Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/9/2024

Northwest:

--Yahoo is reporting that, "a Washington state man who was trying to summit Mount Rainier this week collapsed and died near the top of the mountain in the national park, officials said." To read more, click here.

--A new line has been climbed on Mt. Hood. A two-pitch WI4/M4 line was completed in late April in the Black Spider area. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Gripped is reporting that, "a popular trail in Yosemite is closed for the foreseeable future due to a large rockfall that took place this spring. The John Muir Trail took an astonishing 46 years to build and was opened in 1938." To read more, click here.

--The closest ski resort to Los Angeles is for sale. 

Desert Southwest:

Mt. Wilson in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

--The Las Vegas Review-Journal is reporting that, "the $100 million-plus Red Rock Legacy Trail project received $1 million in federal funding to push the project toward becoming a reality. During a news conference on State Route 159 on Friday, Rep. Susan Lee, Andrew Bennett, director of the Clark County Office of Traffic Safety, and Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman Justin Hopkins were on hand during a ceremonial check presentation." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--Outside is reporting that, "the Biden administration announced today that it is expanding two national monuments in California: the San Gabriel Mountains and Berryessa Snow Mountain, bringing nearly 120,000 additional acres under federal protection." To read more, click here.

--An incident and accident reporting system in Canada was recently shut down due to liability concerns. To read more, click here.

--The Kathmandu Post is reporting that, "For the first time, high-altitude guides will face some competition on Everest… from drones. The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, which hosts the 8,848.86 metre-tall Everest, is piloting heavy lifter drones that will bring back garbage from the mighty mountain. Though officials say that cargo drones will fly on Everest to bring garbage, its success, however, may affect the livelihood of high altitude support staff who navigate the dangerous Khumbu Icefall with tonnes of loads on their backs." To read more, click here.

--Gripped is reporting that, "the IFSC has banned a climber for the presence of Stanozolol metabolites, saying, 'The IFSC have received an official communication from the International Testing Agency (ITA), delegated by the IFSC as anti-doping service provider, about a rule violation in accordance with Article 8.3.3 of the IFSC Anti-Doping Rules committed by Iranian climber Reza Kolasangian.'" To read more, click here.

--KOMO News and others are reporting that, "a part-time ski instructor's death has been ruled a homicide after a collision with another skier, according to reports. The Teton County Sheriff's Office issued a statement on Facebook, noting that two skiers collided on Rendezvous Trail at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village on April 14. Authorities asked anyone who witnessed the collision to contact a detective." To read more, click here.

Upcoming AAI Programs:

Mountaineering in Ecuador
Kilimanjaro Expedition
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

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/2/24

Northwest:

--Yahoo News is reporting that, "An avalanche injured two climbers on Mount Shasta in Northern California, requiring rescuers to be airlifted to their assistance, sheriff’s officials reported. A climber called 911 at 12:21 p.m. Saturday, April 27, to report he and his climbing partner had been injured by an avalanche at 12,200 feet up the mountain, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said in an April 29 news release." To read more, click here.

--A climber was rescued off of Cutthroat Peak last week with a broken leg. The team was trying to make an ascent of the rarely climbed Cauthorn-Wilson ice route. To read more, click here.

--It appears that a skier was seriously injured in a collision with another skier on Mt. Bachelor last week. Read more.

The Torment-Forbidden Traverse in North Cascades National Park.

--North Cascades National Park announced that the long awaited decision on the reintroduction to grizzly bears is complete: "The National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have announced a decision to actively restore grizzly bears to the North Cascades of Washington, where the animals once roamed. Grizzly bears occupied the North Cascades region for thousands of years as a key part of the ecosystem, distributing native plant seeds and keeping other wildlife populations in balance. Populations declined primarily due to direct killing by humans. The last confirmed sighting of a grizzly bear in the U.S. portion of the North Cascades ecosystem was in 1996." To read more, click here.

--My Northwest is reporting that, "Following a tumultuous year that included layoffs and operations restructuring, REI announced it lost $311 million in 2023. The Seattle-founded outdoor equipment retailer reported its revenue was $3.76 billion, down 2.4% from the previous year." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--There was a significant accident in the Alaska range last week when a pair fell on Mt. Johnson. One individual died at the scene and the other was evacuated. To read more, click here.

--The BLM has announced a rule that puts outdoor recreation on equal footing with other public lands issues, such as extraction. To read more, click here.

--It appears that REI is leaving its unique footwear brand.

--A grizzly bear scared a skier at Lake Louise last week. Video.

--Climbing is reporting that, "David Letterman joined Alex Honnold at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York City last Thursday for an interview in front of a live audience, discussing “scaling new heights, chasing your dreams, and never looking down.” But first, before all the tired metaphors, the two toproped at Movement Climbing + Fitness in Gowanus. Honnold offered up pointers while Letterman played up the awkward nature of checking someone’s knot (yes, David, we all have crotches) and ate M&Ms from a chalk bag. At 77, Letterman proved he’s as spritely as ever." To read more, click here.

--Gripped is reporting that, "British alpinist Tom Livingstone and Slovenian partner Gašper Pintar have made the first ascent of a route on the south face of Mount Dickey (2,909 m) in Alaska’s Ruth Gorge. It took them four days and they’ve yet to grade it but named it The Great Wall. Livingstone called their trip 'a great Alaskan adventure.'" To read more, click here.

Upcoming AAI Programs:

Mountaineering in Ecuador
Kilimanjaro Expedition
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