Outdoor News September 15, 2017

New at EXPLORE!

Yesterday I posted a new article on EXPLORE! It’s about a 30 mile backpacking trip in the Wild Rogue Wilderness of southwestern Oregon.  There are lots of photos as well as a video.  

Also, this week I added back issues of this newsletter to the website.  It’s “Outdoor News” in the main menu.  I only added Outdoor News back to July 7, but plan to add new editions each Friday.  Stick with the email version if you want to get them along with everyone else.  There will be a delay before they appear on the website.

Outdoor Skills Day

The Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell, Georgia, is hosting an Outdoor Skills Day this coming Sunday.  According to their website, “If the cool weather has you itching to get outdoors, then you cannot miss our upcoming Family Fun Day: Outdoor Skills Day! The Chattahoochee Nature Center wants to inspire you to connect with nature this fall by bringing together local partners that will provide mini-clinics on some basic outdoor skills for all ages.”  Local partners and their topics are:

• Atlanta Outdoor Club – Hiking Skills
• Patagonia Store Atlanta Ga  – Gear Repair and Trip Prep
• Upper Chattahoochee Trout Unlimited – Fly-Fishing 101
• Mountain High Outfitters – Backpacking Skills
• Georgia Geocachers Association – Geocaching Basics
• Nantahala Outdoor Center – Survival Skills
• Steve Hudson, Local Author: Fishing, Hiking, and More!
• Boy Scouts: Tent Building Skills

This type of event is a great opportunity to connect people with the outdoors and to the outdoor industry that can support them in their adventures.  

National Park and Forest News

Glacier National Park: With the forecasted weather change Wednesday night, and its potential effects on behavior of the Sprague Fire, the Flathead County Sheriff, Glacier National Park officials, and the Thompson Fire Incident Management Team issued an evacuation WARNING for the following areas:Apgar area within Glacier National Park, including Apgar campground and Apgar village Portions of West Glacier including West Glacier village, Highline Blvd. neighborhood, Golf Course neighborhood, Wild River Dr. / Grouse Ridge Rd. neighborhood, and west toward Sloan Lane neighborhood.  As of Thursday morning, the weather change did not significantly affect fire growth.  The fire is at 16,000 acres.

Death Valley National Park: A 10 minute windstorm on Monday evening tore the roof off of an historic building at the Cow Creek administrative area and damaged buildings at Stovepipe Wells.  “The atmosphere during this storm was very dry below the storm cell,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Alex Boothe. “Microbursts occur when rain falls into very dry air causing evaporational cooling. The cooled air sinks rapidly and spreads in all directions as it hits the ground.” The wind also blew windows out of vehicles and sent dumpsters blowing down the road.

Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta, Canada): The Kenow Fire is active in the area and within the park boundaries. An Evacuation Oder is in effect and the park remains closed to all incoming traffic except emergency vehicles and authorized personnel. Even though the townsite is not under immediate threat, there are risks due to the active fire nearby and ongoing fire operations. Community members should not attempt to return to the area until advised by Parks Canada.

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests: There is extensive damage on the national forests as a result of Tropical Storm Irma plowing through the area. Many roads are blocked by fallen trees and low-hanging power lines. The Forest Service is strongly encouraging people to stay off roads, trails and backcountry areas and give crews time to do their work. Down and damaged trees are everywhere, and pose a serious, life-threatening risk to visitors. Along with many roads, most trails are blocked, and trees continue to fall. The agency has crews assisting trapped visitors, sawing out roads, and assessing damage. The list of known closures continues to expand as the Forest Service assesses the impacts. For the most current listing closures, please visit www.facebook.com/ChattOconeeNF/posts/1578161768890276. 

 

Cities Connecting Children to Nature

The Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN) initiative supports city leaders in connecting more children, more equitably to nature. The pilot CCCN cohort broke new trail, expanding cities’ capacity to collect data on how well and how much children equitably connect with nature. The cities built their capacity through articulating strategies and identifying early indicators of progress. With much work remaining in order to institutionalize and standardize children and nature assessment within and across cities, the CCCN Metrics Toolkit offers a starting point for municipal leaders to consider what strides in institutions, infrastructure, and programming will lead to better outcomes for all young residents.

The initiative is hosting a webinar called Measuring Cities Connecting Children to Nature from 2:00pm to 3:00pm EDT on September 28.   Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to register.

You will be joining CCCN initiative leaders to learn about development of the CCCN Metrics Toolkit, hear what stories early data tell eight months into cities’ strategy implementation efforts, and offer your insights on how best to collect, disaggregate, and share data documenting children’s connection to nature.  Speakers include: Rachel Pringle Frederick. VP of Growth & Strategic Partnerships, Education Outside; Karen Knight, Program Coordinator, City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department; and Priya Cook, Principal Associate, Connecting Children to Nature Institute for Youth, Education, and Families at the National League of Cities.
 

Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge

The Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge is a Mother-Nature-meets-March-Madness competition with 100 schools from across the country going head-to-head for four weeks to see who can get the most people outside and active. The school with the most people outdoors wins.  The event runs from September 18 to October 15 and registration is now open.

Eligible activities include: Adventure Racing (like Tough Mudder), Biking/Mountain Biking, Camping, Climbing Indoor/Outdoor, Caving, Equestrian, Fishing/Hunting, Hiking/Backpacking, Paddle Sports (Kayak, SUP, Canoe), Outdoor Service Projects, Running/Jogging/Trail Running, Snowsports, Water Activities (Outdoor), Hammocking, Outdoor Clinics & Training, Skateboarding/Longboarding, Slacklining, Walking, Yoga (Outdoor), Bird/Wildlife Watching, Gardening, Stargazing. Traditional team sports are not eligible. Each activity must take place for a minimum of 30 minutes and have occurred between September 18 and October 15, 2017.

Anyone who is a U.S. resident is welcome to participate in the Campus Challenge. Simply visit www.oncampuschallenge.org and create an account, select the school you are supporting and log your outdoor activities.  You might win some free gear!  If you engage with Campus Challenge, you will be using a commitment device.  Check our blog post on that topic to learn what that means.
 

Special Savings for Our Readers

• Motivate Yourself and Your Family With EXPLORE! Logo Items.
• Fall Family Apparel Starting at $9.99 at Sierra Trading Post. Deal ends tomorrow!
• • 9/15 – 9/16 End Of Summer Clothing Clearance! Jerseys, Shorts, Shoes, etc – On Sale at Nashbar.com!
  • 9/17 Sunday Sell Off at Nashbar.com! Take an Extra 25% Off Select Cycling Products.
• Shop Cabela’s Hunting Sale and save up to 50% on everything you need for deer, elk and waterfowl season! Deal ends next Wednesday!

Video of the Week

If you are not familiar with Waterton Lakes National Park, this week’s video will give you a great look at the park’s offerings.  Enjoy!

   

---