Thursday, March 27, 2025

Conditions and News from Here and Abroad - 3/27/2025

Northwest:

--The National Post and others are reporting that, "A deadly avalanche that swept over heli-skiers in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains on Monday, killing three, was a reminder that even with experience and the right gear “something can surprise you,” a rescue manager said. RCMP said in a news release that the slide came down on the east side of Kootenay Lake in southeast B.C., burying the skiers." To read more, click here.

--Teton Gravity Research is reporting that, "Summer skiing on the Horstman Glacier at Whistler Blackcomb, BC, has been an institution for decades. The glacier was one of the only spots in North America for skiers and snowboarders to train and ride through the off-season, drawing some of the biggest names in freestyle and racing. Now, glacial retreat is bringing that glorious era of consistent summer riding to an end. In a blog post, Momentum Camps announced that its operations on the Horstman Glacier are indefinitely suspended. Whistler Blackcomb has confirmed it can no longer maintain summer glacier skiing due to severe snowpack depletion and glacial recession, which have made lift access and safety overwhelmingly difficult." To read more, click here.

--Here's a cool trip report about a new mixed line in BC.


Desert Southwest:

--NPR is reporting that, "The Trump administration has sparked confusion over the future of two national monuments in California that President Biden designated before he left office. Biden established Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument on Jan. 14, protecting land considered sacred by area tribes." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--The Boulder County Sheriff's Office is reporting that, "On March 23, 2025 about 3:15pm Boulder County Regional Communication Center received a 911 text of an injured fallen climber, in the 33700 blk. of Boulder Canyon Dr. (Rivera climbing area) Boulder County. While Deputies and emergency personnel were responding , more 911 texts were received stating CPR was in progress and the party was unresponsive. A 41 year old male from Golden, Colorado was climbing with his family and friends in this area. The male was found unresponsive after what appeared to be a fall from 20 feet and died from his injuries." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "a young snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche on Seattle Ridge in Turnagain Pass, Alaska, on Saturday, March 22. The incident occurred at 2:34 p.m. when the Alaska State Troopers received a report of the fatality. The boy triggered the avalanche while riding with a group on the backside of the ridge, northwest of the Seward Highway." To read more, click here.

--Yahoo News is reporting that, "on March 20, 2025, the REI Union announced that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) had filed a complaint that REI has violated federal labor laws by withholding merit raises and summit pay from employees at unionized stores across the United States. These benefits have been a significant component of REI’s employee benefits package for over a decade and have been unlawfully withheld from unionized employees since they initiated bargaining." To read more, click here.


--Outside is reporting that, "throughout 2024 and 2025, a litany of outdoor gear brands—from Patagonia to Orvis to REI—have announced revenue shortfalls, downsized their staff, or shuttered altogether. The Outdoor Retailer Trade Show—one of the industry’s biggest events—declared in September that it would drop to just one show per year, combining its summer and winter gear conventions into a single annual event. The turmoil has generated local and national headlines. It’s also forced many workers, from entry-level employees to business owners, to analyze the micro and macroeconomic forces that are putting financial pressure on businesses." To read more, click here.

--It appears that routesetters at the Touchstone Climbing Gym in LA are on strike. Read about it.

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