Wyoming

Mountain West senators urge feds to protect wilderness rock climbing

Published

1 year ago

September 17, 2024

Mountain West senators urge feds to protect wilderness rock climbing

More than a dozen U.S. senators are urging the National Park and Forest services to reconsider plans to restrict the use of fixed anchors for rock climbing.

“We are concerned the policy changes would unnecessarily burden our National Parks’ and Forests’ already strained budgets, limit access to these special places, and endanger climbers,” the senators recently wrote in a letter.

The group represents Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and four other states, and says they’re concerned that climbing access could be limited in places such as Utah’s Zion National Park or Wyoming’s Wind River Range.

Climbers have historically used fixed anchors — or metal bolts drilled into rock walls — to rappel down hundreds of feet.

But last fall, the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service proposed restricting them in wilderness areas and potentially removing many existing anchors.

While some conservationists support this, arguing anchors can damage rock faces, there was mass pushback from climbers, recreationists, and now, senators.

“The recreation economy is so significant in most Western states, especially, but also across the country,” said Erik Murdock, deputy director of the Access Fund, the climbing advocacy group that has been at the forefront of this fight.

He said removing anchors from some 50,000 wilderness climbing routes is untenable and just plain expensive. Plus, he said if fixed anchors go, so could other types of recreation, like backcountry skiing.

“It’s an example of how natural resource policy can go awry if bureaucrats are not considering the general public, stakeholder groups, local economies, long-standing traditions and uses of wilderness,” Murdock said.

The senators are calling for a new policy that continues to allow fixed anchors, which they called “fundamental safety tools” for climbers. They also called for a “timely briefing” on the status of the proposed policy to manage climbing.

The federal agencies have not released any major updates on their plans since receiving thousands of comments in opposition earlier this year.

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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Wyoming

From Douglas to Jackson, Week 4 Is Loaded for Wyoming Boys’ Swim & Dive

Published

6 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

From Douglas to Jackson, Week 4 Is Loaded for Wyoming Boys’ Swim & Dive

It is Week 4 in the 2026 Wyoming High School boys’ swimming and diving season. It features several medium-sized competitions. After a dual in Douglas on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday are packed with meets. Jackson hosts its two-day invitational with four teams heading to Teton County. There are three-team events in Casper, Gillette, and Sheridan on Friday, plus two five-team meets at Cody and Rock Springs.

WYOPREPS BOYS SWIMMING AND DIVING WEEK 4 SCHEDULE 2026

Saturday also has swim invites at Evanston, Powell, and Sheridan. The schedule for Week 4 of the prep boys’ swimming and diving season in the Cowboy State is below. The schedule is subject to change.

RAWLINS AT DOUGLAS – dual

Read More Boys Swim News from WyoPreps

WyoPreps Week 3 Boys Swim Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Week 2 Boys Swim Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Week 1 Boys Swim Scoreboard & Season Outlook 2026

Nominate a Boys Swimmer/Diver For WyoPreps Athlete of the Week

3A Boys State Championship Recap 2025

4A Boys State Championship Recap 2025

3A Diving Champ Bryson Laing in 2025

4A Swim Champ Cy Gallion in 2025

4A Diving Champ Brady Benne in 2025

4A Swim Champ Ben Forsythe in 2025

Kemmerer’s Malachi Villarreal Reacts to Record Weekend in 2025

CASPER TRI at NCHS – Cheyenne East, Kelly Walsh, Natrona County.

CODY INVITE – Cody, Newcastle, Powell, Riverton, Worland.

GILLETTE TRI – Campbell County, Cheyenne Central, Thunder Basin.

JACKSON INVITE – Jackson, Kemmerer, Lander, Laramie, Sublette County.

ROCK SPRINGS INVITE – Evanston, Lyman, Green River, Rawlins, Rock Springs.

SHERIDAN PRE-INVITE – Buffalo, Douglas, Sheridan.

CHEYENNE CENTRAL AT CAMPBELL COUNTY – dual

EVANSTON INVITE at Davis MS – Evanston, Green River, Lyman, Rock Springs.

GENE DOZAH INVITATIONAL at Powell – Buffalo, Cody, Newcastle, Powell, Riverton, Worland.

JACKSON INVITE – Jackson, Kemmerer, Lander, Laramie, Sublette County.

SHERIDAN INVITE – Douglas, Kelly Walsh, Natrona County, Sheridan, Thunder Basin.

3A State Boys Swimming-2025

Gallery Credit: Frank Gambino

4A Boys State Swimming & Diving Meet-2025

Gallery Credit: Frank Gambino

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Wyoming

Wyoming motorcyclist dies in Laramie County wreck

Published

18 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming motorcyclist dies in Laramie County wreck

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A Wyoming man died Dec. 22 in a motorcycle-versus-truck collision in Laramie County.

According to a recently released incident report from the Wyoming Highway Patrol, 24-year-old Wyoming man Kyle Pandullo was headed west on a motorcycle as a van approached from the opposite direction. The WHP reports that the van attempted to turn left into a business entrance, forcing Pandullo to brake in an effort to avoid a crash. His bike tipped over onto its side, sliding into the van.

The WHP lists driver inattention as a possible contributing factor in the wreck.

This story contains preliminary information as provided by the Wyoming Highway Patrol. The agency advises that information may be subject to change.

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Wyoming

Documentary ‘399 Forever’ to make its Wyoming debut at The Center on Jan. 6

Published

1 day ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Documentary ‘399 Forever’ to make its Wyoming debut at The Center on Jan. 6

JACKSON, Wyo. — Everyone’s favorite grizzly will grace the big screen this month.

Documentary 399 Forever will make its Wyoming premiere at The Center on Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $13.

The film follows passionate wildlife guides and photographers who dedicated their lives to tracking, teaching, and protecting Grizzly 399, the world’s most famous bear. As they capture her story, they also confront the growing impact of social media on wildlife, work to educate the public, and fight for practical solutions like bear-proof trash cans to keep both bears and people safe.

With mounting pressure to remove grizzlies from the endangered species list, the film explores the heart of a complex and emotional debate: What does it really mean to protect a wild animal?