Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- August 25, 2008

Northwest:

Mount Rainier

--Throughout the summer the speed record on Mount Rainier has been repeatedly challenged and broken. And though big wall speed ascents in Yosemite have been in vogue for years, Chad Kellogg was one of the first climbers to bring notoriety to speed ascents on big mountains in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. To read about Kellogg and his tactics for round trip summit and back speed runs up and down Mount Rainier, click here.

--U.S. Forest Service law enforcement ranger Kristine Fairbanks, 51, was shot and killed on Saturday on a remote road near Sequim in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains. Fairbanks, a K9 officer, was killed by a man she pulled over in a traffic stop. Shawn Roe, 36, the man believed to have shot the officer, was killed in a shoot-out with police later in the day. Roe was also suspected in the death of the individual that owned the truck which he was driving. To read more, click here and here.

--Two rescue operations took place over the weekend in Snohomish County. A man fell down a glacier on Three Fingers while another fell from his horse. Nearly 75 rescuers in two operations were coordinated to rescue the men. To read more, click here and here.

--Three Grays Harbor County men have entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for conspiring to steal and damage 31 old-growth cedar trees in the Olympic National Forest. In essence they cut the trees down and then tried to sell them to timber mills. To read more, click here.

Southwest:

Wheeler Peak, NV. NE Face. FA "Siens et de la Biere" IV 5.9 R/X Layton/Waters

-- Former AAI shop employee Mike Layton and Brian Waters put up a new line on Wheeler Peak in Northern Nevada last week. The 1800 foot tall Northeast face of Wheeler is 1800 feet tall and only sports one other route. The rock is is utterly terrible and the party found the climb to be at times absolutely terrifying. To read more, click here.

Mike Layton leads a pitch high on Wheeler Peak.

--Supertopo.com is currently has a thread running that features a photo essay on the Sierras. The essay was put together by an individual who has been taking scenic shots of the Sierra since 1983. To see the photos, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--An English climber sustained minor injuries after taking a 52 foot fall off a popular route at the Bosigran Wall in Cornwall, England. The climber's cam -- a Rock Empire number 1 – failed due to metal fatigue caused by flexing. The technical report indicated that the design of the device made it difficult for users to check for signs of potential problems. It is incredibly important to constantly check your gear for signs of wear. To read more, click here.

--New species of plant and animal life are often found in the remote places of the world, but what about in places that are not so remote? What about in places like Yosemite National Park? It turns out that a new species of lichen has been discovered on some of the most well-known formations in the valley. It is not clear if such a species lives anywhere else in the world. To read more, click here.

--Ryan Hokanson and Samuel Johnson completed two massive climbs in the Arrigetch Peaks in Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park. After a two-day approach with 95 pound packs, the team warmed up on the North Buttress of West Maiden (V 5.9). After completing the 22 pitch line, they set their sights on a new line. After a 27 hour push they established The Pillar Arete (V 5.10b) on the eastern side of Caliban Peak. To read more, click here.

--Carles Figueras, Pep Permane and Josep Sola made the first ascent of an unnamed peak (18,989') above the Kunti Glacier in northern Pakistan. They made their ascent up the steep rock face from August 1-3 and climbed alpine style. To read more, click here.

--A series of new routes went up in the Canadian Rockies this summer. Many of those who climb in this region tend to sandbag climbs. The Rockies are famous for 5.9 A2 routes which would be 5.11 A3+ R/X anywhere else. That said, the new routes that were established this summer run the gamut of grades. To read more, click here.