–What a beautiful time to play on the rock in Red Rock Canyon or Joshua Tree National Park. Book a guided climb or educational program today!
–If you’re getting ready for snow, consider an Avalanche Course, Ski Mountaineering and Avalanche leadership series, or even our Alaska Range Ski Mountaineering program!
AAI Mountain Center Bellingham Events:
- November 19, 2026 – Know Before You Go: Effective Use of Outdoor Electronics (7pm, Free)
- December 3, 2026 – REEL Rock Film Tour (7pm movie – $15 – Purchase Tickets)
Northwest:
–Backpacker is reporting that, “Two hikers are dead after a suspected bear attack on Indigenous lands in British Columbia, provincial wildlife officials say. The incident comes just a year after a bear encounter in the same area left four people seriously injured.” To read more, click here.
–SnowBrains is reporting that, “A Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy followed a trail of footprints through the snow for nearly five miles before finding a man who had been lost in the Oregon wilderness for four days, wrapped in a sleeping bag on a remote forest road. The rescue happened on October 30 near Breitenbush Lake, along the Pacific Crest Trail in Oregon’s Cascade Range. Forest Patrol Deputy Derrick Ramseyer was patrolling the area when he noticed footprints in the snow. One appeared to have been made by a bare foot.” To read more, click here.
–From the Access Fund: “Access Fund is pleased to announce the purchase of the access parcel to the much-beloved Phun Rock in the Methow Valley, Washington. This purchase will ensure permanent access not just to Phun Rock but to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.” To read more, click here.
Sierra-Nevada:
–Sierra News Online is reporting that, “Yosemite National Park is recruiting recreation fee clerks and technicians to welcome visitors at entrance stations and campgrounds during the 2027 season. In a November 9 update, the park encouraged interested applicants to apply while the opportunity remains open.” To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
–SnowBrains is reporting that, “Sipapu Resort in Northern New Mexico is inching closer to delivering on its promise of major infrastructure upgrades in the coming years. The resort, owned by Mountain Capital Partners, has submitted plans for a massive expansion that would include three new chair lifts and a higher summit elevation, plus a mountain bike park, mountain coaster, and restaurant.” To read more, click here.
–Earth.com is reporting that, “Researchers mapped over six miles of caves beneath the Grand Canyon, revealing how groundwater flows and why its drinking water faces pollution risks.” The article notes that the canyon’s drinking water is all linked to a single cave. To read more, click here.
Colorado and Utah:
–KSL is reporting that, “One person was hospitalized after a rappelling accident in Diamond Fork Canyon Tuesday afternoon. According to Spanish Fork Fire & EMS, a woman fell approximately 60 feet while rock climbing at 12:50 p.m. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office added that the victim was an experienced climber in her 40s.” To read more, click here.
–Outdoor Sportswire is reporting that, “Clarus Corp.’s Black Diamond Equipment grew sales 12.4% in the third quarter, with gains across its regions and major categories, as the Salt Lake City-based parent company continued a review of strategic alternatives that could include the sale of all or part of the business.” To read more, click here.
–Outside is reporting that, “The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced on November 6 that it was investigating vandalism at two ancient rock-art sites near Moab, Utah, where someone carved names into petroglyphs, leaving damage that may be impossible to remove.” To read more, click here.
–AI enabled fire drones may help firefighters extinguish wildfires. Read more.
–The Park Record is reporting that, “A 64-year-old man will serve two years on probation for his role in an alleged assault against another skier at Deer Valley Resort last spring. Paul Kauffman entered a no contest plea for a misdemeanor assault charge in October, according to court documents. No contest pleas allow a defendant to accept a crime’s punishment without admitting guilt, which protects them in civil cases stemming from the same incident.” To read more, click here.
–Deseret News is reporting that, “Ski Utah is touting Utah’s consistent snowfall to bring skiers and snowboarder back after a down year.” To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
–The Outdoor Alliance is concerned about a current bipartisan effort on permitting reforms. “Permitting reform is complicated, and at first glance, it’s hard to understand how it affects outdoor recreation–it can seem far removed from your favorite trail, climbing area, or river. Over the last few years, there has been a lot of bipartisan interest in a permitting deal to streamline how federal projects like renewable energy, pipelines, and infrastructure are permitted both on and off of public lands. These negotiations are complex and require lawmakers to strike a difficult balance between speeding up important national priorities like renewable energy deployment with retaining a fair public process and safeguards for the environment. The current permitting reform package, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), does not strike the right balance as written.” To read more and to find out what you can do, click here.
–Ski is reporting that, “The National Ski Areas Association just put out its annual demographics report. SKI analyzed the data and found the most common attributes of skiers. Studies show that the average age for skiers is rising; last year it was 38 years old, and the year prior it was 37 (this year’s age of 34 is an outlier in the trend). NSAA also reported that 72 percent of resort guests were skiers while only 28 percent rode snowboards.” To read more, click here.
–Hikers, skiers and climbers get lost due to the use of mushrooms a lot more than you might think. Read about this particular case here.
–The Center for Biological Diversity is reporting that, “The U.S. Supreme Court today lifted a federal court order that halted border barrier and road construction across the Big Bend region of Texas for the past month, allowing the Trump administration to resume construction in Big Bend National Park and along more than 500 miles of the Rio Grande. The administration could also begin construction in Big Bend Ranch State Park.” To read more, click here.
–It’s been a strong start to the winter season in the Canadian Rockies as some big new routes have been put up. Read about them here.