Thursday, March 13, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 3/13/2025

Northwest:

--7KRCR is reporting that, "Search and Rescue crews helped save a skier who injured his leg while thousands of feet up Mount Shasta on Friday, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office (SCSO)." To read more, click here.

A skier in the Baker Backcountry.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "A cabin on the Golden Eagle Express gondola at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort fell Monday after a key mechanical part gave way, forcing the resort to shut down all lift operations. The cabin dropped after a hangar arm—the metal piece linking the carrier to the main cable—snapped, according to Liftblog. The eight-person cabin had just left the base station when it detached and fell to the ground. All passengers were inside at the time, but the low height likely minimized injuries." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--The Tahoe Daily Tribune is worried about how actions in the White House will impact skiing: "As actions related to federal public lands incite passion, protests, and demonstrations, its begs the question: could ski resorts that sit on federal public lands be in jeopardy? One conservation organization believes they could be. 'This is probably the most dangerous moment we’ve seen for a long time,' Michael Carroll, BLM Campaign Director with the Wilderness Society expressed in terms of the impacts decisions the Trump Administration and the republican controlled Congress could potentially have on federal public lands." To read more, click here.

--SF Gate is reporting that, "Authorities are seeking the public’s help in finding individuals who desecrated ancient, protected tribal rock carvings near Bishop, California. The petroglyphs at Volcanic Tableland were carved into the rock by Paiute-Shoshone people long before European settlers came to the American West. The unique geology on the eastern side of the Sierra was formed more than 700,000 years ago when a volcanic eruption created a rock plateau of pumice and ash known as Bishop Tuff." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--AZ Family is reporting that, "The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office released a video on Saturday of crews saving a rock climber who fell more than 40 feet earlier this year. Rescue teams were called out to a remote area east of Superior on Jan. 20." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--Townlift is reporting that, "A backcountry skier was killed in an avalanche near Hoyt Peak, northeast of Kamas in the Uinta Mountains, according to the Utah Avalanche Center and local authorities. The victim, identified as 51-year-old Michael Janulaitis of Marion, Utah, was reported missing around 5 p.m. on March 7 after failing to return home from a backcountry ski as expected." To read more, click here.

--The Post Independent is reporting that, "A backcountry skier was caught in a human-triggered avalanche and injured on Saturday afternoon near Marble, just outside Pitkin County to the south in the Crystal River Valley, according to a recent report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center." To read more, click here.

--Gear Junkie is reporting that, "Copper Mountain could be getting a lot bigger in the coming seasons. On Feb. 27, White River National Forest (WRNF) approved a master plan to expand the resort by more than 500 acres. The plan also includes eight upgrades to existing lifts and six brand-new lifts — one of which would be the highest in North America." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "a skier died Monday following a fall from the Triple Chair lift at Red Lodge Mountain, triggering serious concerns about lift safety at the popular south-central Montana ski area. The 37-year-old man from Billings was airlifted to a hospital in Billings after falling from the chairlift late Monday morning and later died from his injuries, according to the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office." To read more, click here.

--Wildfire Today is reporting that, "The United States Department of Agriculture on Tuesday announced each of the 6,000 probationary employees it had terminated since Feb. 13 now has their job back, the department said in a press release. 'By Wednesday, March 12, the Department will place all terminated probationary employees in pay status and provide each with back pay, from the date of termination,” USDA’s statement said. “The Department will work quickly to develop a phased plan for return-to-duty, and while those plans materialize, all probationary employees will be paid.'" To read more, click here.

The North Face Skims line is questionable.

--Shop Eat Surf Outdoors is asking a good question: "Is The North Face, with its recent sold-out collab with Kim Kardashian’s brand Skims, transforming into a luxury or fashion brand? 'Absolutely not,' said TNF Global Brand President Caroline Brown, formerly the CEO of Donna Karan International and DKNY, at parent company VF Corp.’s Investor Day presentations on Thursday morning. 'We are built for exploration, and it’s that heritage that we will stay true to and grow from.'" To read more, click here.

--The Dallas Morning News is reporting that, "Two national parks offices in Texas are slated to close as part of a plan by President Donald Trump to cut government spending. The facilities are among 34 National Park Service offices across the country the administration is seeking to shutter, according to the National Parks Conservation Association, a nonpartisan advocacy organization." To read more, click here.

Devil's Tower National Monument is cutting hours due to staffing shortages.

--The Access Fund is hiring a Northeast Regional Manager. Learn more here.

--RV Pro is reporting that, "The National Park Service reported a record-setting 331,863,358 visits in 2024, amid a recent 9% cut to the National Park Service workforce and continued uncertainty. The previous record was set in 2016 with 330,971,689 recreation visits.  The National Parks Conservation Association said it found this robust visitation to be at odds with the ongoing dismantling of America’s park legacy." To read more, click here.

--Shop Eat Surf X Outdoors is reporting that, "Vail Resorts is focused on improving both employee and guest satisfaction in the wake of several labor disputes that disrupted the season earlier this year. 'Our guests are incredibly passionate about our mountain resorts and the experience that they have there, and we’re very fortunate to have a passionate guest space,” said CEO Kirsten Lynch on the company’s second-quarter earnings call on Monday. “And we’re not always perfect, and so sometimes, I think it’s key for us to acknowledge when things don’t go the way that we had hoped and make sure that we’re taking action to address those things and there are challenges that we face.'" To read more, click here.
Posted by Jason Martin at 6:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 3/6/2025

Northwest:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "An avalanche near Harts Pass, Washington, killed a snowmobiler and injured another yesterday, Friday, February 28, reports the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC). The incident occurred northwest of Mazama, where three snowmobilers triggered a large slab avalanche." To read more, click here.

