American Alpine Institute News:
–It’s time to start thinking about climbing in the Southwest. Book a trip to Red Rock Canyon or to Joshua Tree National Park.
–If you’re getting ready for snow, consider our new Ski Mountaineering and Avalanche leadership series, or even our Alaska Range Ski Mountaineering program!
AAI Mountain Center Bellingham Events:
- October 29, 2026 – Cocaine Bear Movie and Halloween Party (Costume Contest and Movie, 7pm – Free)
- November 1, 2026 – Mountain Festival – Annual Gear Sale, Maker’s Market, Mountain Education (1pm-6pm – Free)
Northwest:
–Tri Cities Local is reporting that, “A climber died after a fall near the Middle Fork Trail in the Snoqualmie River Valley. Emergency crews responded shortly after 5:00 p.m. Sunday evening to reports that a climber had fallen near North Bend. Authorities said the man was an experienced climber who was leading friends on Stegosaurus Butte, a popular but challenging climbing area.” Rumors online indicate that this may have had something to do with loose rock. To read more, click here.
–Powder is reporting that, “Oregon’s Willamette Pass Resort has more than tripled the capacity of its snowmaking system ahead of the 2026-27 season in a move it called ‘one of the most significant infrastructure investments in the mountain’s history.'” To read more, click here.
–Unofficial Networks is reporting that, “The Summit at Snoqualmie is already making snow for winter, even though temperatures in Washington’s Cascade Mountains are nowhere close to traditional snowmaking weather.” To read more, click here.
Sierra-Nevada:
–MyMotherLode is reporting that, “The U.S. Forest Service has determined the Dome Fire, which has burnt over 5,000 acres and led to the deaths of two pilots in Yosemite National Park, was human-caused and was sparked by an abandoned campfire.” To read more, click here.
–In more Yosemite news, MyMotherLode is reporting that, “The Yosemite Facelift is being heralded as another successful event after volunteers hauled a huge amount of trash from the park this past weekend.” To read more, click here.
–Gear Junkie is reporting that, “Since January, non-U.S. residents have had to pay an additional fee to visit national parks and to obtain an annual public lands pass, which is more than triple what residents pay. The Trump administration framed the policy as a way to boost revenue for the parks, but opponents have objected on the grounds of unfairness and possible impacts to local economies dependent on tourism. Now, a small tourism business is fighting back. On Monday, Across Arizona Tours filed a complaint against the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department of Agriculture (DOA), and the National Park Service (NPS), alleging that the tiered fee system is illegal.” To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
–The Independent is reporting that, “A father is fighting for life after he fell 80ft while rappelling down an Arizona canyon with his toddler. The man was rock climbing on a trip to Virgin River Gorge with his family, that included five young children and three women. The father and the one year-old child were reportedly on the same rope near the Ghost Valley Trailhead when they fell.” To read more, click here. More information can be found at Gripped.
–News Channel 3 is reporting that, “Joshua Tree National Park is facing a $1.2 million funding block affecting 10 projects as the U.S. Department of the Interior withholds more than $25 million in planned National Park Service funding nationwide. According to documents reviewed by The Washington Post, Joshua Tree has more affected projects than any other national park. The funding was intended for wildfire preparation, restoration of burned areas and removal of rodents that can carry hantavirus.” To read more, click here.
–12 News is reporting that, “Chiricahua is one step closer to becoming Arizona’s 4th national park after the Chiricahua National Park Act passed Congress and is headed to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law. If signed, Chiricahua National Monument in Willcox will become Chiricahua National Park.” To read more, click here.
–ABC 15 Arizona is reporting that, “Water delivery to Grand Canyon National Park began Sunday over a month after flash flooding damaged much of the park’s water intake infrastructure. About 30,000 gallons of water was delivered to the park on Sunday afternoon, with deliveries to increase over the next several days, according to the Incident Management Team for the Bright Angel Creek Flash Flood response.” To read more, click here.
Colorado and Utah:
–Old Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is closed for the winter. Read more here.
–CU Boulder Today is reporting that, “In a paper published in Nature Communications, CU Boulder economist Jonathan Hughes found that people from higher-income neighborhoods in the United States are more likely to successfully secure the most competitive permits, including timed-entry reservations for Rocky Mountain National Park. The park ends its timed-entry permit system for the season on Oct. 18.” To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
–Gripped is reporting that, “Sarah Hueniken, one of Canada’s most accomplished mixed climbers and mountain community leaders, will be honoured with the 2026 Summit of Excellence Award during the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival on Saturday, Nov. 7.” To read more, click here.
—This is a great piece on a recent rescue on Mt. Robson.
–Shop Eat Surf X Outdoors is reporting that, “Snowboarding participation in the U.S. grew about 9% to 10.6 million in the 2025-26 season, up from 9.7 million the year before, according to the 2025-26 Participation Study from Snowsports Industries America (SIA), the trade association of the winter outdoor industry.” To read more, click here.
–SnowBrains is reporting that, “Alterra Mountain Company, the world’s premier mountain operating company, today named experienced hospitality and operations leader Kelly Vohs its new Alterra CEO, effective October 19, 2026.” To read more, click here.