A German national was injured on Monday after falling into a ravine on Mount Olympus A group of hikers found him shortly after 3:30 p.m at an altitude of approximately 2,100 meters and alerted the authorities Dozens of firefighters from specialized rescue units took part in the rescue operation The man is expected to be airlifted from the site by helicopter lost his balance for unknown reasons and fell into the gorge Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox The woman was located in a steep and inaccessible area near the ‘Agapitos’ mountain refuge. According to initial reports, she lost her balance while hiking with a group and fell. One of her companions immediately contacted emergency services by dialing the European emergency number A large-scale rescue operation was launched by the Hellenic Fire Service, involving 24 firefighters, specialised mountain rescue teams, and personnel from the towns of Katerini and Litochoro. The effort also included the use of a Super Puma helicopter to retrieve the woman’s body from the rugged terrain She was airlifted to the helipad near the refuge and then transported by a Fire Department helicopter to the military camp in Litochoro The operation concluded in the late afternoon Local authorities from the Dion-Olympos Police Department have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident A post-mortem examination will be conducted to officially determine the cause of death The tragic accident has cast a sombre tone over the popular hiking destination, often referred to as the home of the ancient Greek gods You must be logged in to post a comment You can now climb Mount Olympus in Walkabout Mini Golf Mount Olympus in Walkabout Mini Golf is the game's 32nd course, following Viva Las Elvis in January. According to studio head Lucas Martell it is far larger than Walkabout's previous giant-sized course, 2023's Temple At Zerzura On the path up Mount Olympus you'll encounter temples and offerings with icons of the main Greek pantheon including Zeus Our tour with Walkabout creator Lucas Martell is also our longest ever clocking in at 28 minutes of behind-the-scenes details I recently hosted Mighty Coconut senior art director Don Carson for an in-depth discussion about the design process in the game He notes they aim to "over deliver" with a layered design approach that lasts more than a year seeing teams handing off courses to one another in rotation Hot on the heels of Elvis producing the highest single sales day in the game's nearly five-year history will players again come back to Mount Olympus and continue the trend of grabbing a few more from the store You can find Walkabout on all major headsets as well as iOS Get a weekly summary of the most important VR and AR news Check your inbox to confirm!(it might also be in your spam folder) Unlock the full potential of UploadVR and support our independent journalism with an ad-free experience by becoming a Member Sign up to get a weekly summary of the most important VR and AR news LOCAL NEWS 7:09 PM | Updated: Dec 26 BY MICHAEL HOUCK AND MARY CULBERTSON, KSL TV COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A man was found dead on the Mount Olympus Trailhead by search and rescue crews on Christmas Arlan Bennett with the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the man was identified later as William Thomas Bennett said the sheriff’s office received a call from hikers reporting a body found approximately a mile up the Mount Olympus Trailhead they located Thomas and pronounced him dead at the scene Bennett said it appeared Thomas died as a result of a fall he sustained while hiking and it may be updated when more information is provided Utah (KUTV) — Police said a body has been found along the Mount Olympus trailhead near Cottonwood Heights The body was found about a mile into the trail Wednesday afternoon Arlan Bennett with Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office said and Arlan said EMS workers declared the person deceased when they got to the body The person has been identified as 80-year-old William Thomas Police suspect he died after a fall while hiking COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A man was found dead on Mount Olympus Wednesday Christian Olson told said hikers called rescue crews at approximately 3:30 p.m First responders believe the man died recently and are not treating it as a suspicious death Utah — Salt Lake County Search and Rescue say they have recovered the body of a hiker who died following a fall on the Mount Olympus Trailhead they were notified of the body located about a mile into the trailhead at 3:20 p.m First Responders were able to get to the body but pronounced the victim dead at the scene Investigators say the victim died as a result of a fall he sustained while hiking FOX 13 News has reached out to officials and will update this article when we learn more your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt If you’ve ever wished your Greek myths came with a touch of Tony-winning sparkle The Onassis Foundation’s smash-hit podcast Live from Mount Olympus is back for its sixth season on 22 April 2025 — and this time it’s diving into the epic tale of Theseus and Ariadne The award-winning audio drama, which just bagged a Gold Signal Award for Best Road Trip Podcast, continues to spin ancient stories into binge-worthy gold. With narrator André De Shields – yes, that André De Shields from Hadestown – back as the slick "Theseus and Ariadne is a powerful myth reflecting the challenges teenagers face as they transition into adulthood shapes one's identity,”  says executive producer Karen Brooks Hopkins Live from Mount Olympus has also made the leap into classrooms Through a partnership with education platform inquirED reaching more than 1,600 schools across the US since last autumn “We view [Greek myths] as evergreen – living, relevant, urgent stories that ask more questions than they answer and are new every time they are told,” says Onassis Foundation artistic director Afroditi Panagiotakou “Our Live from Mount Olympus podcast tells them for today exploring issues that matter to audiences of all ages.” The production is a who’s who of theatre royalty the series boasts a dream team that includes Rachel Chavkin (also of Hadestown fame) and director-producers Zhailon Levingston and Keenan Tyler Oliphant Julie Burstein (creator of the Peabody Award-winning Studio 360) is the showrunner with playwright Nathan Yungerberg bringing the scripts to life The podcast is also known for its top-tier cameos: we’re talking Anna Kendrick, John Turturro, Isabella Rossellini in previous series Live from Mount Olympus is proving that myths never go out of style — absolutely epic Season Six of Live From Mount Olympus launches 22 April 2025 An Easter egg in a Leica promotional video is this the shell of the mirrorless Leica S4 The camera rumors are flying thick and fast Here are the most credible rumblings and reports about what's coming next I understand that what's old is going to be new again… but it certainly jibes with the wishlists of people I've spoken to at OM over the years Following the cult-like popularity of the digital Olympus PEN-F Oly employees often said that they hoped the beloved Olympus Trip 35 would follow suit mention of a mirrorless revival in the form of an OM Trip 35 has recently hit the web given the rampant popularity of compact cameras recently as the original Trip was one of the most popular compacts ever made with an equivalent of the fixed 40mm f/2.8 lens (which would be a 20mm lens assuming that OM sticks to its Micro Four Thirds pedigree) this could be one of the biggest cameras of the year It was followed by the first E-M1 in 2013 as a professional model then the OG E-M10 in 2014 as the entry-level member of the family the product line became increasingly incestuous with the different models leapfrogging each other in terms of the features they offered – leading to a slightly muddy product lineup where the E-M10 felt like the odd man out It feels like there may not be a demand for an OM-10 in the current market with a much cleaner delineation now existing between the OM-1 as the flagship and the OM-5 as the enthusiast model Of course, now that everybody knows Taylor Swift uses an E-M10 perhaps that's reason enough to launch an OM-10 Speaking of things that haven't happened yet despite widespread expectation (and confirmation) that they would there were two tiers of interchangeable mirrorless cameras: the OM-D series of SLR-styled performance cameras (with an EVF) fashion-first cameras (typically without an EVF) OM Digital Solutions confirmed that the PEN line would continue after it purchased the camera business from Olympus – but that was years ago "In Japan and Asia we continue to sell PEN E-P7," OM executive Kazuhiro Togashi told DP Review making it highly advantageous for travel photography we’ll reinforce such products in our lineup in the future." Which gives a glimmer of hope that we might get a new PEN Togashi did note that "our definition of outdoor use extends beyond just the adventurous; it encompasses outdoor activities in everyday life as well," adding that "we’d like to try to expand the scope of people enjoying cameras for travels or for everyday use to capture scenery." Rumors arose late last year that OM Digital was working on a new powerhouse camera for 2024 but I don't think that was in reference to the OM-1 Mark II the only other camera that fits the bill would be an OM System OM-1X I've just heard fresh rumors that a new "X" is indeed on the way with a pro-DSLR form factor body and integrated vertical grip as well as twin processors to power the then-new features like Deep Learning AF and software-driven ND filters It never felt like the original E-M1X found an audience as obviously a double decker DSLR-sized camera goes against the principles of Micro Four Thirds as an all-guns-blazing option for pros who use big lenses long battery life and as much firepower as possible I just hope it comes with a new sensor and ideally more megapixels (as Panasonic managed with the G9 II)… serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them He started working in the photography industry in 2014 product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and he loves instant cameras you will then be prompted to enter your display name MILLCREEK — A fourth person has been charged as an adult in connection with the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old man at the Mount Olympus trailhead was charged Friday in 3rd District Court with murder and two counts of firing a gun causing serious injury all first-degree