Click on Photo to Enlarge.

--We were worried that the climbing media wouldn't pick up the astounding new route on the West Face of Sloan Peak. But they did! You can read about it here.

--SGB Media is reporting that, "Amer Sports is reporting that its Arc’teryx technical outdoor brand achieved over $2 billion of sales in 2024, and delivered another great result in the fourth quarter of the year, again leading growth for the parent of Arc’teryx, Salomon and Wilson Sports. Company CEO James Zheng told analysts and investors on the company’s Q4 conference call that strong growth at Arc’teryx came across all regions, channels, and categories — especially in footwear and women’s, which grew faster than the brand overall." To read more, click here.

--Outdoor Sportswire is reporting that, "Sun Valley Resort is proud to announce that it has been officially recognized as a Whitebark Pine Friendly Ski Area by the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation (WPEF). This prestigious certification highlights the resort’s ongoing commitment to conservation, environmental stewardship, and public education about the importance of the threatened whitebark pine tree and its critical role in high-elevation ecosystems." To read more, click here.

--The Seattle Times is reporting that, "Washington’s state parks and other natural sites may soon become more expensive to visit as lawmakers are looking to increase the price of the Discover Pass. The pass allows visitors to access state-managed lands, such as parks, campgrounds, trails and water access points. Federal lands, including national parks, are subject to different access fees. Currently, an annual Discover Pass costs $30 and can be used in up to two vehicles. A day-use state parks permit is $10. Senate Bill 5390 proposes to increase the annual Discover Pass fee to $45. It would be the first price increase since the pass was introduced about 14 years ago. The way the bill is written, the increase would take effect in late July." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--The Reno Gazette Journal is reporting that, "Palisades Tahoe confirmed Monday that an investigation has been launched after a young skier and a snowmobile collided last weekend at the resort. The child, a member of the Mighty Mites ski team for ages 5 to 9, collided with the snowmobile around noon Saturday, sustaining a lower-body injury, according to Palisades." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--3 News is reporting that, "Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel conducted a successful rescue operation on Magic Mountain's ridge line after a boulder accident left a climber with a minor crush injury. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2025 as two climbers were descending the ridge line after completing the Honeycomb Chimney climbing route. A boulder came loose, injuring one climber's leg." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "The body of Connor Gill, a 26-year-old snowboarder from the Denver area, was found on Vail Mountain on February 28, ending a two-week search effort. Gill had been missing since February 14, when he was last seen boarding the Avanti Express chairlift around 9 a.m." To read more, click here.

--Gear Junkie is reporting that, "Luck comes in many forms, but for a father and son hiking in Utah’s Snow Canyon on February 17, it came in the form of an abandoned backpack. Stuck overnight high up on a canyon ledge, Julian Hernandez and his 12-year-old son would have had a different outcome had it not been for someone else’s misfortune, said Sergeant Jacob Paul with Washington County Search and Rescue." To read more, click here.

--It appears that someone has been messing with the classic aid route Touchstone in Zion. Read about it, here.

Notes from All Over:

--Boston.com is reporting that, "A skier in the White Mountains in New Hampshire survived an avalanche on Wednesday after being buried under the snow, officials said. The skier triggered the avalanche in the Presidential Range on Feb. 26 and was 'caught, carried and critically buried' under the snow, the Mount Washington Avalanche Center said in a statement." To read more, click here.

--The owner of Tyrol Basin Ski Resort in Wisconsin has been arrested for disorderly conduct and the physical abuse of a child. It's really hard to understand what actually happened in this story.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "Three people survived a plane crash near the summit of Vermont’s Mount Equinox early Wednesday after deep snow cushioned the impact, officials with the Manchester Fire Department report. The Piper PA-28, which departed from Martin State Airport in Maryland, crashed around 3:50 a.m. at an elevation of 3,200 feet." To read more, click here.

--Outside magazine did an excellent job of covering the recent protests in the National Parks. They included some of the best signs they saw. See the article here.


--VT Digger and many others are reporting that, "In the wake of Vice President JD Vance’s ski trip to Sugarbush resort this weekend, the Mad River Valley was transformed into a hotbed of protests against the administration of President Donald Trump. In the largest planned demonstration Saturday morning, Vermonters and visitors stood along a stretch of Main Street by the Mad River Green in Waitsfield toting protest signs and flags that expressed concerns ranging from the state of democracy to climate change to LGBTQ+ rights." To read more, click here.

--Currently the best report on how many rangers each National Park is losing comes to us from Outside Magazine. See their article here.

--A wide array of National Parks visitor centers are slated to be closed by the Trump Administration. Read more.

--It's grants season for the American Alpine Club. Learn more, here.

--Please note that the Black Diamond Vision Harness has been recalled. Learn more.
Posted by Jason Martin at 6:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 2/27/25

Northwest:

--In mid-February, a small team made a direct mixed ascent of a WI5 line called Salt and Pepper. The new line, Spice Rack is M10. Read more.

The west side of Mt. Rainier in January, 2025.

