🌲 America’s Public Lands Are Under Attack

Good morning, Stoke Crew. Not too many updates today, gonna keep it short and sweet. Hope you all have a good Thursday!

In today's report

• Everest Updates
• The government trying to sell our public lands

Mountain Briefing

🏔️ Everest's New Rules

The days of buying an Everest permit and hoping for the best are officially over as Nepal implements strict new requirements designed to weed out inexperienced climbers from the world's most dangerous mountain! Starting now, aspiring Everest climbers must prove they've already conquered a 7,000-meter peak in Nepal, hire a mandatory local Nepali guide, and provide a medical certificate issued within 30 days of their expedition to demonstrate physical readiness for the brutal ascent. The crackdown comes in direct response to a catastrophic 2023 climbing season that recorded at least 17 deaths - the highest ever - along with dangerous bottlenecks in the death zone above 8,000 meters where prolonged exposure can be fatal. These new measures build on recent changes including mandatory tracking devices for all climbers and a hefty 36% permit fee increase to $15,000 for peak season, signaling Nepal's commitment to transforming Everest from a deadly tourist attraction into a mountain reserved for genuinely qualified climbers.

Why It Matters: These rules represent a fundamental shift toward prioritizing safety and sustainability over tourism revenue on the world's highest peak. The requirement to climb a 7,000-meter Nepalese peak first ensures climbers have real Himalayan experience rather than just deep pockets, while mandatory local guides guarantees employment for communities that depend on mountaineering tourism. The changes address the deadly overcrowding and environmental damage that has turned Everest into a cautionary tale of overtourism in extreme environments.

Not Stoked

🌲 America’s Public Lands Are Under Attack

This newsletter focuses on exciting, inspiring stories that bring happiness to readers. But sometimes important things happen that aren't good news, and I believe this is one of those stories. If I can make even a small impact on preventing this, I'm going to try.

The Report: The most significant threat to America's public lands in generations is advancing through Congress as Senate Republicans push legislation requiring the forced sale of over 3.3 million acres of treasured outdoor destinations, including Colorado gems like Shrine Ridge at Vail Pass, the Wind River Range, and Mount Hood's trail networks! The sweeping proposal, embedded in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," uses budget reconciliation procedures to bypass public hearings and mandates that federal agencies auction off 0.5-0.75% of Forest Service and BLM lands over five years to raise $5-10 billion for the federal treasury.

Colorado faces devastating potential losses with analyses showing 14-17 million acres eligible for sale, encompassing beloved recreation areas around Vail, Aspen, Steamboat Springs, and Summit County, plus world-class destinations like Twin Lakes, Cameron Pass, and the Lunch Loops trail system in Grand Junction. The legislation has been repeatedly amended to expand the land grab, most recently removing protections for grazing allotments and nearly doubling the eligible acreage by threatening the 7.8 million acres that support 1,000 Colorado ranching operations.

Why It Matters: This land selloff would permanently destroy the public access system that defines the American West, threatening over 100,000 miles of trails, 8,232 climbing areas, and 3,405 river miles nationwide that are currently free and open to all citizens. Colorado stands to lose 25,428 miles of trails, 2,067 climbing sites, and 328 river miles that form the foundation of the state's $13 billion outdoor recreation economy and the lifestyle that attracts millions of residents and visitors. Critics warn that once sold, these lands will never return to public ownership, potentially blocking access to generations of outdoor enthusiasts while benefiting private developers and extractive industries.

Take Action Here

Local Stokelight

The Pass is Back

Loveland Pass is officially backopen to traffic as of 1 PM Wednesday after CDOT crews spent three days clearing a massive landslide that shut down U.S. Highway 6 since Sunday morning! The cleanup operation required seven tandem dump trucks continuously hauling debris, removing a total of 92 tons of mud and silt from the 100-foot-wide, 15-20-foot-deep slide.

Name That Nature

🔍 How to Identify Prickly Poppy

Welcome to Name That Nature section! I share a photo of a wildflower spotted in Colorado and we learn its name and how to identify it. This photo was taken at Apex Park in Golden, CO.

🌸 Flowers

• Large, delicate, white petals (can be 3–5 inches across)
• Bright yellow center of clustered stamens (looks like a fried egg)
• Papery, crinkled petals (like tissue paper)

📏 Plant Size

• Grows 1–3 feet tall, sometimes taller in rich soil

🏞️ Grows in

• Late spring to summer (May–August depending on location)
• Dry, open areas, prairies, grasslands, foothills

Trailhead Trivia

How many species of wildflowers are in Colorado?

🔥 Share The Stoke

This newsletter is for mountain lovers, dirtbags, powder hounds, and people who base life decisions on trail conditions and snow reports. Basically, the kind of folks who think a summit beer counts as hydration.

If you know someone like that, forward this email or send them to thestokereport.com. Thanks for spreading the stoke — it seriously means a lot!

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