Climbing Narc’s Blog, one of the best blogs out there for bouldering and rock climbing information (and one of my faves) is spotlighting recent activity in Rocky Mountain National Park by sharing 35 videos of activities from the 2007 year.
Climbing Narc gives a good rundown of all the action from last season in RMNP, including problems dealt by the likes of Danial Woods, Ty Landman, Paul Robinson, Jamie Emerson, Nick Sherman and a host of others.
If you love watching these videos, ache to get out yourself–or ache afterwards, you will love this post. Head over to Climbing Narc and tell him I sent you. Enjoy the Videos!
Switzerland is set to ban ‘catch and release’ fishing, along with the use of live bait and barbed hooks. The European Fishing Tackle Trade Association is out spreading the word on these new regulations.
It seems that Switzerland feels that fish should be killed immediately upon catch. They recommend a sharp blow to the head from a blunt instrument. Also, all anglers in Switzerland will be required to demonstrate their fishing expertise by taking a course on ‘humane methods of catching fish,’ before being granted a fishing license.
I really wish this weren’t a joke. Many of us in the States were brought up on ‘catch and release’, especially those of us that do any amount of Bass fishing. The general rule in the U.S. is that fish returned to the waters, rather than harvested, will help spurn the population and larger fish for all of us to enjoy.
Switzerland’s new rules could effect upwards of 275,000 anglers.
The article also goes in to some detail about current efforts to curb these new laws before they take effect. Read the article and tell me what you think.
Shu Qin, 28, was hiking with her family on New Hampshire’s Falling Waters Trail in Franconia, New Hampshire when a 5 foot boulder dislodged itself from above and tumbled 40 feet, hitting Qin in the head and killing her. She was rushed to a hospital but died from severe head injuries.
News like this is actually quite rare in the outdoor world, but tragic none the less. Last year a well known climber was killed after a hiker decided to launch a boulder from the top of a cliff, without looking. The only reason why I am adding this incident to the first unfortunate event, is to make a small point, but one that could save your life.
Many people are itching to get outside in the spring time. Whether it be hiking, climbing, fishing, hunting, boating, or any other activity you partake in, we all hear of these freak accidents and unfortunate events that kill every year. Some of these events could be remedied by simply paying a bit more attention to your surroundings. Before you do something stupid, understand that if you are out in an area, more than likely there are others, as well. If you are hiking around large rocks, not only watch the trail in front of you, but look up. Rocks do occasionally dislodge and fall, Fishermen fall from banks, hunters occasionally become the huntee. Never underestimate your surroundings.
I am not saying that these two particular incidents would have not happened if these guidelines are followed, but if you notice your surroundings, you do have the possibility of protecting yourself a bit more. Be careful out there!
Let’s keep Qin’s family and associates in our thoughts today as they try to deal with this horrific event.
I think I have only ran one previous post in regards to fishing. That post featured a world record Blue Catfish caught quite awhile ago. Darin Opel, a 40 year old fisherman from Worden, Illinois has recently landed himself a monster, as well…
That monster happens to be a 92 Pound Carp the Illinois fisherman brought in using a bow and arrow. I grew up Carp and Catfishing. 10 Pounders aren’t to rare of a catch, especially in the deeper rivers of the mid-west. A monster like this comes to light once in a lifetime..
The size and weight of this fish could quite possibly make it the 3rd largest Carp ever caught in the Western Hemisphere. Opel had originally been fishing off the banks near Melvin Price Lock and Dam, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, when he spotted the Carp. He took aim with his bow, then the battle ensued. After a ten minute fight, Darin jumped into the river to try to persuade his prize a bit more. Luckily, that effort worked.
After the monster Carp had been landed, Darin took the fish to the Worden Food Market in Worden, Illinois. The fish measured 62 inches long, with a girth of 30 inches. At 92 pounds and 8 ounces (the official weight), Darin’s prized Carp obliterated the previous bow and arrow Carp record of 35 pounds, 5 ounces caught on June 8, 2006.
Oddly enough, Darin Opel happens to be allergic to fish. If he would take a bite of his prize, although being a Carp, I wouldn’t suggest it–his throat would swell shut, possibly resulting in death. Luckily, he can still handle fish as long as he is not eating them. He mentioned that his friends love to go fishing with him, because he can catch them, then they can keep them.
To read more on this amazing catch and to see the accompanying photo, click on through to the Belleville News-Democrat. It is definitely worth taking a look. Nice catch, Darin!
There is an interesting article in the latest issue of Eugene Weekly, a local news magazine from Eugene, Oregon. The article takes an in-depth look at why some people prefer to climb in the confines of the indoors, while others prefer the nature of the outside.
I know I have a few rock climbers that visit the site regularly, and perhaps they would like to share there input, as well, on this subject. Some climbers do one or the other, while others tackle both.
This article does mention that the difference may lie in safety issues. Indoors you are a bit more protected from the hard landings, although, the indoors climbing gyms possibly produce a bit more injuries, as climbers are more prone to over-due it. Others suggest that the Indoor Climbing Gyms are a bit to confined for their tastes and that they prefer the solitude and challenge of the outdoors. Definitely an interesting topic, and just thought I would throw it out there. What do you guys (and gals) think?
