Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 1/6/22

Recommendation:

--Watch Don't Look Up on Netflix. The film chronicles how scientists react to an existential threat to the planet, in this case an astroid, and how nearly everyone ignores it. It's a metaphor for our current climate situation, a situation that those of us who recreate in the mountains deal with constantly...

Northwest:

--Global News is reporting that, "One person is suffering from a broken leg after an avalanche on Hollyburn Mountain near West Vancouver, North Shore Rescue confirms. The injured backcountry skier was rescued Monday afternoon by ground as cloud cover obscured the path for a helicopter." To read more, click here.

--CBS News is reporting that, "two 19-year-old hikers who went winter camping were rescued near Eugene, Oregon, by the U.S. Coast Guard after signaling for help by writing an "SOS" sign in the snow, officials said. CBS affiliate KOIN-TV reports the two men went camping near Swastika Mountain southeast of Eugene around Christmas Day and failed to return as expected on Dec. 29. Officials said the men were reported missing on New Year's Eve." To read more, click here.

--Things are not going well at Stevens Pass Ski Resort this year. This is an awesome place with an awesome staff. But Vail Resorts -- which owns Stevens -- needs to step up. Check out this article about the issues there this season.

--Snowbrains is reporting that, "due to the popularity of Crystal Mountain Resort and to help offer the best guest experience possible during a busy season, Crystal Mountain will require lift reservations for all skiers and riders, including Ikon Pass holders, local pass holders, and local day products, starting Saturday, January 8, 2022." To read more, click here.

--Unofficial Networks is reporting that, "one of British Columbia’s mega-resort construction projects will soon begin. The Rocky Mountain Goat reports that logging work will commence in the next couple of weeks at the Valemount Glacier Destinations. While funding hasn’t been found yet, logging will allow for quicker construction if the contracts were to go through. Also, a local ski society wants to run a community hill on the site before the grand proposal comes to fruition. A two hundred and eighty-meter handle tow will service these initial slopes." To read more, click here.

--And yet another new mixed line went up in Squamish during the cold snap. Read about it, here. And don't miss this article about people ice climbing on the Apron.

Desert Southwest:

--A New Mexico ski resort tram had a hard time at the end of the year. From LiftBlog: "The new year started with a long, cold night for a group of Sandia Peak employees. Late on New Year’s Eve, the resort’s aerial tramway stopped midway through a trip due to icing of cables from precipitation and high winds. Twenty passengers in cabin 2 and an attendant in cabin 1 were stuck until early this afternoon. The tram cars are not heated but rescuers were able to climb tower 2 and provide one of the cabins with food, water and emergency blankets. By 2:00 pm, a number of passengers had been lowered down from that cabin and taken off the mountain by helicopter." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--A grass fire ripped through communities adjacent to Boulder, Colorado last week. Winter wildfires are unusual, but may become the new normal as the climate continues to change. To read about the fire and devastation, click here.

--The following video took place on December 26th. Some skiers see a dog avalanched. After assuming it was dead, they found and dug it out, alive...

--In other avalanche video news, here's a controlled avalanche in Alta on January 2nd:

--It should be noted that two patrollers were caught in this slide, though no one was injured. You can see them on the far left side of the screen as two black dots. Information about this and some additional info about the Utah avy scene has been published by Deseret News: "Just four days into the new year, there have been 17 reported avalanches across Utah, according to the Utah Avalanche Center. Most occurred naturally, although some were a result of backcountry skiers, snowboarders or snowmobilers. There are likely more slides that went unreported." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--The saddest thing that Climbing puts out every year is the Climbers We Lost article. You can read about all these incredible people, here.

--Buckrail is reporting that, "on Sunday, Jan. 2. Teton County Search and Rescue was called to assist a woman who had injured her knee while backcountry skiing on Windy Ridge, on the west side of Teton Pass. Avalanche danger was moderate/considerable at different elevations, and rescue crews had to consider the hazards before loading up the helicopter." To read more, click here.

---SGB Media is reporting that, "Helen of Troy Limited announced the successful completion of its previously announced acquisition of Osprey Packs, Inc, for $414.7 million in cash, which includes the impact of a $5.3 million favorable customary closing net working capital adjustment." To read more, click here.