--Pronghorn antelope one day could again roam swaths of Eastern Washington, although not as soon as longtime supporters of reintroduction have hoped. Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife recently began the process to develop an environmental impact statement on the feasability of reintroducing the native species. Pronghorns have been extirpated from the state from the 1930s to the 1960s, but a population never was sustained. To read more, click here.
-- Arrest warrants have been issued for a Vancouver man and his son accused of attacking a cross-country skier, taking his car and leaving him for dead. The Skamania County sheriff's office says the warrants want Michael Collins and his son Teven Collins held for investigation of attempted murder and robbery. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
--Park Officials have now estimated the size of a recent Yosemite rockfall that was big enough to register on earthquake scales. On March 8, 2009, a large rockfall occurred from Ahwiyah Point near Half Dome. Rocks fell roughly 1,800 feet, knocking down hundreds of trees and burying hundreds of feet of trail on the southern portion of the Mirror Lake Loop Trail. The impact generated ground shaking equivalent to a magnitude 2.4 earthquake. To read more, click here
Alaska:
--Alaska's Mount Redboubt continues to rumble and spew ash, but recent reports from air taxis in the Alaska range indicate that this will not have an impact on the Alaska season. The following is from the Alaska Volcano Observatory report on the mountain's activity:
--The Anchorage Daily News recently reported a harrowing tale of bravery. Greg Nappi and Joe Butler were climbing a spring ice route on the west face of The Mitre, a 6,551-foot peak that rises above Eklutna Glacier in Chugach State Park. Butler slipped an fell nearly a thousand feet. Nappi was forced to rescue his friend, lowering him down the mountain and caring for him until help arrived. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Podclimber.com just posted their second video of from the Red Rock Rendezvous. The American Alpine Institute is prominently featured in this video. Note the green jackets of AAI guides as well as the interviews of AAI guides Richard Riquelme, Dawn Glanc and Kristen Looper. To see the video, click here.
--Between March 8th and 15th, the Norwegian Alpine club sponsored forty climbers from around to world in Loftoten, Norway for a climbing meet-up. The event was put together by Marius Morstad and was billed as part of a series of events he has entitled Marius Magical Mystery Tours." The result was dozens of new rock and ice routes. To read more, click here.
--A Saturday climb on New Hampshire's famous Tuckerman's Ravine nearly turned fatal for two climbers who were swept down the mountain by an avalanche. According to rangers from the U.S. Forest Service, the climbers came well prepared for the ascent. Both were climbing a steep snow route known as "Dodge's Drop" when the accident occured. To read more, click here. The following video details the route known as Dodge's Drop on Mount Washington:
--The New York Times recently ran an extensive article on the bouldering at Hueco Tanks in Texas. The article delves into the problems with archioligical finds in the area and how those have affected the sport. To read the article, click here.
--Three Sherpa brothers hoping to set a new record by spending 24 hours at the top of the world set out Sunday for the summit of Mount Everest. The trio - Pemba Dorje, 31; Nima Gyalzen, 23; and Phurba Tenzing, 20 - boarded a plane in Katmandu, Nepal's capital, and flew to a small airport on the foothills of Everest. They were expected to trek to the base camp with their team, climbing gear and supplies in the next few days. The brothers plan to reach the 29,035-foot (8,850-meter) summit in May and spend 24 hours at the top, known as "the death zone" because of the extreme weather. Most climbers linger there for only a few minutes, just long enough to take a photograph. To read more, click here.
-- Arrest warrants have been issued for a Vancouver man and his son accused of attacking a cross-country skier, taking his car and leaving him for dead. The Skamania County sheriff's office says the warrants want Michael Collins and his son Teven Collins held for investigation of attempted murder and robbery. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
--Park Officials have now estimated the size of a recent Yosemite rockfall that was big enough to register on earthquake scales. On March 8, 2009, a large rockfall occurred from Ahwiyah Point near Half Dome. Rocks fell roughly 1,800 feet, knocking down hundreds of trees and burying hundreds of feet of trail on the southern portion of the Mirror Lake Loop Trail. The impact generated ground shaking equivalent to a magnitude 2.4 earthquake. To read more, click here
Alaska:
--Alaska's Mount Redboubt continues to rumble and spew ash, but recent reports from air taxis in the Alaska range indicate that this will not have an impact on the Alaska season. The following is from the Alaska Volcano Observatory report on the mountain's activity:
The eruption of Redoubt volcano continues. Seismic data over the past day is indicative of continued lava dome growth. Clouds obscure views of the volcano by satellite and web cameras today. A low-level steam and gas plume that may contain small amounts of ash is likely present.
Additional significant explosive events with accompanying ash clouds, ash fall, and mudflows are possible and can occur with little or no warning. AVO will maintain 24/7 operations in order to quickly detect renewed significant explosive activity and other hazardous phenomena.
--The Anchorage Daily News recently reported a harrowing tale of bravery. Greg Nappi and Joe Butler were climbing a spring ice route on the west face of The Mitre, a 6,551-foot peak that rises above Eklutna Glacier in Chugach State Park. Butler slipped an fell nearly a thousand feet. Nappi was forced to rescue his friend, lowering him down the mountain and caring for him until help arrived. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Podclimber.com just posted their second video of from the Red Rock Rendezvous. The American Alpine Institute is prominently featured in this video. Note the green jackets of AAI guides as well as the interviews of AAI guides Richard Riquelme, Dawn Glanc and Kristen Looper. To see the video, click here.
--Between March 8th and 15th, the Norwegian Alpine club sponsored forty climbers from around to world in Loftoten, Norway for a climbing meet-up. The event was put together by Marius Morstad and was billed as part of a series of events he has entitled Marius Magical Mystery Tours." The result was dozens of new rock and ice routes. To read more, click here.
--A Saturday climb on New Hampshire's famous Tuckerman's Ravine nearly turned fatal for two climbers who were swept down the mountain by an avalanche. According to rangers from the U.S. Forest Service, the climbers came well prepared for the ascent. Both were climbing a steep snow route known as "Dodge's Drop" when the accident occured. To read more, click here. The following video details the route known as Dodge's Drop on Mount Washington:
--The New York Times recently ran an extensive article on the bouldering at Hueco Tanks in Texas. The article delves into the problems with archioligical finds in the area and how those have affected the sport. To read the article, click here.
--Three Sherpa brothers hoping to set a new record by spending 24 hours at the top of the world set out Sunday for the summit of Mount Everest. The trio - Pemba Dorje, 31; Nima Gyalzen, 23; and Phurba Tenzing, 20 - boarded a plane in Katmandu, Nepal's capital, and flew to a small airport on the foothills of Everest. They were expected to trek to the base camp with their team, climbing gear and supplies in the next few days. The brothers plan to reach the 29,035-foot (8,850-meter) summit in May and spend 24 hours at the top, known as "the death zone" because of the extreme weather. Most climbers linger there for only a few minutes, just long enough to take a photograph. To read more, click here.
