Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- November 27, 2008

Happy Turkey Day!

You know what Turkey Day means? Yes, it means turkey and stuffing, but it also means something else. It means that all of the desert climbing areas throughout the west are swarming with people. Many people take the whole week off to get away to the desert sun. If you are anywhere near Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Joshua Tree National Park, Smith Rock State Park, Zion National Park or Indian Creek, you're probably competing for routes...but you're also probably having a lot of fun!



Northwest:

--The Washington State Board on Geographic Names recently approved the renaming of a mountain near Darrington in Snohomish County after Ira Spring, a deceased author who penned innumerable backpacking guides and was a fierce proponent of wilderness preservation. Spring died in Edmonds in 2003 at age 84. To read more, click here.

A skier at Snoqualmie Pass Ski Resort in some previous season.
There currently is very little snow in the Cascades.

--Snoqualmie Pass Ski Resort recently received Forest Service approval to expand their resort with nine new and rebuilt ski lifts. They also plan to expand night skiing, add a mountain-top restaurant and improve visitor-services buildings. To read more, click here.

--James MacDonald Jr. -- a professor who studied geology around Negro Creek near Blewett Pass -- is trying to have the name of the stream changed. The professor applied to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to change the name to Etienne Creek. Antoine Etienne was a former slave who found gold in the creek in the 1870s. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--Renowned climber Dean Potter recently made the first free solo ascent of the Alien Roof (5.12b) on the Rostrum in Yosemite National Park. While most free soloists have no room for error, Potter has developed an unusual technique to protect himself. The soloist wears a 5-pound BASE parachute rig which he would employ should he fall. To read more, click here. To see a topo of the route, click here. This individual is well known for his stunts. Following is a short video of Potter slacklining without any protection in Yosemite Valley.

--Two men have recently been sentenced for attempting to use dogs in order to hunt bears out of season. On July 26, Gerald Hill and Daniel Johnson were cited after Fish and Game implemented an elaborate sting operation to catch hunters out of season. To read more, click here.

South America:

--On November 1st, Bolivian climbers got together for the first annual Rock Star Festival. Participants dressed up like real rock stars such as Axel Rose, Slash, Boy George and others while competing in "normal" climber festival activities. To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

A climber high on Mount Everest
Photo by Guy Cotter

--China has significantly increased the number of border police on the north side of Mount Everest. The Chinese media is reporting that this is a direct response to increasing cases of theft, prostitution and gambling. Last year Chinese authorities pledged to increase police presence following repeated reports of theft. However, this is not their only mandate. In October of 2006, Chinese border guards were filmed by Western hikers in the area firing at and apparently killing at least one Tibetan who was trying to cross into Nepal. To read more, click here.

--The Rowell Award for the Art of Adventure honors that adventurer whose artistic passion illuminates the wild places of the world, and whose accomplishments significantly benefit both the environment and the peoples who inhabit these lands and regions. This $15,000 annual cash award will be presented to an individual selected by a panel of active and influential members of the outdoor adventure world. Artist nominations may be made until December 31st, 2008. To find out more, click here.

--Recently an article on Standard.net featured world renowned climber Jeff Lowe. Lowe is no longer climbing at the level that he once was. Instead he is focused on his work with Ogden Climbing Parks while fighting a personal battle with a degenerative brain disease. To read more, click here.

--Jennifer Lowe-Anker's memoir Forget Me Not recently won the National Outdoor Book Award (NOBA) for outdoor literature. In 1999, Lowe's husband, Alex Lowe (not to be confused with Jeff Lowe, who is unrelated) was killed in an avalanche on Shishapangma. The book is the story of her life, both before and after her husband's death. To read more, click here.

A beta photo of Mothers Buttress from Mountainproject.com
Photo and Captions by Matthew Seymour

--Mothers Buttress, a major crag in Unaweep Canyon near Grand Junction, Colorado, has been sold to the Western Colorado Climbers’ Coalition (WCCC) by the parcel's new owners, John and Marti Peterson of Gunnison, Colorado. Local climbers formed a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in part to purchase the land so climbers may access the granite climbing area in perpetuity. With grants from the Access Fund, REI, and donations from the National Outdoor Leadership School, as well as gifts from several individuals, the WCCC raised money and in-kind donations to help move the deal forward. To read more, click here.