felonies; aggravated assault All charges are filed with gang penalty enhancements if convicted at the Mount Olympus trailhead parking lot at 5425 Wasatch Boulevard His body was found in the driver's seat of the vehicle in which he was trying to hide were approached by a group of documented gang members "(One friend) stated that two males approached them asking if they 'rep?' and 'Want to gang bang?' They told the two males that they don't 'mess with that,'" according to charging documents One of the victims was then punched in the mouth he watched his attackers get into two cars "slowly driving down and circling on Wasatch Boulevard in the direction he ran like they were looking for him," court documents state But when the cars started heading back to the parking lot the man called Welday and his other friend to warn them that the group was coming back Welday and his friend attempted to hide in the car but the other group smashed through the windows were previously charged with murder in connection with the shooting A 15-year-old boy is also charged in juvenile court detectives served a search warrant on Mielke's cellphone and used data from the phone to place him at the scene of the killing Prosecutors said Mielke is a documented gang member and "has a significant delinquency history including firearm-related offenses and fleeing (from) police making him a continuing risk to the community At the time of his arrest … he was a (juvenile) fugitive SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Authorities have arrested and charged a fourth person in connection with the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Naod Welday and the aggravated assault of two of his friends at Mount Olympus Trailhead will be tried as an adult for charges including murder Police documents revealed that all arrested suspects are documented members of the Florencia 13 gang Earlier arrests included Mateo Heriberto Martinez The investigation began shortly after 4:30 a.m when Salt Lake County deputies responded to a welfare check at the Mount Olympus Trailhead parking lot where they found Welday deceased in the driver’s seat of a sedan with multiple gunshot wounds Court documents stated that Welday was with his cousin and a friend outside the sedan when two men approached questioning whether they “Rep R5” and if they “want to gang bang.” When Welday’s group declined He then contacted Welday and their other friend warning them to get inside the vehicle and lock the doors The suspects parked near A.A.’s sedan and exited their vehicles After the four suspects began banging on the doors one shattered the back driver’s side window and climbed in while another forced his way through the passenger side and struck H.T Detectives found a handprint on A.A.'s driver-side window and a search warrant for De La Rosa’s phone was executed on Aug 23 after he was located at a Sandy City homicide scene Data confirmed De La Rosa was at the Mount Olympus Trailhead at 4:25 a.m 3 and indicated he left the scene with Ruiz-Martinez Further analysis revealed De La Rosa’s phone was also at the site of a separate shooting in Midvale that evening He is currently being held on a no-bail warrant The Olympic Peninsula is moving below your feet Image used from https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/plate-tectonics-subduction-zones.htm Subduction is just the beginning of the monumental geologic story that is the Washington Peninsula. The mountains of today can be enjoyed from many viewpoints and debris on the ocean floor hardened into sedimentary rock As the two tectonic plates of the area crash together the Juan de Fuca Plate which holds the ocean and the Olympic Peninsula is forced downward underneath the land-bearing North American Plate not all of the crust on the oceanic plate makes its way further underground Much of the built-up sedimentary rock on top of the tectonic plate continues to crumple against the landmass of North America and fold upwards out of the water These are evidence of glaciers shifting and moving This is particularly indicative of faster movement from a glacier Moraines are piles of sediment that build up after being deposited or moved from the melting of a glacier like at the edge (a lateral moraine) or at the end (a terminal moraine) Lakes and ponds can be created by glacial melt water can collect at its terminus and will form a lake Many alpine lakes show where there were glaciers in the past Glaciers can also form surface ponds in their divots All images are public domain NPS taken by Janis Burger on fixed wing glacier monitoring flight 10-18-10 Glacial erratics are large boulders and rocks that were not formed where they rest today but instead were moved to that location by a glacier Sediment can fall on a glacier and move with it or be picked up as a freeze happens Areas were carved out by glaciers' weight and friction it is pushed aside or picked up and moved to other places and refreezing has helping to track the former paths of these glacier Scree fields can be created in the moraines Basins formed by sediment buildup often leave behind glacial lakes they would extend down into the rainforest valleys of today flat bottoms and tall cliff sides as the glacier moved across the entire valley spreading its weight and grinding action evenly across where the water