Northwest:
White Pass proposed expansion into Hogback Basin.
--A federal judge approved a request by the management of the
White Pass Ski Resort to expand lift service into Hogback Basin, an area popular for its seclusion with backcountry skiers and an area popular for it's ecological diversity with environmentalists. Our favorite quote of the article was from White Pass President Kevin McCarthy, "the backcountry skiers just want to be left alone in this area and we find that incredibly selfish." And so by his logic, expanding a massive resort into a pristine area in order to make more money isn't selfish. To read more,
click here. To see what the skiing and climbing community is saying about this
click here and
here.
Forest Troll -- Photo by Gil Aegerter
Ghost Face -- Photo by Josh Smestad--The popular hiking website,
nwhikers.net has an interesting thread this week. Members of the site are posting pictures of trees that look like faces. To see these pictures,
click here.
The final pitch at the top of Lemolo Peak (Southeast Summit Mox) V 5.10- R
Photo by Eric Wehrly
--Last weekend Rolf Larson and
Eric Wehrly made their way to a remote region of the Cascades and climbed a new route on a the Southeast summit of Mox Peak. This is an epic place that is difficult to get to where the rock is loose and the climbing is not always secure. Wehrly wrote a very understated
trip report on the climb that makes for a great read. Former AAI shop employee Mike Layton made an ascent of the East Face of Mox Peak three years ago. At the time it was the largest unclimbed wall in the Cascades. Indeed, Fred Beckey said of the area, that "it was a good place for a funeral." To read about Mike's ascent,
click here.
--A 72-year-old man from Chilliwack, British Columbia, was rescued on Mount Baker Monday, Sept. 15, after falling about 25 feet into a crevasse. To read more,
click here and
here.
--Bellingham climber Blake Herrington has been getting out quite a bit. In recent weeks he has been responsible for two first ascents in the Cascades. First he climbed a new line on Colchuck Balanced Rock and then he completed a new line on the Silver Horn. The Tempest Wall clocks in at Grade IV 5.10 A2. And Playin' Not Sprayin' clocks in at Grade III 5.10. To read about the Tempest Wall,
click here. To read about Playin' Not Sprayin',
click here.
--A columnist at the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer wrote that the North Cascades National Park Complex needs an advocate. The writer states that those who helped the park become a reality are slowly dying off and there doesn't appear to be a new generation to pick up the cause. To read more,
click here.
Southwest:--In early Septmeber, petty criminals have targeted small cabins in the
Sierra foothills, destroying property and the mountain community’s sense of security. Vehicle and cabin windows were destroyed at points in the Sierra from Bishop to Big Pine and a high-altitude laboratory in the White Mountains was damaged, all for no apparent reason. The crime appears to have stopped as swiftly as it started. To read more,
click here.
--After a number of years of research and review, the federal government has provided Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep additional habitat to fuel their recovery. On Aug. 5, a ruling from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) finalized designation of 417,577 acres of land throughout the Sierra Nevada range as critical habitat for the endangered animal. To read more,
click here.
Notes from All Over:--Nicola Tondini, a respected Dolomite climber, has completed a free traditional ascent of La Perla Preziosa (The Precious Pearl 5.12a) on the west face of the Sass dia Crusc (9,268') in the Italian Dolomites. To read more,
click here.
--Calling all creative minds! The
Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is looking for a new slogan. They have initiated a contest with a few cool outdoor-type prizes for the winner. To read more,
click here.
--
National Public Radio ran a story on Tuesday morning about river guides in the Grand Canyon. Their lives are surprisingly similar to that of mountain guides. To listen to the story,
click here.
--Slovenians Andrej and Tanja Grmovsek put up a series of new routes in the Hermelndal at the head of the Tasermiut Fjord in South Greenland. This seldom visited area presented the team with massive walls. Big wall routes in the area had already required over 30 pitches of climbing by other teams.
Holly Martin -- AAI Guide Jason Martin's daughter -- eats snow on Mount Charleston, NV.
It seems like the children of both our guides and our climbers don't really need a special occasion to take their kids outside this week or next. They just do it!
--September 24-September 30th is Take a Child Outside week. This program was designed to help break down obstacles that keep children from discovering the natural world. By arming parents, teachers and other caregivers with resources on outdoor activities, the goal is to help children across the country develop a better understanding and appreciation of the environment in which they live, and a burgeoning enthusiasm for its exploration. To read more,
click here.
