Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 10/31/24

Happy Halloween from the Guides and Staff at the American Alpine Institute!

This likely AI generated picture has been making its way around the internet. It seemed like something worth posting on Halloween.

Sierra:

--Gripped is reporting that, "this week, Tanner Wanish and Michael Vaill, who recently took the Triple Crown speed record from Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds, have added a fourth wall to their sub-24-hour push." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--Traffic in Red Rock Canyon will be disrupted by a marathon in Las Vegas on Sunday. Read more.

--The LAist is covering graffiti issues in Joshua Tree. Read the story, here.

Notes from All Over:

--Outside is reporting that, "the U.S. Forest Service is a federal agency that manages 193 million acres of land, an area about the size of Texas. Next year, the agency will have to manage that land without its seasonal workforce. In September, the agency announced that it would be suspending all seasonal hiring for the 2025 season, a decision that will cut about 2,400 jobs. Nearly all of those positions are field-based jobs, ranging from biologists and timber workers to trail technicians and recreation staff. In addition, the agency is freezing all external hiring for permanent positions. The only exception to the hiring freeze are the roughly 11,300 firefighters hired by the agency every year." To read more, click here.

Upcoming AAI Programs:

Denali - West Buttress
Ecuador Skills Expedition
Kilimanjaro
AIARE Avalanche Level I
Rock Climbing in Red Rock Canyon
Discounts and Special Offers

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 10/24/24

News from the American Alpine Institute:

Learn more at

www.alpineinstitute.com

Sierra:

--The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting on a tragic incident in Yosemite: "An Australian man was struck and killed by a falling tree while walking on a popular hiking trail in Yosemite National Park last week, a spokesperson for the park said Tuesday. The man, identified as Harry Partington, 22, was crushed by the tree around 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 8, on Four Mile Trail near Union Point in Yosemite Valley, according to Scott Gediman, a park spokesperson." To read more, click here.

El Capitan at Sunset

--Gripped is reporting that, "Alex Honnold has a lot of Yosemite records to his name, but one that stood out more than others was that of the Yosemite Triple Crown. This week, Tanner Wanish and Michael Vaill climbed the Triple in 17 hours and 55 minutes, faster than Honnold’s time of 19 hours." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--The first reported avalanche of the season was skier triggered.

Notes from All Over:

--A 35-year-old man camping in a remote part of Montana was initially believed to have been mauled by a bear. Authorities now believe that the man was murdered. To read more, click here.

--One of the worlds tallest home climbing walls is weird, ugly, in Manhattan and for sale. Learn more.

--A senatorial hopeful from Montana says that wildland fire crews hope for bigger fires for the overtime pay. This seems like a wildly derogatory statement given how dangerous this work is. Read more.

--Snow Brains is reporting that, "the race to open for the 2024-25 ski season is over, and in a surprise twist that’s becoming something of a tradition, a small Massachusetts ski area has technically won. Every year, ski areas nationwide see who can get their snowguns running the fastest and their ski lifts running first." To read more, click here.

Upcoming AAI Programs:

Denali - West Buttress
Ecuador Skills Expedition
Kilimanjaro
AIARE Avalanche Level I
Rock Climbing in Red Rock Canyon
Discounts and Special Offers

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 10/17/24

AAI Mountain Festival, Gear Sale, Makers Market - October 19-20

• Makers Market 
• Equipment Sale
• Clinics
• $150 off avalanche courses!
• Learn more!

Northwest:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "On August 22, 2024, POWDR Corporation announced it was selling Killington Resort and Pico Mountain, Vermont, to local pass holders, as well as three other resorts, including Mt. Bachelor, Oregon. Shortly after the announcement, a local group, now called Mount Bachelor Community Inc. (MBCI), emerged to buy the resort in Central Oregon to bring it back to local community ownership. To read more, click here.

--The Seattle Times is reporting that, "In an effort to manage overcrowding for the benefit of customers and account for visitors who are not ski area patrons, The Summit at Snoqualmie announced a new parking system this week. Under the arrangement, permits will be required between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily from Nov. 18 to April 30. Violators will receive citations." To read more, click here.

--Mt. Adams is rumbling. See video below:

Desert Southwest:

--Thillist is reporting that, "If you’re looking for sweeping views of rock formations that leave you Googling how tectonic plates work, you’re in luck at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, just 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip. But don't just show up expecting to take this gorgeous 13-mile drive. The Bureau of Land Management seasonally requires reservations to enter the popular area, which is well-known for its hiking, climbing, and biking spots." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--St. George News is reporting that, "a man fell approximately 200 feet while rappelling in Zion National Park Saturday night. Despite multiple lifesaving efforts by emergency personnel, the man was declared dead before he could be taken to a hospital. Washington County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Paul told St. George News that the incident is still under investigation, but he could confirm the following details." To read more, click here.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "With the 2024-25 ski season fast approaching, Park City Mountain Resort’s ski patrollers find themselves in a familiar and precarious position. The collective bargaining agreement between Vail Resorts and Utah’s Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) expired on April 30, leaving patrollers without a new contract as opening day looms just 50 days away."    To read more, click here.

--SGB Media is reporting that, "The owner of Zion Outfitter, a tour guide operator and rental shop near Zion National Park’s entrance, is accused of evading over $1.8 million in taxes. The company offers bike tours, guided tubing down the Virgin River and trips through the Zion Narrows slot canyons, Court documents allege 42-year-old Phyllip Hallman Heaton, of Washington, failed to report over $5.4 million in sales between 2018 and 2022 and faces five counts of evasion of assessment of income tax and five counts of fraud and false statements." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--The biggest news in the mountaineering world is that Sandy Irvine's foot and boot were found on Everest. If you haven't read about this yet, check it out here.

--Gear Junkie is reporting that, "Minnesota-based footwear maker Vasque will cease all operations, the brand confirmed to GearJunkie today. A subsidiary of Red Wing Shoe Company, Vasque began making hiking-focused shoes and boots 60 years ago — a market that, at the time, was just emerging among American consumers." To read more, click here.

Upcoming AAI Programs:

Denali - West Buttress
Ecuador Skills Expedition
Kilimanjaro
AIARE Avalanche Level I
Rock Climbing in Red Rock Canyon

Discounts and Special Offers