is fluid and concentrated as it takes the smallest path of least resistance the water flows through these valley watersheds The Hoh River today is fed by water from Blue Glacier The sediment flowing out of the geologic giants above creates the iconic blue Geology is prevalent along the Olympic Coast as it is marveled at in the high cliffs, the tidal pools Geologic processes have shaped and influenced them all The coast of the Olympic Peninsula is particularly famous for some of this distinct geology and the incredible views they create today Water has directed and been directed in turn by the geologic processes of Olympic National Park that are highlighted below. Each water feature is bound in shape and flow by its geologic past. However, all of these lakes and rivers continue to reveal more about the ecologic and human past Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mount Olympus as seen from the Parley's Pointe Trail An 18-year-old was found shot to death at the Mount Olympus trailhead early Saturday Few details are known about the killing of Naod Welday, the 18-year-old who was found shot to death early Saturday near the trailhead of the popular Mount Olympus hike in Holladay Salt Lake County deputies discovered his body after at least one person called 911 on Aug 3 to report hearing gunfire at about 4:30 a.m. He died from “multiple fatal gunshot wounds,” according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office though authorities did not specify the amount of wounds he suffered It’s unclear if the teen was shot in the trailhead parking lot or left there after being killed no one had been arrested in connection with the case Authorities also had no updates to share about the investigation a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office said (Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) As investigators continue to search for leads anyone with information may contact the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 801-840-4000 to give our office a call so our detectives can work on those leads,” the spokesperson said The discovery seemed to temporarily affect Mount Olympus trail access early Saturday. One hiker, who shared a comment on the AllTrails hiking app reported that the trailhead parking lot was closed that morning They counted eight law enforcement vehicles at the scene Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera called the shooting a “senseless act of violence.” “Our detectives are working tirelessly to gather evidence and follow up on leads,” she wrote More information about the teen who died was not immediately known as of Tuesday evening He was the second teenager to be shot and killed in the Salt Lake Valley within the last month. On July 13, 17-year-old Nuer Deng, a student at Judge Memorial Catholic High School, was fatally shot in West Valley City. For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support 801-237-2900 or email subscribe@sltrib.com sltrib.com © 1996-2025 The Salt Lake Tribune MILLCREEK — A third person has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of an 18-year-old man at the Mount Olympus trailhead was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Thursday he was charged in 3rd District Court with murder a first-degree felony; and aggravated assault Ruiz-Martinez's arrest comes on the heels of two others. Mateo Heriberto Martinez, 20, and a 15-year-old boy were arrested on Monday for investigation of the same charges Martinez is listed as a co-defendant of Ruiz-Martinez in court documents but as of Friday had not been formally charged himself The group is accused of shooting and killing 18-year-old Naod Welday at the Mount Olympus trailhead parking lot at 5425 S who locked themselves inside their car after police say he and his friends got into an altercation with four other males in the parking lot "These suspects forced their way into the locked car by breaking windows and opening the door from the inside (Welday) was shot numerous times and died on scene," the affidavit states multiple people could be heard banging on the windows demanding entry into the vehicle "Windows could be heard getting broken You could then hear the males in the vehicle being assaulted and screaming/crying Then it sounds like there were three to four gunshots Another man was attacked with a hammer and suffered a head wound After Ruiz-Martinez was identified as someone suspected of being involved in the killing Salt Lake County sheriff's detectives spotted and arrested him during a traffic stop near 8400 South and 1650 West on Thursday just before 5:30 p.m He was in possession of a firearm at the time of his arrest Detectives on Friday said they are investigating the possible involvement of a fourth person "We remain dedicated to ensuring all those responsible for this homicide are brought to justice Our deputies and detectives continue to work hard on this case Their efforts have paid off with another successful arrest," Sheriff Rosie Rivera said Friday All three males arrested are documented gang members But police do not believe Welday and his friends are gang members or have any involvement with gangs A motive for the shooting was still under investigation Friday Anyone with information that could help is asked to call the sheriff's office at 801-840-4000 (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The popular Mount Olympus trailhead in Holladay is pictured on Tuesday An 18-year-old was found shot to death in the parking lot of the trailhead early Aug A young man and a teenager were arrested Tuesday in connection with the killing of 18-year-old Naod Welday, who was found shot to death early Aug. 3 near the trailhead of the popular Mount Olympus hike in Holladay. The 20-year-old man and 15-year-old boy suspected of homicide were arrested Tuesday after law enforcement executed search warrants at two separate homes, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The fatal shooting happened about two hours before sunrise Aug. 3 in the parking lot of the Mount Olympus trailhead, according to a court document explaining the probable cause for their arrests. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera holds a news conference at the Salt Lake County Government Center to announce the arrests of two people in connection with the recent fatal shooting of an 18-year-old near the Mount Olympus trailhead, Tuesday, August. 13, 2024. Few details were initially known about Welday’s death. The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office last week had asked the public for help as investigators scrounged for leads. But the document filed Tuesday sheds more light on what authorities suspect led to Welday’s death. It states Welday had been with at least two friends near the trailhead when an “altercation” began to unfold with another group, which authorities believe included the arrested individuals. During the confrontation, Welday and his friends locked themselves in their car as the other, larger group began to smash their car windows, the document states. While the car was being broken into, Welday called 911. The call recorded voices shouting, windows shattering and three to four gunshots, according to the probable cause document. Welday was fatally shot. Two friends Welday was with were both injured — one was struck by a member of the other group, and the other was hit with a hammer, causing a head wound that required treatment at a hospital, the document states. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The popular Mount Olympus trailhead in Holladay is pictured on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. An 18-year-old was found shot to death near the trailhead early Aug. 3, 2024. Evidence at the scene led investigators to suspect the 20-year-old arrested Tuesday, including a Toronto Blue Jays baseball cap left near the driver’s side of the car where Welday was shot, the document states. The 20-year-old had been captured in a video wearing a similar cap five days before the shooting. Cellphone records also placed the 20-year-old near the scene of the shooting, the document noted. The circumstances leading up to the altercation and fatal shooting remain unclear. Authorities suspect both the 20-year-old and the 15-year-old are gang members, according to a news release. But investigators noted Tuesday that Welday and his two injured friends are not suspected of gang activity. Neither of the individuals arrested had been formally charged with a crime as of Tuesday afternoon, court records indicated. The Salt Lake Tribune generally does not name defendants unless they have been formally charged, and the news organization generally does not name juveniles suspected of crimes unless they have been charged as adults. The 20-year-old was booked into the Salt Lake County jail without the option for bond on suspicion of murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and assault, jail records show. The 15-year-old was also booked into jail but more information was not immediately available as he is a minor. Authorities continue to investigate the case. Anyone with information may call 801-840-4000. “The Sheriff’s Office, including the Metro Gang Unit, will continue to work tirelessly to combat gang violence and protect our community,” Sheriff Rosie Rivera said during a media briefing on Tuesday. Representative Image Source: Pexels | Tom Fisk Seamounts—underwater mountains—and deep-sea trenches often serve as habitats for unique marine life, but this newly discovered seamount is the largest ever recorded. According to CNN it stands at 1.9 miles (3,109 meters) tall surpassing the height of Greece’s Mount Olympus This unnamed seamount is home to sponge gardens all thriving in vibrant hues within this deep-sea ecosystem via GIPHY The expedition succeeded because the researchers had the advantage of modern technology They were able to map this giant seamount by using a sonar system attached to the underside of the ship’s hull “Sound waves go down and they bounce back off the surface and we measure the time it takes to come back and get measured we get a really good idea (of the seabed topography),” Jyotika Virmani only about 26% of the seafloor has been mapped to this kind of resolution And the seafloor covers 71% of our planet’s surface Representative Image Source: Pexels | Egor Kamelev the environment was free of human intrusion and therefore "So it's almost like we expect to find something every time we go out I think we'd be disappointed if we didn't." Wild beavers have been released for the first time in a Dorset nature reserve over 400 years after the semi-aquatic creatures