Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 1/13/21

Northwest:

--It seems very likely that the Glacier Creek Road, the road used to access the North Side of Mt. Baker, will remain closed at approximately mile 3 throughout the 2022 climbing season. The road is eight miles long.

--We're all aware of the current situation at Stevens Pass and Whistler. There is significant pushback against the resorts manager, the Vail corporation. The specific concerns revolve around the lack of parking, terrain that isn't open, and the lack of reasonable wages for employees that likely lead to less employees and, as such, less open terrain. To read about it, click here. Here's a letter from the new GM.

--In an announcement late yesterday, the current general manager of Stevens Pass is being replaced. To read about it, click here.

--Snowbrains is reporting that, "On December 18th, 2021, officials at Kimberley Alpine Resort (KAR) found the Northstar Chairlifts in flames. This lift is the main access point to the Canadian ski resort, and as a result resort officials have had to try and come up with unique ways to get visitors up the mountain. This fire could not have come at a worse time for KAR, as they had just opened the mountain for winter operations. Because of the loss of an important asset and major inconvenience to visitors, the Royal Canadian Mountain Police began an ongoing investigation to determine the cause of the detrimental fire." To read more, click here.

--Gripped is reporting on a new ice route that went up near Lillooet: "Brent Nixon, Steve Janes and Jordan Craven found and climbed a route they’re calling Too Many Heroes, a 90-metre WI4. Nixon, who climbed this new WI6+ last week, said that it’s 'roughly on the eastern flank of Mount McLean in the Lillooet Range' and above the sawmill as you drive toward Duffy Lake." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--USA Today is reporting that, "Friends and co-workers are mourning the loss of an experienced, free-spirited skier whose body was found this weekend a few miles from a California ski resort where he disappeared in a blizzard two weeks ago. Rory Angelotta, 43, had been skiing in whiteout conditions at Northstar Ski Resort on Christmas Day. The primary search effort was called off Dec. 30. But on Saturday, teams expanded the search area and brought in a rescue canine, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement." To read more, click here.

--Two climbers are attempting to free climb the Dawn Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite. Only three climbers have completed this objective, and two of them had a movie made about it. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--Here's a running list of bad bolts in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

Colorado and Utah:

--It appears that two snowshoers and their dog died in an avalanche over the weekend near Breckenridge. To read more, click here.

--By the time you read this, patrollers at Park City may be on strike. From the Salt Lake Tribune: "The 50th bargaining session between the Park City ski patrol union and Vail Resorts on Monday night resulted in the same conclusion as the previous 49 talks: a stalemate. Going into Monday evening’s negotiation, the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association announced that nearly all of its 171 members had voted to authorize a strike, but Vail Resorts did not bring a new contract proposal to the table, despite the development." To read more, click here.

--A number of climbers lost their homes during the recent fires on the outskirts of Boulder. To read about it, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--A water pipe burst at Beech Mountain in North Carolina on January 7th. A jet of water came shooting out of the ground, hosing skiers on a lift. The incident resulted in non-life-threatening injuries, but... It is insane. Check out the video below:

--Outside magazine -- a subsidiary of Pocket Outdoor Media -- has unionized. All fifteen members of their editorial staff are now a part of Denver Newspaper Guild and Communications Workers of America. To read about it, click here.

--National Parks Traveler is reporting that, "the National Park Service stands to lose more than $1 billion in revenues that could be used to hire rangers and create a Civilian Climate Corps if the Senate cannot appease U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin and pass the administration's Build Back Better plan. The West Virginia Democrat on Sunday said he would vote against the current version of President Biden's signature plan to attack climate change, provide expanded health coverage, and extend the child tax credit, saying it was too big and expensive." To read more, click here.

--SGB Media is reporting that, "in an open letter entitled “Looking forward to seeing you in Denver on January 26,” Outdoor Retailer show organizers said they have no current plans to cancel the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2022 amid a surge in COVID-19 outbreaks tied to the Omicron variant. Enhanced safety measures, including mandatory masks, are being implemented, said show organizers." To read more, click here.

--Wildcat Ski Area in New Hampshire just had a chair fall off their lift, resulting in injuries. This is a Vail property, and people are getting more and more angry at the corporation. To read more, click here.