Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 2/8/24

Northwest:

--AAI Guide Eli Spitulnik has created a new variation on two lines on Colfax Peak on Mt. Baker. His line is a combination of Kimchi Suicide Volcano and the Polish Route. The new line goes at WI4+/M5. To see an instagram post about the adventure, click here. Another report can be found, here.

The Dorado Needle in North Cascades National Park.

--Yahoo is reporting that, "Backcountry permit fees are changing at North Cascades National Park this year. Park officials announced in a news release Monday that backcountry camping permits will go from a per permit fee to a per person fee, and that the price is going down. Beginning in March, summer season backcountry permits will cost $10 per person plus a $6 permit fee. Previously, the permits cost $20 apiece." To read more, click here.

--Ski is reporting on a new potential ski resort in British Columbia: "A proposal for a brand-new ski resort outside of Vancouver is the latest one to catch skiers’ attention. The Spuzzum First Nation people announced plans last week to build an 815-skiable-acre resort with a 2,300-foot vertical drop and 11 lifts at full buildout. The South Anderson Resort would have a four-season base village with around 12,000 beds in hotels, condos, houses, an RV park, dining, retail, and 1,200 units of employee housing. The Spuzzum people hope to build and operate the resort to provide career opportunities for its members, and that’s primarily what sets it apart." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Here's a report and video from an avalanche near Truckee. 

Desert Southwest:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "Lee Canyon Ski Area, just outside Las Vegas, Nevada, will remain closed on Tuesday and potentially Wednesday following an inbounds avalanche on Monday afternoon. Initial fears were that four people were missing, but fortunately, the swift action of Lee Canyon’s ski patrol and mountain operations teams ensured all individuals were quickly located and accounted for. One person needed assistance. That person, who was skiing with another person, was released after being treated at the scene." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--The Colorado Sun is reporting that, "52-year-old Miami man died Thursday after a “serious incident” on an intermediate trail at Breckenridge Ski Resort. Ski patrol found the man on the resort’s Peak 8 and brought him to a first aid room, resort spokeswoman Sara Lococo said." To read more, click here.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "after 27 years of ownership, Dream Unlimited Corp. has announced that it will sell Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Colorado, to Alterra Mountain Company. The deal is expected to close later in 2024, adding Arapahoe Basin to Alterra’s portfolio of destinations in Colorado." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--Alaska's News Source is reporting that, "a European man heli-skiing in the Chugach Mountains has died from his injuries after being pushed into a band of rocks." To read more, click here.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "On Sunday afternoon, February 4, Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), Wyoming, rangers requested helicopter assistance from Teton County Search & Rescue (TCSAR) to respond to an injured skier on Prospectors Mountain inside the park. The skier, a 29-year-old local woman, along with four men, were near the top of the Banana Couloir at 10,800 feet when they triggered and were caught by an avalanche. Three in the group were able to self-arrest, while one of the men was carried 500 feet, and the woman was carried by the snow slide approximately 1,500 vertical feet. Neither skier was fully buried; however, the woman sustained serious injuries." To read more, click here.

--So this crazy thing as skied this week at Jackson Hole:

--Gripped is reporting that, "the Ice Climbing World Championships will be held in Edmonton, Alberta, from Feb. 16 to 18, 2024. The event will take place in the city’s downtown close to the Edmonton Oilers hockey arena." To read more, click here.

--RV Pro is reporting that, "The new KOA AI Chatbot is designed to meet and exceed the rapidly evolving expectations of today’s campers and travelers, it said. According to the company’s June KOA Monthly Report, 32% of campers report already using AI for trip planning, with an additional 22% planning to utilize it in the future. In alignment with these trends, KOA’s robust AI Chatbot uses years of camping content, location information and data to be the industry’s most intuitive holistic camping technology." To read more, click here.

--And speaking of RVs. It might be a good time to buy one as RV sales "normalize." 

--Columbia is seeing a drop in sales too.

Upcoming American Alpine Institute Programs:

Denali
Climbing in Red Rock Canyon
Mountaineering in Ecuador
Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership
Alpinism I: Introduction to Mountaineering
Glacier Skills and Crevasse Rescue
Mt. Baker Skills and Climb
Mt. Shuksan Skills and Climb
Mt. Whitney Skills and Climb
Alpine Rock Climbing