--A hiker reported missing on Mount Pilchuck has been found safe and in good condition. Snohomish County sheriff's Lt. Rodney C. Rochon says the 30-year-old man was located by a search party on horseback at 10:43 a.m. Sunday. The hiker had been missing since the previous day. To read more, click here.
Jens Holsten on Dragons of Eden during an ascent last year. The route recently went free.Photo by Sol Wertkin
--Jens Holsten and Sol Wertkin recently made the first free ascent of Dragons of Eden (5.12 R) on Dragontail Peak. The route was originally put-up in 1989 by Bob McGown and Wayne Wallace, who free-climbed up to 5.11 but needed aid to get through some of the crux sections. To read more, click here and to read the report from the original ascent, click here.
--The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest banned open campfires and restricted smoking this week. "We need to take precautions for public safety," said Forest Supervisor Rob Iwamoto. "These steps are based on weather projections and conditions on the ground." Fuel moisture has been at historic lows and the National Weather Service predicts more hot and dry conditions ahead. To read more, click here.
--The Seattle Times recently reported on an unusual pairing, environmentalists and logging companies. It appears that conservationists are partnering with timber companies on deals, and environmentalists are praising "working forests," the friendly new term for clear-cuts — in order to stave off development. To read more, click here.
--Climber Trey Werner was on the Hoh River approach to Mount Olympus when he and his brother discovered that their waterfilter was clogged. The borthers subsequently had to borrow filters in order to drink clean water on the long trek to and from the mountain. Trey sent us the following note for the Northwest climbing and hiking community:
A BIG Thank you to all of the generous people that had lent me their water filters between July 29th & 30th at the Olympus Guard Station on the Hoh River as mine was clogged before the trip. You all were a life saver!!!!Sierra:
--There have been a number of search and rescue activities in the Inyo National Forest over the last couple of weeks. Following is a round-up from the Sierra Wave newspaper:
- On Tuesday, July 21st, a 60 year-old man and his 19 year-old daughter became lost in the Little Lakes Valley. They were rescued two days later. Source.
- On Thursday, July 23rd, SAR was called to the Mount Whitney region to respond to an 11 year-old girl who was having halucinations. Source.
- On Thursday, July 23rd, SAR was called again to the Mount Whitney region to respond to a man who apparently had altitude sickness. Source.
- On Friday, July 24th, a 57 year-old man collapsed and died in the Cottonwood area. The cause of death is under investigation. Source.
- On Saturday, July 25th, a 66 year-old woman became separated from her group in the Cottonwood Lakes area at Old Army Pass. She attempted to descend a steep snowfield on her own and fell. The woman fell over 100 feet and was killed.
- While preparing to retrieve the body of the woman in the Cottonwood Lakes, SAR learned about a 36 year-old San Francisco man who broke his leg on Temple Crag. They subsequently flew the man out. There has been a bit of controversy about this particular rescue and the SAR response on supertopo.com. Source.
- A hiker who was missing for a short period of time was found at the Pine Creek Trailhead on Thursday, July 30th. Source.
--A bear not-so-affectionately named Blondie has been causing significant problems in Mammoth Lakes. The bear is repeatedly breaking into homes for food. Unfortunately it is becoming more and more likely that the bear will have to be destroyed. To read more, click here.
--From July 12th through 25th, National Park Service law enforcement personnel participated in intensive marijuana interdiction efforts with 15 other agencies.During the operation, over 400,000 marijuana plants were eradicated from 71 illegal cultivation sites. Most cultivation sites were located on public lands and tied to Mexican drug trafficking organizations. Law enforcement also made over 80 arrests, served five warrants, confiscated 32 weapons, and seized 46 pounds of processed marijuana, three vehicles, and over $40,000 cash. To read more, click here.
--Yosemite National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga announced the initiation of data collection and planning for the Ahwahnee Comprehensive Rehabilitation Plan. The public scoping period for the project will be open on August 13, 2009 and extend through September 26, 2009. Public scoping comments will be used to assist the park in developing a range of reasonable and feasible alternatives that meet the purpose and need. The purpose of this effort is to develop a comprehensive plan for rehabilitation of the Ahwahnee National Landmark hotel. To read more, click here.
Alaska:
--Blake Herrington and Jason Nelson climbed three new lines in the Mendenhall Towers of Southeast Alaska. The duo helicoptered into the range from Juneau on July 9th to find absolutely splitter weather. To read about the ascents, click here and here.
Himalaya:
--Korean climber Oh Eun-sun recently summited Gasherbrum I on August 3rd. The peak was her 13th 8000 meter peak. If she succeeds on Annapurna this fall, she will become the first woman to complete all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter summits. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--A small group of American hikers accidentally crossed the boarder and hiked into Iran last week. The country charged the three young Americans with illegal entry, Iranian state television reported Tuesday. All three are freelance journalists who were traveling as tourists in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. To read more, click here.
--The bodies of two males were Tuesday found near the site where a Japanese climber and his Peruvian mountaineering guide went missing last Saturday on the 22,204 foot Mt. Huascaran in the Andes, according to a search party. To read more, click here.
--An Argentine mountain climber has died and a Japanese climber has gone missing while scaling Peru's northern Andean region, police said today. It appears that something went amiss after the team summited the 17,470 foot Esfinge (sphynx). To read more, click here.