President Bush signed legislation today to create a new wilderness area in Washington State. The new area, designated ‘Wild Sky Wilderness’, will become the state’s first new wilderness area created in the past 24 years.
Wild Sky Wilderness will encompass 106,000 acres in Skykomish County and will be bordered by Beckler River, North Fork Skykomish River, and be a part of the Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Hunting, fishing, rafting, and other outdoors activities will be permitted on this newly designated federal land. It is also noted that current float plane operations may continue in the area using a large lake situated in the higher altitude mountainous region. Logging, Mining, and off-road vehicle use, including snowmobiles and ATV’s will be banned from the area.
The legislation signed into effect by President George W. Bush was co-authored by Rep. Dick Larson, D-WA, and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA. The legislation covered 61 other bills, as well, including one authored by Rep. Jay Inslee, giving National Park status to Bainbridge Island, an area that in 1942 was used as a Japanese Internment Camp housing 227 Japanese-Americans.
After lastnight’s successful Chinese summits on the north of Mt. Everest, Nepal has immediately lifted the ban on climbers pursuing the summit from the south. Climbers are free to go up!
Mountaineers are allowed to move towards the summit from today [Thursday],” Nepal’s tourism ministry spokesman Prem Rai told the BBC.
“There are 29 groups of climbers and each group has nine members and some of them have already set off.”
The lifting of the south side restrictions, set up to ensure no protests would take place during China’s Olympic Torch run up the north, will be a big relief for many of the teams at Everest’s south base camp who have been waiting somewhat patiently for May 10th. That was the original date China had set to summit. Luckily a weather window opened up a bit over the past couple of days that allowed China to make a sucessful summit at 9:18 pm lastnight.
Nepal was pretty quick in lifting the climber restrictions. A large portion of the Sherpa population rely on the income associated with the high himalaya climbing season. Surprising that lift of restrictions came two days earlier than planned.
Expeditions on the world’s highest mountain can now climb above Camp 2. Over the next couple of days climbers will be trying to establish the higher base camps, as well as resume a somewhat normal acclimatization process.
Some climbers, who had went down to Namche Bazaar in Nepal, are now racing back to base camp. It sems the Chinese’s sumit push caught many of them by surprise as well. One team, Peak Freaks, has already mentioned that many of their team will now have to walk some 20 miles back to base camp.
As far as news about the further restrictions in south base camp imposed by Nepal, nothing has been mentioned as yet. Most of us already know that communications equipment, video cameras, cell phones, and cameras were all locked up by Nepal’s liaison officers. That restriction was suppose to last till May 10th as well. Also, a no-fly zone had been set up around Mt. Everest. This is one of the reasons that many expedition members are being forced to walk from Namche Bazaar to base camp. Without that restriction, in a normal year, helicopter service would be available. I will have to check on both of these issues and make a later update.
The good news is the climb is now on for the South. I think most of us will agree that we were hoiping China would do their thing and just get it over with–luckily, they now have.
Reports are coming in that China has successfully summited Mt. Everest with the Olympic Torch. I will be gathering this news as it is made available. All updates will come to this post. Stay tuned for further info. EverestNews is currently running headlines. Posted 9:49 pm Eastern May 7, 2008.
Washington Post is already runing the story of the successful Chinese Summit on Mt. Everst. Time of the posted article…9:41 pm.
Live television footage showed a Chinese mountaineering team holding up a specially designed torch _ separate from the main Olympic flame _ along with Chinese and Olympic flags on the peak of Mount Everest.
“One World, One Dream,” one of the climbers said on the approach to the peak, repeating the slogan for the Olympics. “We have lit the torch on top of the world,” another climber said.
Let’s all remember that these climbers are still only halfway home. The torch is lit, but this whole thing can only be made a sucess by everyone arriving back at the higher camps safely. 10:29 pm
Three months to the day before the Games open, members of a 31-strong team reached the top of the 8,848-metre (29,030-ft) peak carrying the Olympic flame in a lantern before lighting the torch.
The climbing team, which included 22 Tibetans, eight Han Chinese and one man from the Tujia minority, had been on the mountain for more than a week preparing the route along the north-east ridge.
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Funny side note:
Xinhau News Agency reported the successful summit BEFORE the torch had reached the top, luckily, it did indeed happen a few minutes later!
Emotions High as Olympic Torch Scales Everest–This is Nick Mulveney’s report from Everest Base Camp on the North Side, writing for Reuters. Nick has been stationed at EBC throughout this whole ordeal reporting on the Chinese Expedition. Nick is able to talk to one summiter, and there are quite a few photos to go along with the report. Nice Job, Nick. Posted 10:52 pm
BBC News is currently running a video of the Olympic Torch Making it to the top of Mt. Everest. This video has no sound, but you can get a good idea of what these climbers have been climbing through. The summmit of Mt. Everest is definitely windy and stormy looking. Let’s hope they all make it down safely. 80% of all deaths near the summit of Mt. Everest occur on the descent. Posted 11:00 PM
ExplorersWeb is reporting in on the simlutaneous efforts of Alberto Peruffo, who is staging a protest during the Chinese Olympic Torch Summit bid. Peruffo has called on other mountainers to light red flares at the top of many of the world’s peaks in protest to China’s efforts.
From ExWeb:
Today Alberto Peruffo, of the global campaign Sad Smoky Mountains, announced Sunday 11th May, at 13 local time as the first simultaneous ignition of red smokes as a protest action against the violation of human rights and Chinese repression in Tibet.
More than 100 summits are now involved: during the last few days the Sad Smoky Mountains project was joined by summits such as North Table Mountain (Colorado, USA), Rittner Horn on Süd Tirol Alps, Corno Grande, Corno Piccolo and Pizzo Cefalone on Gran Sasso (Apeninnes), Nanos on Dinaric Alps (Slovenia), Mount Giovo and Rondiniano (Modena Apeninnes), Puy de Manse (France) and also historically important summits such as Col Moschin and Summano (near Vicenza and Asiago) where a large number of soldiers died during World War I. Posted 11:21 pm
CNN is currently reporting that the climbers had left for the summit at 2am. They were pushing for an 11 am summit. They arrived at 9 am. Two hours ahead of schedule, China Time. A Tibetan climber led the charge to the summit of Mt. Everest, passing it off and lighting another torch once on top. For this 6 minute video, including footage of the final moments, Click HERE Weather -10 to -15 with windchill, -25 with gusty winds and said to be changing very quickly! Posted 11:38 pm
China’s BOCOG–Beijing Olympic Games Committee has sent a letter to the Chinese Expedition–
By bringing the Chinese national flag and Olympic flag to the top of the world and carrying the Olympic spirit to a new high, you gained honor for our motherland and added glory to the Olympic Movement. BOCOG expresses warm congratulations and sincere thanks to all mountaineering torchbearers and coaches!”
” With the attention of the people of China and all across the world, you carried forward the spirit of teamwork and unity, bravely overcame numerous difficulties and risks, accomplished the sacred mission of Olympic Torch Relay on the top of Mt. Qomolangma, and honored the solemn pledge that Beijing made in its Olympic bid,” the letter continues. For more, head over to CCTV
Peak Freaks have a couple of interesting posts today. It seems like a lot of the South Expeditions were caught be surprise with China’s anouncement that they had reached the summit from the north-many of them are more than 20 miles away from Everst’s south base camp in Namche Bazaar.
Hey Becky, Did our “GO! China mantra finally pay off? We have late breaking word that the summit was torched. I’m packing my bags in Namche Bazaar along with Farouq, Nabs, and Dom for the 26 mile walk back up to base camp. We’ll take it easy as not to fry our legs. If the rumors are true we should be up to Camp III next week and then summit ourselves sometime before the end of the month…
Again, this info is all communicated via the Sherpa wireless but it has been quite reliable so far… all family and friends wish us luck. Hopefully we can now start fliming, calling, and communicating. We are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers and you are with us every step of the way… Godspeed, M. Scott Mortensen
Earlier, Peak Freaks also noted that everyone was cheering on the Chinese Expedition. Throughout the past couple of days many had began to worry that a summit push would not be made before the May 10th Deadline. Luckily the South can possibly get on with their show now——–to bad many of them have to WALK the 26 miles back to base camp. A No-fly zone has been imposed around Mt. Everest. Posted 12:17pm
There’s an interesting article in the Herald-Tribune (Sarasota, FL) today about some big changes coming to Florida’s famed Everglades . In an effort to revive one of the world’s most endangered eco-systems, Florida is in the process of creating one of the world’s largest reservoirs–the size of Manhattan. After years of flood controls that have left the Florida Everglades decimated and drained, this new project will hopefully begin to reverse the process.
The reservoir, which is currently being dug, would create the world’s biggest above-ground, man-made reservoir in existence. The goal eventually being that the reservoir will help restore much needed water in the region. The Evergaldes, at one time, stretched over an area of close to 6,250 square miles. With flood controls in place, this has shrunk to only 2,000. Officials also state that the Everglades have lost close to 90% of it’s wading bird population and also has 68 other species that are considered threatened or endangered. The reservoir is hoping to cure most of these problems.
At a cost of nearly $800 million let’s hope they get this thing right the first time and help in aiding the restoration of one of America’s most endangered eco-systems!
Flip Byrnes, who was trying to become the first Australian woman to cross Greenland, has been rescued enroute. Byrnes was picked up by helicopter yesterday and flown to a a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Byrnes is the great-granddaughter of Australia’s most famous Antarctic photographer, Frank Hurley. She was in the middle of an 18 day, 650 kilometer trek across the rugged terrain of Greenland. Her adventure began on April 23, since that time, the team has only managed a mere 150 kilometers due to bad weather conditions, sastrugi (jagged ridges of ice) that the team were forced to travel over, and Byrnes also mentions that the team was quickly running out of food. She, herself, had been surviving on one Mars bar a day while pulling the sled with her supplies in tow.
The Sydney Morning Herald has more on this adventure gone wrong and the subsequent rescue. Let’s wish Flip a speedy recovery!
