you're human when bashing through the brush!

--Snowbrains is reporting that, "14er Mount Lindsey, located near Alamosa, Colorado, has been closed to public access due to liability concerns. Access to the summit block of the 14,048ft tall mountain is now prohibited, as stated by a sign placed by the landowners, the Trinchera-Blanca Ranch. While the closure doesn’t impact the surrounding peaks or most of the trail to the top, the summit and surrounding area have been placed off-limits to hikers. A forum post made by Lloyd Athearn, the Executive Director of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, states that the closure was enacted out of a concern for legal liability based on a recent court case and exception in the Colorado Recreation Use Statue." To read more, click here.

--Outside is reporting that, "For the first time in its 75 years of operation, Aspen Skiing Company (Skico) will charge for an uphill ski pass. In recent years, Aspen, Colorado, has become a hot spot for uphilling enthusiasts, largely because, until now, Aspen Snowmass gave uphillers free access to skin up all four mountains, season pass or not." To read more, click here.

--The Colorado Sun is reporting that, "the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board on Thursday made its first recommendation: changing the name of Squaw Mountain in Clear Creek County to Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain. After a year of plodding procedural meetings, the board unanimously approved renaming the peak — referred to in debate as “S-Mountain” — after the influential Cheyenne translator known as Owl Woman, who facilitated relations between white settlers and Native Americans tribes in the early 1800s. Mestaa’ėhehe is pronounced mess-taw-HAY. (Click here for an audio clip of the pronunciation.)" To read more, click here.

--It's snowing in the Rockies.

Notes from All Over:

--Buckrail is reporting that, "Grand Teton National Park rangers responded today to a report from a climber ascending Teewinot Mountain of a deceased male at the base of the Black Chimney climbing route. Rangers arrived to the scene and recovered the remains of the deceased climber. The National Park Service is conducting an investigation into the accident." To read more, click here.

--Inform NY is reporting that, "A pair of climbers from Fort Drum were rescued last week after getting stranded in Lewis County. Around 8:30 p.m. on September 16, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Ray Brook Dispatch was notified of two climbers from Fort Drum that were in need of assistance. The climbers were located at Inman Gulf in the Tug Hill State Forest." To read more, click here.

--Those who wish to travel to Everest Basecamp this fall will be required to be vaccinated. Though their message was a bit muddled about this, it's likely climbers will have to be vaccinated in the spring as well. To read more, click here.

--A guy needed to be rescued off a cliff in New Hampshire, and now they want to bill him for it. Charging for rescue is a dangerous thing to do, even if the person deserves it. Why? Victims might hide from rescuers for fear of being charged. And they might not call for help until their situation is life threatening...

--CNN is reporting that, "The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has apologized to Austrian climber Johanna Farber after inappropriate images of her were broadcast during the World Championships in Moscow. Multiple media outlets reported that the event's broadcaster aired a close-up replay of Farber's bottom during the boulder semifinals last week, prompting the sport's governing body to post an apology." To read more, click here.

--Climbing is reporting that the the AAC’s Catalyst grant winners for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ climbers have been announced. To see who won and what they'll use their grant for, click here.