American Alpine Institute News:
–After a successful season in Alaska, AAI is currently booking trips for the 2027 Denali (Mt. McKinley) season. Find discounts on select trips here.
–We are very proud of AAI Guide Eli Spitulnik for establishing a new line in the Kichatna mountains in the Alaska range. Hologram Wall VI 3,300’ 5.9 A3r M6+ WI5. See photos and a trip report here. Gripped published a great article about the adventure!
Northwest:
–The News Tribune is reporting on a fatal rockfall incident on Mt. Rainier. “A climber was killed around 4 a.m. Sunday on Mount Rainier’s Disappointment Cleaver route. Reports are coming in that a series of rockfalls took place, which affected two parties.” To read more, click here.
–ABC News is reporting that, “Two U.S. Forest Service workers were safe and free Friday after being held for hours by an armed man in a Northern California forest, authorities said. The situation began around 10:55 a.m. Thursday when the U.S. Forest Service called Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office about a man taking two of their members hostage within a remote area of Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Jeremiah LaRue, the Siskiyou County sheriff, said Friday at a news conference.” To read more, click here.
–Powder is reporting that, “Up north, Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, is making progress on the Showcase lift, a fixed-grip quad set to replace a t-bar of the same name that provided access to the glaciated upper reaches of Blackcomb Mountain. Work began this spring, and crews have completed major excavation, poured the top terminal foundation and the first tower foundations, and are continuing progress down the lift alignment, according to a recent update from the resort.” To read more, click here.
–A pround new route was recently established on East McMillan Spire. Rampzilla clocks in at 5.11a, A2, V. Read about it here.
Sierra-Nevada:
–SF Gate is reporting that, “two large fires are burning in eastern California, prompting evacuations and the partial closures of Highway 395 as of Tuesday morning.” To read more, click here.
—Here’s an interesting report on how ponds, high in the Sierra-Nevada mountains, are changing due to the fluctuating and often anemic Sierra snowpack.
–A viral video that we covered on our youtube page (see above) claims that a woman rescued off of the Mist Trail in Yosemite was billed $70,000. That didn’t happen. Additionally there was a lot of disrespect for this woman due to how she looks. We can do better. Read more.
Colorado and Utah:
–ABC 4 is reporting that, “Search and Rescue teams were dispatched to Little Cottonwood Canyon after a climber fell 30 feet, injuring their ankle and shoulder on Saturday afternoon. Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue (SAR) reported on Saturday that at 3:15 p.m., they were dispatched to an injured climber on the Pentapitch route in Little Cottonwood Canyon.” To read more, click here.
–High Country News is reporting that, “The Bears Ears Commission had a historic aim: To ensure that tribal nations had a direct role in the management of 1.35 million acres of their ancestral lands in southern Utah. Established alongside Bears Ears National Monument in 2016, the commission brought five tribal nations together with federal agencies to plan for the lands’ protections. But its work was abruptly cut short on Monday when President Donald Trump announced that he was slashing the monument by 91% to enable resource extraction — a decision that eliminated the commission entirely. A separate proclamation cut nearby Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by 90%.” To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
–ABC 8 Fox is reporting from West Virginia: “An injured rock climber was rescued in Nicholas County on Friday afternoon, firefighters said. The rescue took place around 2 p.m. along the Meadow River near Mount Lookout, according to a social media post from the Wilderness Fire Department.” To read more, click here.
–As more AI slop finds its way into the climbing world, Climbing magazine has written an article on how to detect it. Check it out here. We recently also detected an account on TikTok that appeared to be AI slop. See our video response here.
–Vertical Plus is reporting that, “Teton County Search & Rescue was formally recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on July 14 after earning its second of two federal certifications that place its helicopter program among the highest operational standards in the United States.” To read more, click here.
–Shop Eat Surf is reporting that, “Outdoor Retailer heads to Minneapolis for the first time this August, and the show is arriving with a significantly redesigned format. The event runs August 19-21 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, with Aug. 19 dedicated to education programming and the expo floor open Aug. 20-21. Leading the show for the first time is Matthew Mathiasen, who was appointed group show director earlier this year.” The article profiles how Mathiasen intends to run the show and what he hopes people will take away from it. Read about it here.
–Ski is reporting that, “a new player is entering the ski industry’s pass loyalty wars. But unlike the Epic, Ikon, Indy, and Mountain Collective passes, which have been on sale for weeks, the Snow Pass is waiting in the wings for a post-Labor Day weekend launch.” To read more, click here.