Out & About: Man hiking Glacier slips, dies

OUTFIELD – A Washington man hiking in Glacier National Park slipped on a snowfield and fell about 100 feet to his death on Wednesday.

Charles Fred Huseman of Packwood died from trauma suffered in the fall from the Highline Trail, which was still closed because of the snow patches leading to the steep drop-offs.

Witnesses told park rangers that Huseman was hiking the trail when he slid on a snowfield and fell, landing along the Going-to-the-Sun Road about a mile west of Logan Pass in Montana.

OUTBABE – Emily Jackson, 23, – pregnant with her first child – conquered whitewater three weeks before she’s due to have her water break.

Jackson, a two-time world champion from Rock Island, Tenn., won the women’s freestyle whitewater kayaking title last weekend in the Payette River Games at Kelly’s Whitewater Park in Cascade, Idaho.

Snow still retreating on region’s high trails

OUTHIKE – Inland Northwest hikers will find roads open to most mountain trailheads in the region this week. Although this week’s predicted hot weather will change conditions, snow was still clogging high-elevation trails in areas such as the Selkirks, Cabinets, Wallowas and Canadian Rockies this week.

Men climb-descend Rainier in record 3:57

OUTDO – Two ski mountaineers have set a speed record for climbing and descending 14,410-foot Mount Rainier from the Paradise parking lot, scorching the icy slopes in 3 hours, 57 minutes and 55 seconds.

Andy and Jason Dorais of Salt Lake City set the record on June 5, a couple of weeks after another pair of mountaineers had erased the 4:50 record in a time of 4:19.  

The brothers predict the record time will drop significantly as speed runners refine the routes and techniques and pick the perfect conditions.

Jason’s food intake during the 9,103 feet of elevation gain: five powergels mixed in 16 ounces of Gatorade, plus 16 ounces of Red Bull.

Their average moving speed was 4.1 mph, hitting a maximum of 33.4 mph on the ski descent.

Fireworks prohibited on most public lands

OUTLAW – Fireworks are prohibited year-round on public lands including national forests, wildlife refuges and parks and Bureau of Land Management lands, as well as state wildlife lands.

Starting Monday, even campfires will be prohibited on Washington Department of Natural Resources lands.