Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 2/3/2022

Northwest:

--KGW8 is reporting that, "On Saturday, volunteers with Portland Mountain Rescue responded to the fourth rescue call on Mount Hood in the span of a week when a climber fell and slid roughly 1,000 feet down the mountain." To read more, click here.

--Oregon Live is reporting that, "A 30-year-old man from Illinois died in a skiing accident at Mt. Hood Meadows on Sunday morning, according to the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office identified the man as Michael Snell. Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Patrol responded to a report of a skiing accident on Four Bowl, which is an advanced trail, shortly after lifts opened at 9 a.m. Sunday, said Dave Tragethon, a spokesperson for Mt. Hood Meadows." To read more, click here.

--Vail Resorts says Stevens Pass will remain open beyond the original closing date. Read more!

Sierra:

--Modern Conservationist is reporting that, "In 2021, backcountry use — fueled by the pandemic — was at an all-time high. As one example, in iconic Yellowstone National Park, camping increased 93 percent over a two-year period, while backcountry camping increased 117 percent in that same time frame, according to an NPS news release. Also hitting record highs are search and rescue (SAR) operations — some lifesaving, but others no more than a taxi ride for a tired hiker. This trend is causing deep concern among park rangers and conservationists as they fear backlash for unnecessary rescues undertaken on the public’s dime." To read more, click here.

--Gripped is reporting that, "Adrian Vanoni and Sam Stroh have repeated the 36-pitch Golden Gate, a popular 5.13a big wall free route on El Capitan, to close out the first month of 2022 in Yosemite. Golden Gate heads up the first 20 pitches of Salathé Wall. It’s followed by a 5.12c down-climb, a 5.13a pitch, the 5.12 Golden Desert pitch, the A5 traverse and the Razorblades pitch. The first ascent of Golden Gate was in 2000 by Alex and Thomas Huber." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--The Sacramento Bee is reporting that, "a climber was in need of rescue after he plunged 60 feet into a narrow slot canyon, Arizona rescuers said. The 47-year-old climber was stuck Saturday, Jan. 29, in a slot canyon near the Virgin River Gorge, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue said in a Facebook post the next day." To read more, click here.

--This is a really tough one. There was a murder suicide that involved a baby in Red Rock Canyon over the weekend. To read about it, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--The Denver Post is reporting that, "Authorities have released the name of a 24-year-old suburban Denver man who died in a ski crash at Copper Mountain ski resort. The Summit Daily News reports Nicholas Vigil, of Lakewood, was skiing with friends through the trees along the intermediate Collage Run when he lost control and crashed Jan. 20. The Summit County coroner’s office says he suffered a traumatic brain injury, and his death was ruled an accident." To read more, click here.

--The Gazette is reporting that, "A tree, quick thinking, and a strong grip likely saved a skier from serious consequences over the weekend when a large avalanche slid down part of Colorado's Gore mountain range. On Sunday, a skier triggered a large avalanche at an elevation of about 12,000 feet along the Gore Range and in the area of Pitkin Creek – located in the Vail and Summit County backcountry zone. After triggering the avalanche, the skier was able to grab onto a tree to avoid being swept down to the valley floor. Had the individual been swept away, they would likely have been dragged hundreds of feet (potentially more than 1,000 feet) down steep, high-consequence terrain." To read more, click here.

--2KUTV is reporting that, "Search and rescue crews were called out to help a skier who became stuck in a steep area on North Thunder Mountain in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Officials with the Salt Lake County Search and Rescue team said they were dispatched to the area around 4:20 p.m. Saturday. The skier became trapped in an area called the Hypothermic Needle, or 'The Needle,' where they could go neither up or down the mountain and needed assistance." To read more, click here.

--The Vail Daily is reporting that, "As the change.org petition to “Hold Vail Resorts accountable” for alleged ski area mismanagement this season reached 40,000 signatures Sunday, an update from page manager Jeremy Rubingh was posted with a new call to action. Rubingh, on Sunday, put out a request for Epic Pass users to email seasonpass@vailresorts.com on Tuesday with a request to disengage the auto-renew option on their Epic Pass. 'Please join us on January 18th by sending a message stating that you’d like to cancel your pass ‘auto-renew,'' Rubingh wrote in the Sunday update. 'Even if you don’t have the auto-renew activated, you can send an email to seasonpass@vailresorts.com explaining why you will not be renewing your pass.'" To read more, click here.

--Vail Daily is reporting that, "The run called The Narrows has been removed from the in-bounds terrain available to skiers and snowboarders on Vail Mountain, a spokesperson with the resort has confirmed. The Narrows was a double-black diamond run which provided connectivity to a large swath of terrain between the Gondola One line, Mill Creek Road and lower Riva Ridge." To read more, click here.

--The Summit Daily is reporting that, "a newly released study on backcountry search and rescue operations in Colorado hopes to improve how these volunteer groups are supported by the state in future years. Colorado Parks and Wildlife was directed to conduct a study with stakeholders to identify challenges with the existing, volunteer-based backcountry search and rescue programs in Colorado through the passage of Senate Bill 21-245. The study, published Jan. 17, saw responses from 49 search and rescue teams in the state, including Summit County Rescue Group, along with 41 sheriff’s offices." To read more, click here.

--Climate Connections is reporting that Utah's ski season is getting shorter due to climate change: "His team reviewed about 40 years of temperature data. They found that many Utah resorts are warming even faster than global averages. And daily low temperatures are rising faster than daily highs during the ski season, so it’s just not getting as cold." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--Gripped and many others are reporting that, "Italian climber and mountain guide Corrado “Korra” Pesce has died following an accident in Patagonia. His body remains, for the time being, on Cerro Torre. He was 41 years old." To read more, click here.

--Gripped is reporting that, "Canadian climber, author and artist Glen Boles has passed away in Cochrane, Alberta, at the age of 87. His photos and works of art hang on countless walls around the world, and he was an honorary member of the Alpine Club of Canada, the American Alpine Club and the Calgary Mountain Club. He acted as honorary president of the Alpine Club of Canada from 2005 to 2009. In 2005, he received the summit of excellence award for his contribution to Canadian mountaineering." To read more, click here.

--The New York Times has a great piece out on a climber that is on Everest right now, alone and without oxygen. Check it out.