Thursday, September 25, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/25/2025

Northwest:

--Former AAI Guides Lani Chapko and Sam Boyce recently made a first ascent of a new route on Mt. Redoubt. Calcifer Ridge clocks in at Grade III and 5.7, though it's mostly low-fifth class climbing. Read more, here.

October 11th is the Annual Icicle Canyon Cleanup! More Information.

Sierra:

--The Los Angeles Times is reporting that a Seattle man has been missing in the Sierra for a significant amount of time. He was last reported to be attempting the Palisade Traverse. To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--The Denver Post is reporting on a climbing accident on Saturday in the Clear Creek area. "Idaho Springs police are investigating a fatal climbing accident after a person fell from a route along a nearby state highway, according to the department." To read more, click here.

--Outdoor Life is reporting that, "The two missing elk hunters, whose bodies were found Thursday after a six-day search in southern Colorado, died from a lighting strike, according to an update from the fiancé of one of the hunters. Although an official statement on the cause of death has yet to be released by Conejos County, the Denver Post reports that county coroner Richard Martin confirmed lightning killed Andrew Porter and Ian Stasko, both 25." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--Non Stop Local Billings is reporting that, "Red Lodge Fire Rescue responded to an injured climber at the Confluence Crag near the Lions Camp on the Lake Fork of Rock Creek on Sunday afternoon, September 21." To read more, click here.

--SnowBrains is reporting that, "more than six months after a devastating avalanche in Alaska’s Chugach Mountains claimed the lives of three heli-skiers, recovery teams have been unable to bring their bodies home. The slide struck March 4 near the west fork of the Twentymile River outside Girdwood, burying three longtime friends beneath an estimated 40 to 100 feet of snow. The victims were identified as David Linder, 39, of Florida; Charles Eppard, 39, of Montana; and Jeremy Leif, 38, of Minnesota. The men grew up together in Minnesota and were skiing with Girdwood-based Chugach Powder Guides when the avalanche occurred." To read more, click here.

--SGB Media is reporting that, "At Amer Sports’ Investor Day held on Thursday, September 18, at Arc’teryx’s headquarters in Vancouver, BC, Stuart Haselden, CEO of Arc’teryx, outlined a “Global Brand” vision to expand the outdoor brand’s revenues to $5 billion by 2030. Arc’teryx’s sales surpassed $2 billion annually for the first time in 2024. Amer Sports’ overall Technical Apparel segment, led by Arc’teryx and including Peak Performance, recorded sales of $2.19 billion, up 35.9 percent from $1.61 billion in the prior year." To read more, click here.

--Speaking of Arc'teryx, NBC News is reporting that, "Officials in Tibet are investigating after the Canadian outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx set off fireworks in the Himalayas in a publicity stunt that was widely criticized over its potential impact on the environment. The fireworks display, called the “Ascending Dragon,” was staged Friday by Arc’teryx and the prominent Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang at an altitude of about 18,000 feet in the Himalayas, a highly fragile and unstable ecosystem in southwest Tibet, according to Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency." To read more, click here.

Upcoming Programs:

Denali - West Buttress
Ecuador Skills Expedition
Kilimanjaro
Rock Climbing in Red Rock Canyon
Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership
Alpinism I: Introduction to Mountaineering
Mt. Baker Skills and Climb
Rescue Programs
Discounts and Special Offers
Mountain Center Events

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/18/2025

Northwest:

--The Oregonian is reporting that, "Lawyers for a 4-year-old girl who suffered a concussion and several broken bones when another skier crashed into her filed a $4.6 million lawsuit last week against Hoodoo Ski Area near Sisters. The litigation is the latest in a string of lawsuits filed against Oregon ski resorts, adding to an intensifying climate of worry for the businesses. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

The Inertia is reporting that, "Yosemite National Park employees vented frustration about working conditions in a report by POLITICO’s E&E News, citing staff cuts, vacant positions amid rising visitation, pressure to mislead the public, and disagreement on park management policies. Federal officials, however, dispute nearly every claim, insisting operations are running smoothly in California’s emblematic granite valley." To read more, click here.

El Cap at Dawn in Yosemite

--Taylor Martin has just established her third solo big wall first ascent in Yosemite. Read more.

Colorado and Utah:

--Business Wire is reporting that, "Today, Alterra Mountain Company, the world’s premier mountain operating company, announces its continued commitment to the guest, employee, and community experience with a capital investment program of over $400 million. The investments are focused on the evolution of Deer Valley Resort in Utah, on-mountain enhancements across the portfolio, and employee benefits." To read more, click here.

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/11/2025

Northwest:


--AAI's 50-year anniversary gear sale, marker's market and mountain festival is this weekend at AAI's headquarters in Bellingham. Learn more.

--A 9-year-old girl has sent a 12a trad route in Squamish. Read about it here.

Sierra:

--Gripped is reporting that, "the National Park Service (NPS) has released the numbers and so far this year is one of the busiest ever in Yosemite National Park. Visitation through August totalled 2,919,722 visits, an increase of 7 per cent compared to the same period in 2024 (2,727,496 visitors). With the exception of February when winter storms limited access, Yosemite’s 2025 monthly visitation numbers have outpaced 2024 numbers every month and the park is on track for one of the busiest years on record." To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--The Nevada Independent is reporting that, "Recently, political leaders gathered for the annual Lake Tahoe Summit, celebrating one of Nevada’s most iconic destinations and discussing the importance of sustainability in outdoor recreation.  It’s a conversation our state urgently needs. Nevada’s burgeoning outdoor economy, which sustains thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars, depends on preserving magnificent places such as Lake Tahoe. But our state now faces a storm of threats that puts this economic activity and Nevada’s most cherished places at risk." To read more, click here.

Colorado and Utah:

--The Inertia is reporting that, "a years-long court battle concluded last week between Vail Resorts and a Colorado skier who was left paralyzed after falling from a chairlift in 2022. The Colorado jury awarded Annie Miller $12.4 million. She was 16 when her accident occurred at Crested Butte, overturning a 2023 decision in court that cited the resort’s liability waiver had absolved the mountain of duty of care and negligence." To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--Gear Junkie is running an article on whether you should by an Icon or Epic pass this year. Read about it, here.

--SFGATE is reporting that, "a speed runner who cut a switchback on a record-breaking sprint up and down the highest peak in Grand Teton National Park last year is guilty, a Wyoming judge ruled Tuesday. Michelino Sunseri, a North Face-sponsored athlete and resident of Driggs, Idaho, has now been convicted of a misdemeanor and faces a fine of up to $5,000 or up to six months in jail. A sentencing hearing hasn’t been set yet, and Sunseri’s lawyers at the Pacific Legal Foundation, a legal organization that focuses on appellate litigation, will likely appeal the verdict." To read more, click here.

--The New York Times is reporting that, "Two months after the July 4 floods that devastated central Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed a package of summer camp safety laws that proponents say would have prevented many deaths in the camps and campgrounds that line the Guadalupe River." To read more, click here.