Northwest:
–A climber has perished after falling near the Devil’s Kitchen area on Mt. Hood. There is limited information available about the incident. Read more here
–SnowBrains is reporting that, “White Wilderness Heliskiing, a Canadian heliskiing operation located outside of Terrace, British Columbia, was ordered to shut down in May 2025 by British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Commission, following a decision that found improper land use within the province’s Agricultural Land Reserve. The heliski operation has continued despite the order, claiming it does not require them to cease operations. White Wilderness Heliskiing has operated since 2016, and appears to have never had the proper approvals for its overnight accommodations.” To read more, click here.
–A hard new mixed route was put up in the Banks Lake area of Washington State. Read about it here.
–Timberline Ski Resort is offering $59 lift tickets during the Pacific Northwest dry spell. Read more.
Sierra:
–SFGate is reporting that, “Aramark, the concessionaire that operates Yosemite National Park’s restaurants, gift shops and lodging facilities, recently notified employees in the park of a new policy that puts their housing stability in serious jeopardy.” To read more, click here.
–Fox is reporting that, “Vandals defaced a boulder and other sites at Yosemite National Park with graffiti over the weekend. The graffiti was discovered near the Bridalveil Falls Trail. To read more, click here.
–In other Yosemite news, a wild buck being fed by visitors became spooked and cut a girl’s arm and chest with its antlers. Read more.
Desert Southwest:
–Outside is reporting that, “Developers in Arizona are planning to build a $10 billion data center next to Horseshoe Bend, an iconic viewpoint along the Colorado River.” To read more, click here.
Colorado and Utah:
–KTTV 11 is reporting that, “An investigation is underway after a skier died at a Colorado resort late last week. The skier, who was visiting from out of state, was on an intermediate run when he lost control and crashed into a tree ‘with considerable force,’ the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said. Despite wearing a helmet, and despite life-saving efforts by first responders, the man succumbed to his injuries.” To read more, click here.
–Unofficial Networks is reporting that, “Seven backcountry skiers were treated and rescued while attempting to reach the Goodwin Greene Hut in Pitkin County, Colorado, on Monday, January 26th, with all experiencing frostbite as temperatures reached below freezing.” To read more, click here.
–The National Parks Traveler is reporting that, “Utah members of Congress are attempting to undermine protections for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, according to several conservation groups. In July 2025, Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-UT-02, secretly requested an opinion from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) about whether Congress can overturn the current Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument Management Plan, which would upend the monument’s management. Last week, the GAO released an opinion that Congress can, in fact, undo the plan.” To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
–Outside and many others are reporting that, “On January 21, outdoor apparel manufacturer Patagonia filed a lawsuit against Pattie Gonia, the drag queen and activist, in a California court. The lawsuit concerns Pattie Gonia’s alleged use of the company trademarks. In a statement posted to its website, Patagonia said that Pattie Gonia violated a previous agreement the two had struck over the use of the name and logo.” To read more, click here.
–A permit system may be coming to Mt. Baldy outside Los Angeles. Learn more.
–Gear Junkie is reporting that, “The U.S. business community is challenging President Trump’s tariffs — and many outdoor brands are joining the ranks. More than 1,000 businesses have now filed lawsuits over Trump’s increased taxation of goods produced overseas.” To read more, click here.
–DC Rainmaker is reporting that, “In arguably one of the biggest bits of news for outdoor-focused Apple Watch owners in years, Komoot just announced true offline mapping and routing for their Apple Watch app. Up until now, their app required some sort of connectivity, notably to the phone, in order to have offline maps/routing.” To read more, click here.