--The Kitsap Sun is reporting that, "About half a dozen employees at each of Washington’s three national parks are believed to have been laid off as part of the Trump administration’s government-wide push to slash staff. Mount Rainier and North Cascades national parks each saw six employees let go last week, while Olympic National Park lost five, said Bill Wade, the executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Teton Gravity Research is reporting that, "the widow of a snowboarder who was "buried alive" while riding at Heavenly Mountain Resort has filed a suit against the mountain  and its parent company, Vail Resorts. Wesley Whalen, 46, was riding a black diamond run at the Lake Tahoe resort when he sank into deep snow and was buried alive." To read more, click here.

An upside down flag next to the "Yosemite Firefall." Via KNTV.

--NBC News and others are reporting that, "Nature lovers flock to Yosemite National Park every February to witness the majestic "firefall" event, but this year’s crowds were met a different spectacle: an upside-down American flag hung on a summit to protest the Trump administration’s cuts of national park service employees. The flag was hung on the top of the famed El Capitan summit, a 3,000-foot vertical rock formation in Mariposa County, California, on Saturday evening by a group of upset Yosemite employees." To read more, click here.

--Climbing has posted a full article on how government layoffs are affecting Yosemite. Read it here.

Desert Southwest:

--Axios San Diego is reporting on the loss of six ranger jobs at Joshua Tree National Park and how it may impact visitor experience.

Colorado and Utah:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "a backcountry snowboarder died Saturday in a large avalanche on Mines Peak, east of Colorado’s Berthoud Pass. The incident occurred in 'The Fingers,' a series of steep, northwest-facing avalanche paths accessible from the summit parking area." To read more, click here.

--11 News is reporting that, "A skier is recovering Tuesday night after being partially buried in an avalanche on a run named the “Mine Dump,” according to the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office said the avalanche occurred on Tuesday afternoon outside of the Town of Ophir, south of Telluride. They said the avalanche carried the skier into trees at the bottom of the slope and partially buried the skier." To read more, click here.

--Here's a report about a rockfall incident in Eldorado Canyon.

Notes from All Over:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "a 79-year-old male skier was found alive after spending an entire night lost at Blacktail Mountain Ski Area in Montana. The man had taken shelter in a tree well—a hollow space that forms around a tree trunk when snowfall accumulates on its branches, preventing snow buildup beneath. To stay warm, he used pine branches as insulation and started a small fire." To read more, click here.

--The Pacific Crest Trail Association put out a statement on the current state of things: "As we face financial and operational challenges because of uncertainty around federal funding for the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), I want to be transparent with our community about the impact this may have on our mission. The U.S. Forest Service has let us know that our future federal grant funding may be delayed while it is under review as part of the new administration’s efforts to reduce federal spending and staffing. We are unsure when or if this funding will be cut, reduced or fully restored." To read more, click here.

--SGB Media is reporting that, "REI Co-op has entered into a long-term sale-leaseback agreement with Madison Capital, a New York-based real estate investment firm, for its four, Class A distribution center properties. REI said it will continue to maintain and operate all buildings with no impact to employees. REI Co-op has entered into a long-term sale-leaseback agreement with Madison Capital, a New York-based real estate investment firm, for its four Class A distribution center properties. The retailer reported that it 'will continue to maintain and operate all buildings without impacting employees.'" To read more, click here.

--The Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition has made the largest climbing land acquisition in history. Read about it here.

Posted by Jason Martin at 6:00 AM 0 comments

Monday, February 24, 2025

Heuristic Traps and Risk Management

The mountains don’t care about our egos, our plans, or how overdue we feel for an epiphany. They do what they do—slide, crumble, freeze, thaw—indifferent to our deep need to summit something today. But the mind? The mind cares a lot. It spins and schemes, convincing you that this moment, right now, is your only chance to prove yourself. It leans on shortcuts—scarcity, commitment, social proof, familiarity—whispering that if you don’t go now, you never will, that everyone else is doing it, that you’ve come too far to turn back, that you know this place too well to get hurt. Ian McCammon called these heuristic traps, and that’s exactly what they are: tricks of the mind that make us mistake urgency for wisdom. But the mountains, bless them, are great teachers of surrender. They remind us—sometimes gently, sometimes with the rumble of unsettled snow—that letting go isn’t weakness. The best decisions aren’t made from fear or scarcity, but from presence. So we practice. We catch ourselves clinging. We breathe. We remember that the summit is not the point, that the plan is not the point. Being awake, being alive, being willing to pivot when the moment calls for it—that’s the point. And here are four ways I’ve learned that the hard way.

Scarcity:

I was hellbent on ice climbing tomorrow—the sort of plan that makes you feel competent and rugged, as though you’ve hacked life better than most people who cower under fleece blankets at the first sign of winter. But life, or rather, the weather, often enjoys performing a little vaudeville routine just to remind you that control is an illusion. The freezing levels were skyrocketing from a frosty 2,000 feet to 8,000—a cruel trick, like turning your ice cream into soup mid-bite.


It was that scarcity heuristic in action—the gnawing sense that time and opportunity were slipping away, whispering: If you don’t do it now, you’ll never get another chance. But instead of trusting my brain’s whispery panic, I pivoted. And honestly, pivoting doesn’t come easily for me. I’m the kind of person who gets attached to a plan as though it’s a beloved childhood toy. Ice climbing felt scarce, precious. And yet, ignoring the facts—that the ice would be mush, the risk high—would be like sticking a fork into an electrical outlet just to prove I’m resilient.

So, I exhaled. I set the gear down. I remembered that more cold days are coming, more adventures waiting. Scarcity’s a liar sometimes. And when I really listen, I remember there’s nothing noble about suffering for the sake of a plan. The mountains will wait. The ice will form again. And tomorrow, I don’t have to prove anything to anyone—not even to myself.

Commitment:

When I say I’m going to do something, I do it. It’s not about being stubborn—it’s more that I’ve always felt like there’s some kind of cosmic scoreboard tracking whether I follow through. So one day, quite a few years ago, I set out to ski Mt. Larrabee. It was one of those grueling four-hour approaches where you’re ankle-deep in that special kind of slush that soaks your soul, trudging up boot packs, road walking like some sunburned pilgrim on skis. But I was fueled by that mix of ambition and irrational pride that makes Type 2 fun feel like a spiritual obligation.

By the time we reached the upper bowl, we finally saw the mountain in all its terrible glory. It was warming up—fast. The kind of day where the sun feels less like a cheerful companion and more like a liability. But the snow was holding, at least for now. Stable enough. So we kept going, heads down, ignoring the rising temperature, the clock, the creeping feeling in our guts. And then—there we were—surrounded. Natural slides sloughing off all around us, D1.5, D2—hissing and tumbling like the mountain itself was whispering, you’re not welcome here.

Two of us stopped in our tracks, blinking at the signs like they were neon warnings on a Vegas strip. But one of us—there’s always one—wanted to push on. “We’re so close,” they said. And they weren’t wrong. We were close. But close is one of those words that can either be hopeful or tragic.

That was the commitment heuristic in full bloom—the little voice that says, you’ve come this far, how can you possibly turn back now? It’s a liar in fancy boots. It makes you mistake stubbornness for strength, pride for purpose.

But the thing about mountains is that they don’t care how far you’ve walked or how much you want to tag the summit. They’ll take what they take, and they’ll give you nothing back but humility, if you’re lucky. That day, we turned around. Not because we weren’t committed, but because we realized that commitment means knowing when to let go. And thank God we did—because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is walk away from the thing you thought you needed, with all your pieces still intact.

Social proof:

Denali has a way of making you feel small and uncertain—like a kid lost in a massive department store, overwhelmed by all the towering shelves of snow and rock. It’s not just the cold or the altitude—it’s the sheer scale of the place, the unrelenting vastness that makes you feel like an ant trying to find your way across a dinner plate in a blizzard. And when people are overwhelmed, they look for something—anything—to follow.

On Denali, that often looks like this: one team decides it’s time to push to the next camp, so every other team lines up behind them, single file, like a string of beads. And if there’s a boot pack? Forget it. Everyone will follow that same precise line of steps, no questions asked. I’ve watched whole teams march in unison until a crevasse opens right under the boot pack they were so sure would lead them to glory.

Denali

It’s social proof at work—the mental shortcut that says, If everyone else is doing it, it must be the right thing to do. We crave certainty in chaos, and when you’re standing on an icefield that feels more like the surface of the moon, it’s easy to assume that whoever went first must have known something you didn’t. But the truth is, they might have just been winging it too.

I get it—it’s comforting to be a sheep when you’re tired and scared. But mountains don’t care about the herd. The glacier doesn’t care that you’re following footprints like breadcrumbs in a fairy tale. I’ve learned the hard way that there’s no safety in numbers when the numbers are all guessing. Sometimes, you have to step off the beaten track, listen to your own gut, and risk being the lone idiot standing still while everyone else presses on. Because out there, the price of being wrong isn’t just a bruised ego—it’s everything. And the boot pack? It’s not a shortcut to safety. Sometimes it’s just the first step to a very long fall.

Familiarity:

Mount Baker feels like home. I know the ridges, the glaciers, the hum of the icefalls cracking in the distance. I know the smell of the air when the sun hits the snow and that specific crunch of my boots when the cold is just right. And that’s the thing about familiarity—it’s seductive. It whispers: You’ve been here a thousand times. You know this place. You’re fine.

I tell myself I’ll do a full tour plan, really sit down and dig into the avy report. But more often than I’d like to admit, I glance at the map like I’m skimming the instructions for a piece of IKEA furniture I’ve built five times already. The glaciers feel small, almost benign—like old friends who would never turn on me. But that’s the problem with comfort: it makes you blind. Baker is no small hill. It’s a sprawling, volatile cathedral of ice and rock. And yet, when you’re familiar with something, you start to believe you’re immune to its sharp edges.

Mt. Baker

The familiarity heuristic is one of the hardest dragons I fight—sneaky and quiet, almost invisible. You don’t realize you’re under its spell until you’re standing there in a windstorm thinking, Why didn’t I double-check my route? Why didn’t I respect this place today like I did the first time? Familiarity lulls you into softness when you should be sharp.

I have to remind myself—sometimes out loud—that Baker is a real mountain with real consequences. No matter how many times I’ve been there, it will never love me back. It doesn’t owe me anything. And the comfort I feel up there? That’s my responsibility, not the mountain’s. I can’t afford to be a tourist in my own backyard. That’s how people lose their way, or worse. So, I do the work. Even if it feels like overkill. Even if I want to skip the safety checks because I’ve been through them a hundred times. Because I know the moment you stop being diligent in a place you love is the moment the mountain reminds you how small you really are.

--Mike Morris, Instructor and Guide
Posted by Jason Martin at 6:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 2/20/2025

Northwest:

--CBS News is reporting that, "An avalanche in Oregon's Cascade Mountains killed two backcountry skiers and a third was found dead in an avalanche field near South Lake Tahoe in California, authorities said." To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Gripped is reporting that, "Yosemite National Park has halted a plan to make its timed-entry reservation system permanent. The new Trump administration’s Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum, has put on hold all federal proposals, which includes the reservation system." To read more, click here.

--Here's a second piece about Yosemite from SF Gate: "Yosemite National Park is in trouble. Hamstrung by President Donald Trump’s hiring freeze, hundreds of rescinded job offers and the threat of coming layoffs, the park is poised to enter its busiest months of the year severely short-staffed. Not only that, but the park’s day-use reservation system — created to protect park resources and improve the visitor experience by reducing crowding — appears unlikely to return this year." To read more, click here.

--And a third Yosemite note, this one from San Francisco Chronicle: "Yosemite National Park announced Friday that reservations for some of the park’s most popular campgrounds will be delayed. The park will delay the sale of reservations between June 15 and July 14 for the Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow campsites. The reasoning behind the delay is unclear." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--3 News is reporting that, "The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Search and Rescue team is sharing details on some recent rescues out at Red Rock Canyon. The first rescue happened at around 2 p.m. on Friday, February 14, near Gateway Canyon." To read more, click here.

--SF Gate is reporting that, "a handful of privately owned lots within the boundaries of Joshua Tree National Park in the Whispering Pines area were recently purchased, sparking concerns among environmentalists and some residents about what’s coming to the California desert." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--The Denver Post is reporting that, "A 24-year-old rock climber fell to his death in Clear Creek Canyon on Saturday, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The man was climbing near the popular Red Slab climbing area at approximately 9:39 a.m. when he fell, spokesperson Jacki Kelley said." To read more, click here.

--Steamboat Pilot and Today is reporting that, "A longtime local skier and business owner died Tuesday morning in a skiing accident at Steamboat Resort, according to Routt County Coroner Mitch Locke. Peter Van De Carr, 70, of Steamboat Springs, was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:46 a.m. Tuesday." To read more, click here.

--2 KUTV is reporting that, "A forecaster and meteorologist snowboarding in a winter storm found himself in an unexpected rescue mission after spotting a young skier stuck in deep snow on Saturday. Luke Stone was skiing on Wilma’s Run, coming off the Cirque Traverse trail at Snowbird, his home resort, after 13 inches of snow fell the night before. While near a groomed cat track, he noticed the child struggling but didn’t immediately realize the severity of the situation." To read more, click here.

--Shop Eat Surf Outdoor is reporting that, "Black Diamond and its parent company Clarus Corporation warned investors that they face legal, reputational, and financial risks after receiving subpoenas last month as part of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. The investigation is related to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission’s (CPSC) conclusion that it did not respond quickly enough to a problem with avalanche transmitters distributed by Black Diamond, according to documents filed by Clarus with the SEC on Friday. CPSC also said Clarus and Black Diamond misrepresented the issue and recommended that it impose 'substantial civil monetary penalties,' according to background included in its fiscal 2023 report." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--The Miami Herald is reporting that, "Two ice climbers were caught in an avalanche as they reached the start of their route, New Hampshire officials said. A pair of climbers, a 31-year-old man and 36-year-old woman, made their way to the Black Dike climbing route in Franconia Notch State Park on Sunday, Feb. 16, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said in a news release." To read more, click here.

--Apparently some guys skied an erupting volcano in Italy. See below:


--Gripped is reporting that, "Denali National Park, along with other US national parks will have fewer search and rescue workers in 2025. Around 1,000 climbers attempt Denali, North America’s tallest mountain, every year. Denali usually has 12 search and rescue workers, but it looks like it will only have six in 2025. Those search and rescue rangers are also responsible for every other climbing in Denali National Park, which is 2.5 million hectares." To read more, click here.

--Reuters is reporting that, "The U.S. Forest Service is firing around 3,400 recent hires while the National Park Service is terminating about 1,000 under President Donald Trump's push to cut federal spending, people familiar with the plans said on Friday." To read more, click here.

--The National Parks Traveler is reporting that, "the Trump administration has canceled law enforcement training through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) for National Park Service rangers hired after January 27, according to a group that closely follows news affecting park rangers. If true, the order seems to reverse earlier statements that law enforcement personnel would not be affected by the hiring freeze." To read more, click here.

--WyoFile is reporting that, "In a tie vote, the Wyoming Senate defeated a resolution demanding Congress turn over all federal land in the state but Yellowstone, even after senators amended the measure to exclude Grand Teton National Park and national forests." To read more, click here.

--It appears that Michael Tracy, a youtuber, is attacking John Krakauer through his platform. Krakauer is responding with a series of videos and articles. You can see them here.

--Gripped is reporting that, "Denali National Park, along with other US national parks will have fewer search and rescue workers in 2025. Around 1,000 climbers attempt Denali, North America’s tallest mountain, every year. Denali usually has 12 search and rescue workers, but it looks like it will only have six in 2025. Those search and rescue rangers are also responsible for every other climbing in Denali National Park, which is 2.5 million hectares." To read more, click here.


