Northwest:
–KOMO News is reporting that, “A skier at a Washington ski area narrowly avoided disaster Friday after falling and becoming trapped upside down in deep snow, but a quick-thinking bystander rushed in to help.” To read more, click here.
–SnowBrains is reporting that, “Search-and-rescue crews recovered the body of a 78-year-old Vancouver man on March 5 after he was reported missing at Whistler Blackcomb, in British Columbia, on February 28, authorities confirmed Wednesday. The man was found on the south side of Piccolo Peak at roughly 5,250 feet (1,600 metres) elevation in what Whistler Search and Rescue president Brad Sills described as ‘steep, challenging terrain beyond the ski area boundary’. His death is not considered suspicious.” To read more, click here.
–Unofficial Networks is reporting that, “A section of Whistler Blackcomb, the largest ski resort in North America, remains closed after a rockslide near the summit of Whistler Mountain early Thursday.” To read more, click here.
–Coeur d’Alene Post Falls Press is reporting on an inbounds avalanche incident in Idaho. “Two people were rescued Friday afternoon after an avalanche at Silver Mountain, according to the resort. The avalanche occurred about 4:30 p.m. on the Moonshine run, an area accessed by Chair Lift 4. In a statement, Silver Mountain said several witnesses, including a Silver Mountain ski patroller, observed the avalanche and were able to respond quickly. Both individuals were rescued and suffered no apparent injuries.” To read more, click here.
–Gripped is reporting that, “Those itching for an early-season summit of Squamish’s Stawamus Chief this March should prepare themselves for a really long walk-off. The Chief’s backside trail is expected to be closed until April due to an extensive rock fall event in December. That path, a popular hiking route, is also the standard way down to descend the Buttress, Butt Light, Angel’s Crest, and other popular moderate summit routes.” To read more, click here.
–Unofficial Networks is reporting that, “Sun Valley Resort announced that it will replace two chairlifts during the 2026 offseason. The plan is to replace both the Christmas and Lookout Express chairlifts, which will reduce ride times, increase capacity, and improve reliability. ” To read more, click here.
Sierra:
—Here are the projected closing dates for the ski resorts in the Tahoe region.
–The New York Post is reporting that, “A 110-unit housing plan close to the border of Yosemite National Park is drawing outrage as its mysterious developers press forward. The 31-acre property will be handled by Camp Yosemite LLC, a Fullerton company with an oft-disciplined former attorney and former plastic surgeon at the helm.” To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
–SAR had a busy day in Red Rock Canyon on Saturday. There was an accident on Jackrabbit Buttress and they found a missing 80-year-old hiker. Read about it here.
–The Inertia is reporting that, “Grand Canyon Trail Supervisor Adam Gibson says, even when trails reopen on the North Rim following the devastating Dragon Bravo fire last summer, hikers will have to assume more risk than they did before the fire.” To read more, click here.
–SF Gate is reporting on mountain lions and the work being done to save them in the Mojave Desert. Read about it here.
Colorado and Utah:
–SnowBrains is reporting that, “Park City, Utah, local billionaire and Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince is once again expressing interest in purchasing Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) from Vail Resorts, arguing he could drastically improve the experience for guests and employees.” To read more, click here.
–The new USA climbing training center in Salt Lake City has just leapt over its final hurdle and will be built. Read about it here.
Notes from All Over:
–In 2024, outdoor recreation contributed $696.7 billion to U.S. GDP—about $1.3 trillion in total spending on activities like boating, RVing, and hunting—according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. But the industry’s growth slowed to 2.7%, down from 5.3% in 2023, and slightly behind the overall U.S. economy’s 2.8% growth, suggesting the pandemic-era boom in outdoor recreation may be beginning to level off. Read a full article on this at Gear Junkie.
–SGB Media is reporting that, “REI Co-op plans to reduce its pay rates for future employees and scale back benefits for current employees to shore up profitability, according to Bloomberg. Union organizers issued statements claiming the moves come as REI had declared an impass on negotations on a collective bargaining agreement. Bloomberg attained an internal memo sent out by REI in February that stated, ‘Effective July 1, 2026, the salary range will be reduced, which results in a lower starting hourly rate for new employees hired as of that date.'” To read more, click here.
–Outdoor Sportswire is reporting that, “Leave No Trace has selected 12 locations nationwide for its 2026 Spotlight program, an initiative that protects natural areas by delivering direct assistance to local communities and land managers. As visitation continues to increase, Spotlights offer resources to protect the shared spaces we all cherish. Through multi-day, on-site education and restoration efforts, Leave No Trace staff members partner directly with land managers and community organizations to turn awareness into action.” To read more, click here.
–RV Pro is reporting that, “the National Park Service recorded more than 323 million recreation visits in 2025, including over 13 million overnight stays. Despite the impressive numbers, it represents a decrease of 8.85 million recreation visits, or 2.7 percent, from the record year in 2024.” To read more, click here.
–The concept of the “alpine divorce,” is where one partner leaves the other partner behind on the trail. This inevitably leads to one of two outcomes: an accident, or a breakup. However, the term was originally related to murder in the backcountry. Recently this term has seen a lot of coverage, including in an article by the Guardian.