Be Prepared

It’s been snowing hard in the Western U.S. over the last few days, and a big dump of snow in the mountains over a short period of time is a recipe for avalanches. On Sunday and Monday, three avalanches caught three people in Utah and Colorado. Two victims died. [more]

FIRST AND ONLY ON NEWWEST.NET

Environmentalists see the Blue Tide as more of a Green Tide, and they not only have their hopes up, but their sleeves rolled up.

A huge coalition of green groups, 98 in all, has just finished a massive analysis of the current regulatory situation governing the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service amd prepared a lengthy quick fix list to President-elect Obama's transition team.

Based on this action-packed letter, Obama's choices for Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture will have a lot of homework to do long before they start work in January. [more]

10 Gifts Under 20 Bucks

Most of my friends and family are snow enthusiasts and I’d like to get all of them something for Christmas. I’m not a very wealthy guy these days (and, I’ll be honest, I’m trying to save up for some AT bindings), so I did some research and found ten great gifts for snow lovers, all under twenty bucks. Some are useful. Some are corny. None will break the bank.

[more]

SPIFY VIDEO PROMOTES NEXT YEAR'S EVENT

With the first Climate Ride under their Spandex and booked as a big success, the founders and organizers, two Montana women, are already working hard on the next year's event.

To promote Climate Ride 2009, they did a spiffy video on five-day, 300-mile Climate Ride 2008. Be forewarned, though. This video might be beneficial to your health and the planet's, too, because it will likely make you spring up from your computer and start training for next September's sequel. [more]

BROTHERS MAKING THEIR MARK FOR COLORADO

The Denver Post is reporting this morning that Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) is now the leading candidate for Secretary of the Interior. If so, he has bypassed early leaders Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Interior Deputy Secretary John Berry.

The Post also reports that Congressman John Salazar (D-CO.), Ken's older brother, has been on the short list for Secretary of Agriculture, but now he is more likely to be appointed to his brother's job in the U.S. Senate by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, also a Democrat [more]

FIRST AND ONLY ON NEWWEST.NET

"With Wilderness bills, we can always find reasons not to do it."

So says, Pat Williams, the man who probably has more standing in the seemingly endless efforts to protect Montana's wild land than anybody still living in the state.

In an exclusive interview with NewWest.Net on Friday, Williams spoke out on Montana's Wilderness Drought, and uncorked some sage advice for Montana's delegation and green groups on how we should try to end it--and, also, how not to try to end it. [more]

SOME OVERSIGHT NEEDED

I warn you upfront. This is going to be a bit of rant that I usually try to avoid in this column, but with this subject, I can't resist.

I don't know how many readers watch hunting shows on the cable channels. I watch them, but I'll be doing a lot less of it going forward unless somebody steps up and kills these "Chumming TV" programs that give hunting a bad image, even among hunters.

And anti-hunting groups must love watching these distasteful programs and see hunters desecrate their own image. It makes their job easier. [more]

Snow News Isn't Good News

While the ski industry in northwest Montana employs many people, there is only one who decides when the ski season begins and she doesn’t answer to anybody: Mother Nature. And while her schedule may not be totally in sync with the executives at Whitefish Mountain Resort, it’s not too far off either. Resort officials delayed their planned Dec. 6 opening date due to lack of snow, but – as of this writing – planned to open Tuesday of this week, with skiing on the north face of Big Mountain, off of Chair 7.

For local skiers and riders, the delay has been unwelcome, but not exactly unexpected after weeks of mild weather. Kalispell Airport reported its first measurable snowfall – a half-inch – on Dec. 2. That’s the latest measurable snowfall on record for Kalispell since 1953, according to Dan Zumpfe, a meteorologist for the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration’s Missoula office. [more]

New West Blog

The New York Times opinion page weighs in today on the Bush administration move to allow guns in National Parks.

The nut:
"The parks were set aside to preserve their natural beauty and provide enjoyment for visitors. Loaded guns — concealed or unconcealed — are completely inconsistent with that purpose and with the enjoyment of visitors who do not wish to come armed."

Read the editorial here.

News Brief

From a new study, reported in today’s Salt Lake Tribune:

“Parks infuse more than 11,000 jobs and nearly $485 million into the Utah economy, says a new study. Nationally, the parks accounted for 188,000 jobs and more than $18 billion in economic activity. That’s about $4 in benefits for every taxpayer dollar spent on the park system, said Park System Director Mary A. Bonar.

Full story here.

By Courtney Lowery, 12-09-08 | comments (1) | email story | print story