The National Park Service is asking the Feds to give them over $400 million to cover damage to the parks affected by Sandy. The first $348 million would go to immediate reconstruction and recovery needs, then the next $50 million would go to paying for rehabbing damaged historic properties like Ellis Island. Then, on top [ more... ]

Take in a view of the massive Khumbu Glacier on a monumental picture over at Gigapixel. The image was shot by David Breashears in spring of 2012. Zoom in to see the famous Khumbu icefalls and the mess of yellow tents at basecamp. Ah, the ease of armchair exploration.

The majority of Backcountry’s corporate charitable giving budget goes to organizations whose missions are to promote environmental stewardship and protect access and responsible recreation in North America’s wild places. The Access Fund is a perfect example, and we’re psyched to announce our support their Jeep Climbing Conservation Team. The Team, which was founded late last [ more... ]

It’s only December and Crystal Mountain has already received 205 inches — 17 feet — of snow — 4.5 feet in the past three days alone. On Tuesday, that led to an in-bounds avalanche at the Washington State resort, when a woman was buried for ten minutes. Two men skiing with her were partially buried [ more... ]

A congressman who gets it? Hallelujah! Congressman Scott Tipton, Republican from Colorado, doesn’t want the Forest Service to bar mountain bikes from sharing a new segment of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail while allowing hiking and horseback riding. It’s Tipton’s district where the new route is being built. “I am primarily troubled by the [ more... ]

Emissaries of the International Federation of Sport Climbing headed to Switzerland to make their appeal to be added to the Summer Games beginning in 2020. They’re competing for a spot with baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, squash, wakeboaring, and wushu. If accepted, the IOC would have to decide on a sport to cut from the Games. [ more... ]

It’s possible that a race to find out if there’s life under 1.2 miles of ice in Antarctica could yield amazing results; whatever lives in three sub-ice lakes at the bottom of the earth could tell scientists about life throughout the universe or in our own solar system, where no light, and extremes of cold [ more... ]

Check out all the POV highlights from helmet cams on riders in the Matchstick Productions’ film Superheroes of Stoke. As you might expect, the segment is underwritten by Counter cameras. Prepare for dizzying air, lots of cliffs, and even more pow.

via The Ski Journal

Two national park advocacy groups predict catastrophic consequences for Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, especially access to backcountry, if congressional lawmakers fail to avoid the “fiscal cliff.” Seasonal employees, such as climbing and rescue rangers, trail crews, and maintenance workers would bear the brunt of cuts, said the National Parks Conservation Association and Coalition [ more... ]

I’m here to report something you all knew: the video of the baby-snatching eagle is fake. If you posted something on any social media about killing all eagles, or if you bought some anti-eagle spray, now is the time to try to fix those mistakes. NPR reports that three students of digital design at Montreal’s Centre NAD say they made the movie. If you’re a skeptic, you might be thinking, “Well, maybe the school’s press release is a fake.” No, it seems their students have a history of pulling off these fake animal videos.