Everything climbing and the outdoors.
KTUU in Anchorage, Alaska reports that a climber is missing on 12,240-foot Mount Huntington. Apparently the 26-year-old Johnny Soderstrom, a mountaineering instructor, disappeared on the approach. His climbing partner, Joe Reichert, lost him as he skied behind Soderstrom. Mount Huntington, though shorter than Denali, is considered more difficult.
From Climbing.com, Dougald MacDonald reports that winter rains in Southern California washed away a boulder field known as Tar Creek (Swimming Hole). Located near Fillmore, California, the storm and rains destroyed and swept away many boulders.
The Climbing Resource Access Group of Vermont (CRAG-VT) finalized the purchase of the Bolton Quarry. Used by climbers for both ice and rock climbing, this was the first land conservation purchase specifically for climbing in Vermont. Full details can be found in this press release.
Two more ice climbing festivals are upcoming. The 8th annual Festiglace du Quebec sponsored by The North Face will be held February 18-20 in Pont-Rouge. Billed as the world’s biggest ice climbing event, the event promises gear demos and expert advice booths, free intro to ice climbing lessons, snowshoeing circuit and demos, professional and amateur […]
BBC News reports that four Greek climbers have been killed in an avalanche in the southern Peloponnese mountains in Greece. A group of 28 climbers were caught in the avalanche on Mount Menalos. The other climbers survived with minor injuries. Additional resources: Briton killed in Greek avalanche (Reuters) Five dead, six injured by avalanche in […]
As an old school, block gymnastic chalk user, I’ve tried and then given away every other type of chalk to be released over the years. Everything other than the block chalk feels greasy to me. I pretty much assumed attempts at chalk innovation has stopped, but apparently a company called Terra Firma has some interesting […]
Sponsored by Red Bull, Cedar Falls, Iowa is hosting an ice climbing competition this weekend on silos. For the past five years, University of Northern Iowa outdoor pursuits teacher Don Briggs has been icing down four silos for the purpose of climbing. The largest ice wall stretches 68 feet from the ground, while two others […]
The LA Times has an article on the artificial climbing wall manufacturer, Monolithic Sculptures. One of the company’s current projects is replicating the giant cue-ball formations from Rock City located outside Kansas City. The Rock City boulder in Minneapolis, Kan., is part of a series of “huge sandstone concretions… round balls of sandstone that look […]
The People’s Daily Online reports that China is attempting to establish a national mountaineering rescue system. Li Zhixin, director of the National Mountaineering Administration Center, said, “At present, China boasts more than 300 outdoor sports clubs. Along with blooming outdoor activities, a frequent accident occurrence period will come. Statistics show that from 2000 to 2004, […]
Whenever the weather stays cold (hmm, like now, in February), I feel like a mad genius scheming plans to build a climbing wall somewhere in my home. In my mind, I’ve developed plans for an attic wall, a free standing bouldering cave in a spare bedroom, a bouldering cave suspended in the basement laundry room, […]