Northwest:
–King 5 News and others are reporting that, ” 27-year-old man died Thursday after a head-first crash at Stevens Pass. The King County Sheriff’s Office received a request for help around noon for an unconscious man who was not breathing at the ski area. A Skykomish-area deputy responded to Stevens Pass and found ski patrol and Skykomish fire providing CPR. The man died a short time later, authorities said.” To read more, click here.
–King 5 is also reporting that, “The two men who died in an avalanche near Longs Pass in northern Kittitas County have been identified. Paul Markoff, 38, of North Bend, and Erik Henne, 43, of Snoqualmie Pass, and two other men were ‘caught and carried by a large avalanche’ while skiing, according to the Kittitas County Sheriff.” To read more, click here.
–Unofficial Networks is reporting that, “Two separate inbounds avalanches struck Whistler Blackcomb on January 11th with on one guest requiring rescue.” To read more, click here.
–Surry Now-Leader is reporting that, “Four hikers stranded in the Golden Ears Mountains during a winter storm were rescued on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Rick Laing, spokesperson for Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue, said his team got the call on Saturday, but could only get the group off the mountain after they spent three more nights there. Fortunately, they found the emergency shelter.” To read more, click here.
–Liz Rocks, the climbing wall dedicated to the life of former AAI Guide Liz Daley, opened at the Tacoma Pearl Street YMCA on Sunday.
–An influencer hit up the Timberline Ski Resort in Oregon to pose in a skin tight suit wearing high heels in ski bindings. Yep. You read that right. Check it out here.
Sierra:
–Gripped is reporting on a new big wall speed record. “Tangerine Trip, which was first climbed by Charlie Porter and Jean-Paul de St. Croix in 1973, was done in record time last fall by Brant Hysell and Dan Gosselin in a time of 7 hours and 57 minutes. The previous record was by Alex Honnold and David Allfrey in 9 hours and 28 minutes back in 2014.” To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
–KLAS is reporting that, “A hiker who injured an ankle while out with a group at Red Rock’s Calico Basin was rescued and taken to safety by helicopter on Tuesday.” To read more, click here.
–The west entrance to Joshua Tree National Park will be closed through January 17th.
–Apparently there are a bunch of prescription drugs in the water in the Grand Canyon.
Colorado and Utah:
–SnowBrains is reporting that, “A growing number of backcountry skiers are raising concerns about parking access near Alta Ski Area, after reports of sold-out reservations coincided with visibly underused parking areas in Upper Little Cottonwood Canyon.” To read more, click here.
–SnowBrains is reporting, “The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) reported that two riders in a group of three were caught and carried in an avalanche on Saturday. A video was reported to the CAIC by an anonymous person that captures the incident that happened today in Haiyaha Couloir in Rocky Mountain National Park.” To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
–A skier died after hitting a tree at Wisconsin’s Granite Peak. Read more,
–Outside is reporting that, “Those visiting national parks this year may face additional questioning about their citizenship. According to an internal National Park Service (NPS) directive, park staff have been instructed to ask visitors whether they are United States residents at 11 of the nation’s most popular parks.” To read more, click here.
–SnowBrains is reporting that, “Friday, January 9, turned into an unexpected test of patience—and layers—for skiers riding Chair 1 at Montana’s Whitefish Mountain Resort. What began as a routine ride up the mountain ended with a full chairlift evacuation involving roughly 150–200 skiers.” To read more, click here.
–So a wild boar attacked a snowboarder at a Japanese ski resort. See the video below: