The estate of a 63-year-old man who was killed while hiking in Olympic National Park is suing the park for not killing the animal earlier. Their claim is that this was a problem animal bound to hurt or kill someone, and the park was reckless in not destroying it. Others say that the wilderness is full of dangerous animals, and we have to accept that risk when we go hiking. I sympathize with the hiker’s family, but it’s tough to assign blame to the park service for one of their animals killing a person.

The kind folks in North Dakota (who a college professor once told me would all suffocate if it weren’t for wind since they lack enough vegetation to produce oxygen) are getting their very own adventure race. It’ll be their ‘Mount Rushmore.’ The 24-hour race will feature rivers and trees. Yes, trees, which they’ll climb. It’s the END-AR 24, check it out online.

A Japanese man fed up with the daily grind threw his handful of belongings into a rickshaw and began ambling around the world. He’s made it through Asia (that’s a big one), Europe and now he’s in North America. It looks like he skipped the U.S. in favor of the highline, Canada. I’m sure it’s just because it’s too humid in the U.S. right now, let’s not take it personally. His only complaint on the road has been the high price of beer in Canada. “In Europe, I drink every night. Some place you get beer for 60 cents.”

Baja California is an incredible place, dotted with desert islands and teeming with wilderness. The problem is that attracts a lot of fishermen who’ve managed to decimate the population. Baja jumped on the problem and established the Cabo Pulmo marine reserve. There’s been a push for these kinds of marine sanctuaries lately. While at least some of the earth is covered by national parks, almost none of the ocean is protected in this way. Do they work? Well, is a 460% increase over one ten years good? I suspect so.

via Moldy Chum

No, they don’t get you high if you smoke them; the good news is that the invasion hasn’t been quite as bad as everyone had feared in the Front Range. So far 100 trees in the Denver area have been infected, ten removed, and they say the infestation in the Front Range isn’t as bad as it was in the mountains. Did you hear that environmental crusaders? It’s “not as bad’”as the cataclysm we’d feared. Mission Accomplished.

photo by C. G. P. Grey

What else would hikers do to ward off backcountry fees than run a grassroots campaign? So far they’ve collected 500 signatures against the proposed fee for backcountry camping along the Appalachian Trail and anywhere else in the park. Hopefully they’ve mobilized a more impressive force to lobby in the actual commenting period, which ends August 26^th. Want to shout at the government yourself? Email GrmComments@nps.gov and let your voice be heard! (Or at least counted and saved in an Outlook folder by an intern.)

A nationwide search is being conducted for those who lived through a ‘bat on a plane’ scenario on a Delta flight from Wisconsin to Atlanta. The bat popped out once the plane was airborne and took several laps up and down the aisle. A passenger shot video while the mammal flew around getting swatted from time to time. So why is the airline looking for these passengers? No, it’s not for free SkyMiles and upgrades on the next flight, it’s that they could have possibly contracted rabies. It’s highly unlikely, but the bat was never caught for testing.

During New Zealand’s insane recent snow storms one skier made her way off Coronet Peak and became lost. While trying to find her way back she stumbled upon a head of Hereford bulls who gave chase. I know nothing of bulls, but Herefords must be an exceptionally slow breed since they failed to catch her even though she was running in ski boots. She walked another 6.2 miles before finding a farmhouse. Authorities were relieved to hear from her as they’d already sent out a search party.

via Wend

Photo from Missoulian

The feds have $2.4 million on tap for flood disaster relief in the great state of Montana. The floods came from snowmelt during the banner winter, and now the floodwaters that have negatively affected business that rely on the rivers may be entitled to low-interest federal loans. Go ahead and borrow a few hundred for a new low-interest FEMA fly rod.