WILD BILL
Idaho Doesn’t Deserve Delisting
Last Thursday, the so-called Idaho Sportsman's Day, was a sad day for hunters--and not just in Idaho; all of us, everywhere. But at least young people now understand why and how the wolf was wiped out in the early 1900s. They say we should understand history so we don't repeat our mistakes, but are political hysteria and irrational, factless hatred once again turning the wolf into a four-legged devil in the public consciousness?
Under these circumstances, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should not move forward with delisting the wolf from the protection of the Endangered Species Act, not until Idaho can display some sense of rationality and guarantee we can expect professional, balanced wolf management.
Right now, Idaho does not deserve delisting.
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WILD BILL
What Happens Next? Outdoor News Predictions for 2007This time of year you see lots of writers reflecting on what happened during the year just ended, but how hard is it to look into the past and be a visionary? Being a forward-looking sort of guy, I prefer to look ahead and predict what will happen instead of looking back to predict what did happen.
As far as wildlife and outdoor issues in the New West, and in particular to the subjects I've covered in my column, I predict the following will be the biggest stories of 2007--and what will or will not happen in the coming year.
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MANSIONS AND MORTGAGES
Colorado’s Housing Market Splits Three WaysIt's not easy being Colorado's housing market these days. The record number of foreclosures in the state, particularly in the Denver area, has given it a bad rap. And some say that foreclosure flap has even affected the sale of luxury homes in the hills above Denver and Boulder.
But Colorado's housing market is more than just foreclosures. Yes, home sales for the generally middle class in Colorado are awash in such foreclosure problems right now, enough so in fact that the state Legislature is looking at ways to help, but other housing markets in the state are doing just fine.
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WILD BILL
New Year’s Resolutions for Fun HogsYou've probably heard about people who never do today what they can put off to tomorrow. Well, I've been guilty of that of late. I’ve been putting it off for months, but I finally made myself go back and look at my new year’s resolutions, posted precisely a year ago, to see how I was progressing in my self-improvement efforts. And it seems like a good time to make a few more resolutions that really matter for 2007.
First, as promised a year ago, here are last year's New Year's Resolutions for Fun Hogs and my truly honest status report.
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Networking the West with Liz Ryan
Social Networking Bandits?Here in the West, we appreciate social networking - we need it. We're not thick as thieves with thousands of other people in our industries, not in places like Missoula and Boulder. We don't have the huge industry concentrations they have in New York and Chicago and London. Sometimes, we learn about a fascinating person because we find him or her online - and learn that the person lives and works maybe blocks away from us!
It happened to me last summer. I wrote to the president of an international women's organization, located in Canada. A few days later, I got an email back from the person who runs technology for this global women's organization. That person - Stephanie - lives in Boulder, maybe a mile and a half from me. That would be a small-world story anywhere, but particularly in a small city like Boulder. Anyway, my point is: the online connections are not trivial to New West networkers, because we're not overwhelmed with face-to-face networking events and industry functions like the businesspeople in LA and other megalopolae.
So imagine my horror when I read on a LinkedIn-related list-serv (it's called MyLinkedInPowerForum) that a LinkedIn user was trying to get money from another user, by acting as a sort of virtual highwayman.
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WILD BILL
Comments Worth Repeating, 2006As I'm sure many of you have noticed, NewWest.net has engaged readers who take the time to make excellent comments that frequently add value to stories. This week, I read through the hundreds of comments I've received on my weekly columns this year and picked out some gems worth repeating.
The hard part was narrowing down the list of insightful, well-written comments to a manageable size. Even though there are obviously many more comments worth repeating, here, in chronological order, are some of my favorites from a whole year of Wild Bill columns. Enjoy.
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SNOWBLOG GROK
Freshies for Early Birds, Avy Follow-up in Aspen
Here’s a novel idea. Steamboat Ski Area has decided to fire up its lifts a little earlier in the day, at least during the busy holiday season, to help meet the onslaught of vacationing skiers and snowboarders. The Steamboat Pilot & Today reported on the move, intended to help move people out of the base area and up onto the mountain. Some of Steamboat’s lifts will begin running at 8 a.m., giving early risers a chance to beat the crowds to the top of the mountain.
And the Denver Post reports that the Colorado ski industry is seeking to expand its marketing reach in Russia, China and other Asian markets. Julie Dunn wrote about the initiative in a Dec. 16 story, describing how Vail Resorts and the Aspen Skiing Co. sent sales reps to China and Japan recently. Colorado Ski Country USA, the state’s ski industry trade group, is working with the Colorado Tourism Office to try and establish a nonstop airline connection between Tokyo and Denver, seen as a key step in growing that market.
In Aspen, local papers have been following up on the recent avalanche death that occurred in-bounds at the Snowmass Ski Area. The Aspen Times reported that 25-year-old Nicholas Blake Davidson suffocated in the snow slide last week. The story also includes a photo of the avalanche path and fracture line.
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SNOWBLOG GROK
Aspen Skier Dies in Snow SlideAn Aspen skier died in an avalanche Thursday afternoon, The Aspen Times reports. According to the Times, 25-year-old Nicholas Blake Davidson jumped off a cliff band in a closed area known as the lower Ladder section of the Hanging Valley Wall, visible in this trail map.
One witness quoted in the Times said the slab avalanche fractured four feet deep and about 50 feet across, and ran about 150 feet downhill. Davidson, who competed in big air and extreme skiing competitions, was carried into a timbered area by the slide. The slide happened sometime around 1 p.m. and rescuers dug him out of the debris by 1:32 p.m. An autopsy will be performed to determine whether Davidson suffocated or died of trauma.
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In the AVALANCHE ZONE
Teton Climbing Ranger Reflects On Mt. Hood and Winter MountaineeringThe tragic end for three climbers on Oregon's Mt. Hood has caused many serious alpine veterans in the Rockies, where winter mountaineering is a popular, cherished sport, to reflect on the risks of climbing, the need for proper seasonal preparedness, and the ever-present wild card of avalanche danger.
This week, New West caught up with Renny Jackson, who oversees the world-renowned team of elite climbing rangers in Grand Teton National Park. Over the years, Jackson has organized or been a part of several high-profile search and rescue efforts in the Tetons. The unique corps of public servants has, on several occasions, been awarded special recognition from the federal government for putting their own lives in danger to aid others.
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WILD BILL
The Most Pro-Wolf State of Them AllMirror, mirror, on the wall.
What is the most pro-wolf state of them all?
What state has done more for wolf recovery than any other? What state made it possible to have twice as many wolves than even avid wolf fans expected? What state wants the feds to keep the wolf on the endangered species list for years longer than expected. What state prevented state agencies from unleashing aerial gunners to kill more than half of the wolf population? And most of all, in a wolf lover’s dream-come-true, what state is making it possible for the wolf to expand its range into Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Utah where it will be considered endangered for many years into the future?
My answer might surprise you.
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