News of Midwest (Great Plains, Great Lakes)

The legendary Reinhold Messner has graciously agreed to be the guest speaker at the 2024 Annual CMC Dinner.

Details for the event are as follows:

Event: 81st CMC Annual Dinner, Featuring Reinhold Messner
Date: March 30th, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Location: Ovation, Chicago

https://www.chicagomountaineeringclub.org/event/5da19f00-99b8-449a-9aba-092d3ae78dc4

The Wisconsin DNR has released its draft master plan for the Central Sand area. This area includes Devil's Lake and Gibraltar Rock. The new master plan will determine the future of recreational activities, including climbing, on these lands. These plans are only reviewed every 15 years. This provides a rare window of opportunity for people to advocate for the reopening of climbing areas at Gibraltar Rock and at Devil’s Lake State Park (South Bluff/Devil's Nose ...

After a 2-year hiatus, the Chicago Mountaineering Club is having an in-person annual dinner on March 11th. The featured guest speaker is Grand Slam explorer Alex Pancoe!

Date: Saturday March 11, 2023
Time: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM CST
Venue: Alter Brewing Co. Taproom, Downers Grove
Location: 2300 Wisconsin Ave Downers Grove, IL 60515

Registration and Details.

-Beer provided by Alter Brewing Company - Open Bar INCLUDED in your ticket price!
-All you can eat ...

Hello,

I am looking for a list to complete to explore my home state a bit. I'm looking for something like Arizona 20/20 or Colorado 14ers, but MI is a relatively flat state without many mountains at all. I did undertake county highpointing a bit before COVID hit, but with the situation I'm not quite comfortable asking people to barge onto their land. Are there any other lists I could do here in Michigan?

In case you haven't heard, all state parks are closed in Illinois and Wisconsin due to the coronavirus pandemic. I'm sure it's the same for many of the other parks in the Midwest. Be sure to check the current status before you plan a trip to any of the parks in this area.

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200316/illinois-state-parks-and-other-facilities-closed

https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has been renamed and designated a national park.

More...

Colin O'Brady will be the guest speaker at the Chicago Mountaineering Club's annual dinner this year. Colin is the first person in history to cross Antarctica solo, unsupported and unaided. He completed the 932-mile expedition in 54 days on Dec 26, 2018.

O'Brady is also a three-time world record holder.
- In 2016 he completed the Explorers Grand Slam (Last Degree) in 139 days.
- In 2016 he became the fastest person to complete the ...

So I'm doing a little recon for a roadtrip I'm doing this weekend that ends in St Louis and found out that technically the Gateway Arch in St Louis has been given National Park status upgraded from Monument. Personally I find this annoying as I don't think anything man made should be a National Park.

But alas it's been added to peakbagger list #56

http://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=1821

Here is an article

...

Mike Libecki and his daughter Lilliana will be the guest speakers at the Chicago Mountaineering Club annual dinner this year on March 3rd at Brookfield Zoo. Hope to see you there!


Additional info and registration...

A 27 year old man died after a fall when he was climbing at Devil's Lake over the weekend. Details of the accident are still being determined. The man was identified as Macklin Nesst of Madison. RIP. :cry:

http://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrepublic/news/local/article_03a97c1e-de15-58b3-86cf-33df3ddf855d.html

https://www.devilslakewisconsin.com/2017/09/04/a-death-at-devils-doorway/