Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 3/7/24

Video Reminder:

There were two tree well deaths this week in the mountains. As such, we thought it might be a good idea to revisit this video:

Northwest:

--An off-duty firefighter died while snowboarding in a tree well on Friday near Mt. Baker Ski Area. Read more.

--A Seattle-based woman launched a business that provides bus trips to popular ski mountains. To read about it, click here.

--GoSkagit is reporting that, "Washington’s National Park Fund announced last week that it will award North Cascades National Park about $162,000 in grant funding for an array of park projects." To read more, click here.

--The National Parks Traveler is responding to the cutting of rangers in Stehekin: "A petition with nearly 800 signatures from across the country has been sent to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland asking that she direct the National Park Service to staff a remote outpost in North Cascades National Park Complex in Washington state. The petition, driven by the North Cascades Conservation Council and joined by a coalition of environmental and outdoors groups, carries with it more than 400 personal testimonials of community members from Stehekin who want rangers based there this summer." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--Alex Honnold, Las Vegas resident and most famous climber alive, has had another child with his wife Sanni McCandless. Read more, here.

Colorado and Utah:

--Gripped is reporting that, "American climber Kai Lightner has made the first ascent of Death of Villains 5.15a in the Hurricave, Utah. In November, he repeated Life of Villains 5.14d at the same crag. Lightner’s first 5.14c was Southern Smoke at age 13 and he climbed his first 5.14d with Era Vella a decade ago." To read more, click here. NOTE: AAI partner's with Kai's organization Climbing 4 Change to provide BIPOC scholarships.

Notes from All Over:

--Buckrail is reporting that, "A local man died in a skiing accident at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) on Friday, March 1, according to the resort. According to a statement from JHMR, a 67-year-old Jackson man was skiing through the North Woods between Rendezvous Trail and The Hobacks when he became separated from his group. The skier was part of a locals group with the JHMR Mountain Sports School." To read more, click here.

--Epic Passes for next winter are already on sale.

--Idaho Capitol Sun is reporting that, "a $40 million private donation will go toward building at least 70 new modular housing units for employees at Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service announced Thursday. Yellowstone National Park officials said work on the units would begin later this year and that the extra money will help speed up the process of constructing more employee housing at the nation’s oldest national park, which saw its second-busiest season ever last year." To read more, click here.

Upcoming American Alpine Institute Programs:

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