--Inertia is reporting that, "skiing and snowboarding are the second most expensive sport(s) for kids to participate in, according to a survey from the Aspen Institute. This, of course, shouldn’t be surprising to anybody who’s seen the rising costs of everything from gear to lift tickets in recent years, making the sport appear less and less accessible to most people." To read more, click here.

Posted by Jason Martin at 6:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 2/6/25

Northwest:

--There was an avalanche burial on "the Elbow" outside the Mt. Baker Ski area on Sunday. The person's partners were able to extract the person quickly from the bottom of the "Queen Anne Hill" and there were no injuries.

--It looks like this accident could have been avoided if the bar had been down. From SnowBrains: "A snowboarder sustained non-life-threatening injuries after falling from the Coach chairlift at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area, Idaho, on Friday evening. The incident occurred between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. during night skiing hours." To read more, click here.

--A Squamish local snowboarded and rappelled his way down the Stawamus Chiefs North Gully on Monday. Read more!


--Gear Junkie is reporting that, "For decades, many of the thru-hikers who trek the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) have ended their journey just a few miles over the U.S.-Canada border. Yet they’ll now have to be satisfied with ending their hike at the border — or trekking an extra 62 miles to the closest available border crossing. That’s because the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) changed the rules this week. Previously, hikers could apply in advance for a permit to cross the border on the trail. But the CBSA said Monday that it’s now prohibited to cross the border via the PCT." To read more, click here.

--Arc’teryx is shaking up its leadership team. Learn more.

--It's possible a case in Idaho's Supreme Court could have profound impacts on skier and ski area liability. Read about it here.

Colorado and Utah:

--If you duck the rope in Utah, you can be banned from a ski resort for 30-days. Read about it!

Notes from All Over:

--KSBW 8 is reporting on an accident in California: "A 21-year-old rock climber had to be life-flighted out of the Pinnacles National Park Sunday afternoon after he fell 35 feet; roughly the height of a 3-story building." To read more, click here.

--The NewYork Post is reporting that, "Forest rangers with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said they faced several challenges working to airlift an ice climber after a dangerous fall in the Catskills left him seriously injured and unable to walk. The climber, a 35-year-old man from New Paltz, New York, was climbing alone and without a rope at Buttermilk Falls on Jan. 24 when he fell." To read more, click here.

--Alaska's News Source is reporting that, "a skier was injured and trapped for five hours Friday in an avalanche near Turnagain Pass, according to the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center. The center said the slide struck at roughly 4,000 feet elevation around 1:30 p.m. after the skier had descended approximately 200 vertical feet down East Groundhog Peak — also known as Captain’s Chair — triggering the avalanche, according to the incident report." To read more, click here.

--Backpacker is reporting that, "a Los Angeles-area search and rescue team is urging the public to respect wildfire closures after a hiker called for help from an off-limits trail over the weekend, but says it’s already training for more missions in burned-over zones. In a Facebook post, Altadena Mountain Rescue (AMR) said that it had received its first hiker rescue call since the Eaton Fire on Saturday. A man had attempted to climb the Lower Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain, previously a popular, roughly 5-mile out-and-back hike, but quickly discovered that fire had destroyed the trail." To read more, click here.

--LiftBlog is reporting on an incident in New Hampshire: "a quad chair detached mid-line on Attitash’s Flying Bear lift this afternoon, injuring one person. A photo posted to the Ski the East Facebook page showed the chair and skier fell around tower 6 and he was conscious before being taken down the mountain in a toboggan. A Carroll County scanner alerts Facebook page reported the 49 year old male was transported by ambulance with a lower back injury. Attitash’s lift status page showed the lift closed for the day." To read more, click here.

This album cover was shot after the musician dropped his rope at New River Gorge.


--The UIAA has published a document that lays out what it considers acceptable norms for hiking and climbing. Check it out, here.


--The LA Times is reporting that, "As the Trump administration rushes to cut spending and eliminate federal jobs, even the people who work at the national parks — among the country’s most beloved and least politicized institutions — find themselves directly in the crosshairs. Last week, the seasonal workers who staff 433 national parks and historical sites, including Yosemite, Death Valley and Joshua Tree, began receiving emails saying their job offers for the 2025 season had been “rescinded,” with little further explanation." To read more, click here.

--Rocky Talkie has opened applications for the Search and Rescue awards.

Posted by Jason Martin at 6:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 1/30/25

Northwest:

--CBS News is reporting that, "A 26-year-old man from Washington state who was reported missing in Oregon while climbing one of the most treacherous mountains in the U.S. has been found safe, authorities said. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said rescuers located Brendan Davis, who got separated from his friend in "very foggy" weather Thursday afternoon after they summitted Mount Hood from the Timberline Lodge, through his voice." To read more, click here.

Mt. Hood from Timberline Lodge.

--KATU 2 is reporting that, "Mt. Hood Meadows is facing a lawsuit brought against them by a Portland resident. Theodore S. Plowden-Wardlaw is suing the ski resort for $6.225 million. Mr. Wardlaw claims on Saturday, February 4, 2023, he was coaching skiing when a snowmobile struck him 'at a high rate of speed.' The lawsuit states that the operator of the snowmobile, an employee of Mt. Hood Meadows, 'did not check on Mr. Wardlaw directly, but the operator and other witnesses promptly notified Ski Patrol that there had been a collision and that a skier had been injured.'" To read more, click here.

