Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 4/27/2023

Northwest:

--Gripped is reporting that, "an 11-year-old boy is recovering in hospital after taking a 40-foot fall while climbing at Smith Rock. A fundraiser has been organized by friends of the family to help cover medical costs." To read more, click here.

--Footwear News is reporting that, "After 20 years of business, REI confirmed it will close its downtown Portland, Ore., location in early 2024 amid increased crime in the store’s Pearl District neighborhood. In a statement emailed to FN on Tuesday, an REI Co-op representative confirmed the closure and stated that the decision 'does not reflect the hard work and dedication of our Portland team, nor the overall health of the co-op.'" To read more, click here.

--In other REI news from Footwear News: "REI has released its latest Impact Report and financials results for 2022, closing the year with a record $3.85 billion in sales and distributing $323 million back to the co-op community." To read more, click here.

--From Wild Olympics: "Today the Wild Olympics Coalition cheered the Earth Day reintroduction of the Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act sponsored by Senator Patty Murray and Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA-06). With a strong foundation of broad local support and the steadfast efforts of the two Congressional leaders, the bill has made steady progress each successive Congress. Last year the bill passed the House with bipartisan support and advanced farther than ever before in the Senate. The Wild Olympics legislation would permanently protect more than 126,500 acres of Olympic National Forest as wilderness and 19 rivers and their major tributaries – a total of 464 river miles – as Wild and Scenic Rivers. Designed through extensive community input to protect ancient forests and salmon streams and enhance outdoor recreation, the legislation would designate the first new wilderness in the Olympic National Forest in nearly four decades and the first-ever protected wild and scenic rivers on the Olympic Peninsula." To read more, click here.

Mt. Hood

--If you plan to climb Mt. Hood in 2024, you'll have to buy a permit. Check it out.

Sierra:

--Gripped is reporting on an ascent that included AAI Guide Tad McCrea: "a new Alps-like alpine mixed route has been climbed on the east northeast face of Mount Morrison in California called Troll Toll, it goes at M5 over 600 metres. The peak is found in the Sierra Nevada, and this is now one of the hardest routes to date. It was climbed by Jack Cramer, Tad McCrea, Vitaliy Musienko up a line of granite, ice and snow. Morrison is often called the Eiger of the Sierra due to its size, rock quality and difficult routes. Few climbers venture here." To read more, click here.

--Unfortunately, several roads were damaged in Inyo National Forest this winter and will be closed. To see a list, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--From Ski magazine: "Former Olympic racer and iconic big mountain skier Jeremy Nobis was found unresponsive in his Cedar City, Utah jail cell on April 19. The 52-year-old was awaiting sentencing on his latest DUI charge, the most recent in a string of drunk-driving offenses that he racked up across Utah, Colorado, and Idaho dating back to 2006. Although he lost his way over the last decade and a half, Nobis will be remembered as one of the best big mountain skiers of all time." To read more, click here.

--Summit Daily is reporting that, "A Flight for Life helicopter spared Summit County Rescue Group volunteers an hours-long rescue Sunday, April 23, when it changed course to assist with the rescue of an injured skier on Quandary Peak. The helicopter was on its way to Colorado Springs to run an errand when the 911 call for a skier with a possible head injury came in around 10:30 a.m., Summit County Rescue Group member and spokesperson Anna DeBattiste said. The skier was airlifted to a hospital in Denver to be treated for his injuries." To read more, click here.

--Some campgrounds that have historically opened in Colorado around this time of the year, will be delayed in opening due to snow. Read more.

--So this is weird. Hikers are apparently losing their shoes in the Colorado snowpack, which has resulted in rescues. Read about it, here.

Notes from All Over:

--Google Maps is updating its features for National Parks.

--A new survey of National Parks employees indicates very low job satisfaction. "According to survey results, national parks ranked 371 out of 432 government agencies in 2022 – or in the bottom 15 percentile. Those numbers were essentially flat compared to 2021 and 2020 survey results." Check out an article about this at Backpacker.

-- Backpacker is reporting that, "two people are facing charges for allegedly selling drugs to thru-hikers along the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina, law enforcement says. The Macon County Sheriff’s Office said that it had arrested Bobbie Anne Drelick and Ioan Edward Craia after receiving a tip, which led officials to a van in the Rock Gap, North Carolina area. After searching the van with a drug-sniffing dog, deputies found 5.56 pounds of marijuana, 8.78 ounces of psilocybin, 8 doses of LSD, and 10 grams of THC wax resin." To read more, click here.

--The Climbing Business Journal is reporting that, "Movement Climbing, Yoga and Fitness, the largest nationwide community of indoor climbing gyms, today announced they have acquired four of Summit Climbing, Yoga and Fitness Gyms’ locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. The newly acquired facilities will build on Movement’s existing presence in Dallasand bring world-class rock climbing, bouldering, yoga, and a variety of fitness activities including classes, cardio, and weightlifting to an even larger group of residents." To read more, click here.