Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/29/21

Northwest:

--Crystal Mountain Ski Resort will charge for parking this year. But cars that have four or more people in them will be free.

Sierra:

--A high speed lift is being added to Mt. Rose at Tahoe. 

--The Tahoe Daily Tribune is reporting that, "the cold front moving through the region Monday night into Tuesday brought high winds and dropped some rain on the Caldor Fire, and officials are planning aggressive mop up in and around the perimeter with improved weather conditions in the forecast." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--E and E News is reporting that, "Environmentalists won a notable victory this week with a federal judge’s order that the Fish and Wildlife Service reconsider extending Endangered Species Act protections to the iconic and stressed-out Joshua tree. In a sharply worded opinion, U.S. District Judge Otis Wright II concluded the agency fumbled its analysis of a petition to list the desert species, calling the 2019 decision to deny protections 'arbitrary and capricious.' He directed the agency to undertake a do-over. 'The Service’s findings regarding threats posed by climate change and wildfire are unsupported, speculative, or irrational,' Wright declared in his opinion issued Monday." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--US News is reporting that, "Search and rescue crews have recovered the body of a Durango man who died while climbing Blanca Peak in southern Colorado. The Durango Herald reports 57-year-old Vaughn Fetzer was reported missing Sept. 20, and his body was found in treacherous terrain on the state's fourth highest peak Monday." To read more, click here.

--Fox 31 is reporting that, "A 44-year-old climber, who the Saguache County Coroner identified as Jeremy Fuerst, died in a fall between the Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle on Saturday. Division of Fire Protection and Control – Canon City Helitack and Custer County Search and Rescue personnel began a search around 1 p.m. after a call reporting an overdue climber was received. Fuerst was spotted in an aerial search about 300 feet below the traverse between the Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle." To read more, click here.

--Climbing is reporting that, "Donald Bearie, a recording engineer originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was lowered off the end of a rope in South Platte, Colorado, last week. He fell roughly 25 feet and fractured his wrist, ankle, scapula, and two vertebrae. Bearie was between health insurances at the time of the accident and now is facing more than $100,000 dollars in medical bills. There’s a GoFundMe set up to help him get back on his feet and into the mountains." To read more, and to donate, click here.

--Vail Daily is reporting that, "A large die-off of fish in Mill Creek and Gore Creek over the weekend from a suspected accidental discharge from a tank used for snowmaking on Vail Mountain has caught the attention of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife department. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials visited Vail on Tuesday to investigate. Representatives from the town of Vail and Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Mill Creek had been visibly impacted by a blue-gray color Tuesday." To read more, click here.

--The Outside Business Journal is reporting that, "one of the most widely known and beloved indy gear shops in the outdoor industry, Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder, Colo., has been acquired by another legacy shop, Ute Mountaineer in Aspen, the two businesses announced jointly this afternoon. The acquisition is set to finalize on Sept. 30." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--Yahoo News is reporting that, "a California woman professing to be a shaman who was arrested and charged with igniting the wildfire that has thousands of homes under threat claimed the fire was started inadvertently while she was attempting to boil bear urine, authorities said. Alexandra Souverneva, 30, could be sentenced to up to nine years if convicted of starting the Fawn fire, according to officials." To read more, click here.