--A backcountry skier was injured in a significant fall near Stevens Pass this week. Read more.

--KDRV is reporting on a ski accident in Oregon: "A 76-year-old man tragically died on Friday morning after a skiing accident at Mt. Ashland Ski Area. The skier collided with a tree on Windsor Chairline, a trail categorized as "Most Difficult," and sustained fatal injuries. Despite wearing a helmet, the injuries proved to be fatal." To read more, click here.

--A long sought after climb finally went down in the Cascades. The direct west face of Sloan Peak was climbed. Borrowed Time (WI 5, M7) is a line that many alpinists have been looking at for years. Go read the route report. This was an awesome ascent.

--Backpacker is reporting that, "Early this week, Vancouver’s North Shore Rescue received a call about an injured hiker on nearby 4,350-foot Hollyburn Mountain. The hiker had hit an icy snowbank with their foot while glissading —or “bum-sliding,” as the group’s incident report termed it—down the peak. In what must have felt like deja vu, a second rescue team took to the slope the next day after another, nearly identical incident, prompting officials to issue warnings to hikers against taking a shortcut down snowy mountains." NOTE: When glissading, you should be under control, able to see, not wearing crampons, and not sliding on a glacier. To read more, click here.

--Shop Eat Surf Outdoor is reporting that, "the changes at the outdoor industry’s largest retail account continue as REI Co-op CEO Eric Artz announced Wednesday that he will retire in March. Mary Beth Laughton, a former REI board director, will join REI as president on February 3 before assuming full CEO responsibilities on March 31, according to a news release." To read more, click here. In another piece, they discuss what Laughton has in store for her at REI. Note that there's a paywall on this article.

Desert Southwest:

--There was a fatality on the Community Pillar route in Red Rock Canyon. Though it is not listed in the articles, the current belief is that the accident was related to the use of GriGris in a rappel scenario. It's not clear if the person rappelled on the wrong side of a blocked rope, or if this was some kind of simul-rappel accident. To read about the incident and another incident nearby, click here.

--Arizona's SnowBowl has weekday ski tickets with prices as low as $19. Read more.

Colorado and Utah:

--Outside is reporting that, "Visitors were greeted with long lift lines and minimal open terrain at Park City ski resort when the ski patrol union went on strike. One dissatisfied guest has filed a class action lawsuit against parent company Vail Resorts, Inc., for ruining his family’s trip." To read more, click here.

--The Denver Post is reporting that, "Completing a trail encircling Pikes Peak and expanding camping opportunities in the shadow of the landmark locals call “America’s Mountain” are expected to be the first priorities of a new partnership between Colorado Parks and Wildlife and other public land managers in the Pikes Peak region. Gov. Jared Polis announced the collaboration involving CPW, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, nearby municipalities, counties and other agencies last week in his annual State of the State message." To read more, click here.

--Climbing is reporting that, "A weekly sanctuary for aspiring women and nonbinary climbers at Utah State University (USU) vanished last week—not due to lack of interest or funding, but because it’s now outlawed in the state of Utah. Officials canceled the popular Women’s Climb Night program to comply with Utah’s new anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) legislation, which prohibits state-funded institutions from offering gender-specific programming." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--A skier suffered a fatal fall at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Read more.

There is only one name for this mountain: Denali.

--Changing Denali's name is not popular in Alaska. From National Parks Traveler: "the Alaska House of Representatives passed a resolution yesterday urging President Trump to refrain from changing Mount Denali's name to Mount McKinley. The resolution passed comfortably with a bipartisan vote of 28-10." To read more, click here.

--The National Parks Traveler is reporting that, "legislation was introduced Thursday in the U.S. House of Representatives to strip presidents of their authority under The Antiquities Act to designate national monuments. The measure, introduced by Reps. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, and Mark Amodei, R-Nevada, would rewrite the act to say only Congress has the authority to designate national monuments." To read more, click here.

--The National Parks Traveler is reporting that, "More than 1,000 seasonal positions for the National Park Service have been put on hold by the Trump administration, which is notifying those told they had jobs that the offers they received have been withdrawn. While the Office of Management and Budget early this week said seasonal positions wouldn't be affected by the hiring freeze implemented by the new administration, on Thursday "people all over the country who had been hired as seasonals for many, many parks got a notification over email that their job offer that they had was rescinded," Kristen Brengel, senior vice president at the National Parks Conservation Association, told the Traveler on Friday." To read more, click here.

Mt. Everest from Basecamp

--Gear Junkie is reporting that, "A group of commercial Everest climbers plan to complete their climb in a week by chemically boosting their acclimatization and performance using a new method: They will sip xenon gas just before the climb and then push straight for the summit." Using this extremely expensive therapy, participants hope to climb the mountain in three days. To read more, click here.

--National Parks Traveler is reporting that, "Jessica Bowron, a National Park Service veteran who has been serving as the agency's comptroller, has been named acting director of the agency. 'I am honored to exercise the delegated authority of the National Park Service director to ensure the continuity of the critical work you all do as we support President Trump and his administration," Bowron said in an email to the Park Service workforce. "I know you all have many questions about what is to come. Our senior leadership team is working closely with the [Interior] Department to understand how to implement the recently signed executive orders and additional directives. We will issue guidance as we learn more. In the meantime, I urge you to remain patient and refrain from speculation and planning for contingencies until we have official guidance.'" To read more, click here.

