Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 7/7/22

Northwest:

--There are reports of a serious accident on the Icicle Buttress in Leavenworth. Initial reports indicate that it was a rappel accident and that the deceased was from Vancouver, Washington. To read more, click here.

--There was also some kind of serious climbing incident in Skaha on Tuesday, but there's no real info other than secondhand Facebook reports and somebody thanking rescuers.

--Snowbrains and others are reporting that, "At around 6:30 am on Saturday, July 2 a 43-year-old man from Happy Valley was climbing Mt. Hood, when he fell several hundred feet and sustained serious injuries. Witnesses reported the climber lost his ice axe and fell approximately 600-700 feet from the summit ridge to the rocks above the Hot Rocks fumarole." The climber was transported with serious injuries via helicopter. To read more, click here.

--The Bellingham Herald is reporting that, "Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Game Warden Dave Jones says he was just as shocked by reports of a dead grizzly bear on Whatcom County beach last week as anyone else. In fact, he was so surprised, he went out to the beach just north of the Cherry Point Refinery to check it out for himself. 'That absolutely was 100% a grizzly bear,' Jones told The Bellingham Herald." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Unofficial Networks is reporting that Mammoth is working on employee housing. "The resort has purchased the Sierra Lodge in Mammoth Lakes, CA to add affordable housing for 72 employees in 36 units. The move comes as Mammoth Mountain and Mammoth Lakes are joining a nationwide initiative to offer affordable housing opportunities to resort employees." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--Rangers are seeing an uptick in gastrointestinal illness in the Grand Canyon. To read more click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--From Snowbrains: "On Wednesday, Vail Resorts announced that it will update its medical plan to support women seeking abortion and will even include a travel reimbursement package should the employee need to venture out of state." To read more, click here.

--The Summit Daily is reporting that, "State wildlife officials are looking to find and kill a bear that swatted a woman early Friday as she slept in a tent near Trinidad with her husband and their 2-year-old daughter." To read more, click here.

--The Ski Safety Group, a fledgling organization designed to make skiing safer for all, has folded due to lack of involvement. To read about it, click here.

--Beware, rabies has been found in the Front Range. 

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--A large rockfall event took place last week in Rocky Mountain National Park. This resulted in the closing of the Chaos Canyon area. To read more, click here.

--In other Rocky Mountain National Park news, from Tuesday, July 19, through Friday, July 22, the Wild Basin Road in Rocky Mountain National Park will be closed to all uses, including vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians for road maintenance. This closure will occur at the Wild Basin Entrance Station and will include the entire two-mile section of the road to the Wild Basin Trailhead. The park’s roads crew will be spreading gravel and grading this narrow road to address ruts, potholes and help with drainage.  Due to the road being closed to all uses from July 19 through July 22, visitors should avoid this area of Rocky Mountain National Park during this time. 

Notes from All Over:

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--A bison gored a tourist last week in Yellowstone.

--Axios is reporting that, "Clothing company Patagonia said Friday it will pay bail for employees who peacefully protest for 'reproductive justice.'" To read more, click here.

--Speaking of Patagonia and bad news. From FN: "The U.S. Supreme Court stated Congress, not the Environmental Protection Agency, has the authority to cap carbon dioxide emissions levels, which would result in a transition away from coal-fired plants and toward cleaner energy sources. As expected, powerhouses in the outdoor — an industry defined by environmental stewardship — including Patagonia, REI Co-op and Keen, have responded. Also, Allbirds, a leader in sustainable sneakers, has weighed in." As expected, they are angry and continue to state that the fight against climate change is the most important fight that there is. To read their statements, click here.

--CNBC is reporting that, "the U.S. Interior Department said on Wednesday it will phase out the sale of single-use plastic products in national parks and other public lands by 2032, in an attempt to mitigate a major contributor to plastic pollution as the country’s recycling rate continues to decline. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland issued an order to reduce the procurement, sale and distribution of such products and packaging on more than 480 million acres of public lands, and to identify more sustainable alternatives like compostable or biodegradable materials." To read more, click here.

--Yahoo is reporting that, "another REI store has started the process of organizing a union. A store in Berkeley, Calif. on Tuesday filed a request with the National Labor Relations Board to hold a union election. The group is looking for the company to voluntarily recognize them through the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 union." To read more, click here.

--Gear Junkie is reporting that, On June 24, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced three new events coming to the 2026 Winter Olympics. The slopes of Milano-Cortina, Italy, will now see competitors vie for medals in the following categories: men’s freestyle skiing dual moguls, women’s freestyle skiing dual moguls, women’s ski jumping large hill." To read more, click here.