--A writer at The Inertia wants the ski industry to rethink the cost of skiing to the consumer. Read the article here.

Upcoming AAI Programs:
Posted by Jason Martin at 6:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 1/16/25

Northwest:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "A skier suffered multiple major injuries after triggering a large avalanche just outside the boundary of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, British Columbia, on Saturday, January 11. The incident occurred around 12:40 p.m. when a group ventured into a notoriously complex area known as Terminator 2.5." It does appear that an airbag saved this skier. Read more.

--The Oregonian is reporting that, "a 65-year-old skier who says he plummeted during windy weather from a chairlift onto the ground below filed a $3.6 million lawsuit Friday against Willamette Pass ski resort, saying he suffered a fractured spine and has undergone a grueling recovery." To read more, click here.

--Bicycle Retailer and others are reporting that, "REI Co-op announced it will close its Experiences division that includes adventure travel, day tours, and classes. The decision was announced in an email to employees Wednesday from President and CEO Eric Artz and will mean the elimination of 428 full- and part-time jobs in that division." To read more, click here.

--SF Gate is reporting that, "in December, rangers from the U.S. Forest Service encountered an unexpected climber: a goose attempting to summit Mount Shasta. According to a Jan. 12 post on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest’s Facebook page, Forest Service rangers Nick Meyers and Eric Falconer of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center were on routine patrol when they came upon “their first attempted ascent of Mount Shasta by a goose.” Found at around 10,000 feet in the Old Ski Bowl area, the goose appeared to have flown off course and was described in a social media post as a 'particularly unprepared Mount Shasta climber.'" To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--A skier died at Mt. Rose last week in an accident. There is no further information aside from the deceased's name. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--There was a speed ascent of the bouldering problem the Plummer's Crack in Las Vegas. It's kinda funny to watch. Check it out.

--Soooo...somebody found a snowboard in Joshua Tree.

--Fox 5 Las Vegas is reporting that, "he National Park Service for Death Valley is searching for a person who illegally drove over the Eureka Dunes, which is home to an endangered plant. Park officials say the incident happened either in late December or early January. Rangers say the vehicles caused “significant” damage to rare plants that are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--ArtNet is reporting that, "Utah authorities are seeking more information about a climber who installed climbing bolts into the site of an ancient petroglyph. The petroglyphs, which are carvings made by ancient Native Americans into the patina of desert rock, depict pregnant sheep and are located off U.S. Highway 40 in rural northeastern Utah near the Colorado border." To read more, click here.

Petroglyphs in Utah.

--Utah Public Radio is reporting that, "Last month, federal agencies issued their final verdict on the proposed Northern Corridor Highway: Building a road through the protected Red Cliffs National Conservation Area will not be permitted. While this has been welcomed by many conservation organizations, one unpopular outcome of the decision is that Zone 6, a 3,400-acre area located less than 10 miles away from Red Cliffs, is no longer under the temporary protection which was contingent on the Northern Corridor’s approval. This means that Zone 6 — which contains a renowned bouldering area called Moe’s Valley and some of St. George’s most popular hiking and mountain biking trails — could now be sold, developed, and potentially destroyed." To read more, click here.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "Skiers on the Schoolmarm trail at Keystone Resort on Monday, January 6,  encountered an unexpected obstacle: an abandoned Audi sports car. The unusual sight was the result of a GPS error that led the vehicle’s driver onto the ski trail late Sunday night." To read more, click here.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "the Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol Union (ABSPU) has officially voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA) 7781 United Mountain Workers, marking a significant step for the ski patrol team in their push for fair representation and better working conditions." To read more, click here.
 
Notes from All Over:

--Every January Climbing does a tribute to the climbers lost throughout the preceding year. You can see that tribute here.

--Jackson Hole News and Guide is reporting that, "Ron Matous, the climbing guide, writer and avalanche instructor in Kelly known as much for his intellect as his prowess in the mountains, died Dec. 18. He was 72 years old. A former climbing ranger and Outward Bound instructor, Matous scaled peaks in Europe, Alaska, Asia and South America, in addition to the Tetons. He was a patrolman at the Jackson Hole and Snow King ski resorts and taught safety courses for the American Avalanche Institute for 20 years." To read more, click here.

--E and E News is reporting that, "Elon Musk is targeting the Sierra Club as President-elect Donald Trump and his allies continue to blame environmental policies for worsening the impacts of the wildfires devastating Southern California. Musk, one of Trump’s closest confidants who plans to work with the incoming administration to downsize the federal government, blasted the environmental advocacy group on social media Friday." To read more, click here.

--The Snow Industry Association has identified snowboarding as the most diverse sport. From Surf Eat Surf, "Notable diversity patterns across winter sports participation highlights that among snowboarding participants, Hispanic women comprise 25% of all female snowboard participants, representing the highest proportion of female participants in any snowsport. Similarly noteworthy is that Black male snowboarders make up 13% of male participants, which stands as the highest proportion of male participants across all winter sports disciplines. The study also found significant Hispanic representation in cross-country skiing, with more than 20% of all female participants identifying as Hispanic." To read more, click here.

Posted by Jason Martin at 6:00 AM 0 comments
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