went extinct in England Wild beavers have been released for the first time in a Dorset nature reserve, over 400 years after the semi-aquatic creatures went extinct in England the heritage and nature conservation charity called the move a "real watershed moment" of the species' history in the country Two pairs of Eurasian beavers were released at the 82-acre Little Sea lake within the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve which is unrestricted by fenced enclosures The news arrives one week after a major policy announcement by government agencies DEFRA (Department for Environment allowing these animals to legally roam here for the first time since the 16th century In mainland Britain, beavers were hunted to extinction for their fur, meat, and scent glands. But now, according to The National Trust they will eventually play a vital role in restoring the ecosystem "creating wetland habitats that support countless other species." Wetlands will retain water during droughts and floods with dams filtering water to improve its quality downstream - YouTubewww.youtube.com touted the "watershed moment," saying they’d worked closely with Natural England "for the past seven years" to develop their approach “Our chosen site at Little Sea is highly suitable for these special creatures due to it being an expansive body of fresh water surrounded by dense willow woodland which will provide the beavers with plenty of food," she said in a statement but by creating glades within the willow woodland new areas of open wetlands will form to benefit many of the reserve’s rare species including water voles keeled skimmer dragonflies and tiny ‘bladderwort’ carnivorous plants." called the reintroduction a "historic moment for nature in England," saying "Beavers disappeared from our landscapes centuries ago and this release is the beginning of a new chance for these animals to thrive in the wild again." The also move draws on "high levels of public support," according to Dr. Roisin Campbell-Palmer, and the release cites a "detailed management plan" created by the Trust. However, as detailed in a report by Britain’s Channel 4 News "There’s just not a realistic option there for farmers to be able to manage the impact of beavers," said David Exwood Deputy President of the National Farmers’ Union "There will be cases where they need to remove beavers There will be places where our members will not want to see them and we just don’t think that is there in this current plan." That said Minister for Nature Mary Creagh noted that there will be capital grants available to deal with beaver impacts "including the ability to remove beaver dams within two weeks of their construction - YouTubewww.youtube.com In a real-life example of these useful rodents having a major impact on their environment and the people around them, a colony of beavers in the Czech Republic finished a $1.2 million dam project stuck in limbo by administrative red tape The endeavor had been held up for seven years due to permit issues but the beavers constructed their own two days—no money or documentation required Representative Image Source: Pexels | Anni Roenkae The discovered reservoir contains three times the volume of all Earth's oceans combined. It was surprising, because usually, the Earth’s mantle, 254 to 410 miles deep, is an efflux of scorching hot rocks covered with magma. According to New Scientist scientists have long believed that the mantle’s “transition zone,” the boundary between the upper and the lower mantle could contain water trapped in rare minerals via GIPHY “There is something very special about the crystal structure of ringwoodite that allows it to attract hydrogen and trap water This mineral can contain a lot of water under conditions of the deep mantle.” Representative Image Source: Pexels | Its MSVR The team discovered this ringwoodite around 430 miles underground in the mantle This gave a clue that the water on Earth could have simply seeped from within its core rather than coming from a comet or asteroid collision “It’s good evidence the Earth’s water came from within,” Jacobsen told New Scientist via GIPHY scientists employed 2,000 seismometers that helped them study the seismic waves generated by more than 500 earthquakes As these waves quiver through the Earth’s core scientists can examine them from the surface “They make the Earth ring like a bell for days afterward,” said Jacobsen Since the waves take longer to travel through wet rocks than dry rocks the speed of the waves told scientists which rocks could contain water the temperatures and other conditions were just perfect to squeeze the water out of the ringwoodite “It’s a rock with water along the boundaries between the grains almost as if they’re sweating,” explained Jacobsen Representative Image Source: Pexels | Lucian Photography The discovery of this huge ocean could provide some fascinating insights about Earth’s water cycle and how seas and oceans were initially formed on the planet “We should be grateful for this deep reservoir,” said Jacobsen and mountaintops would be the only land poking out.” “Geological processes on the Earth’s surface, such as earthquakes or erupting volcanoes, are an expression of what is going on inside the Earth, out of our sight,” added Jacobsen “I think we are finally seeing evidence for a whole-Earth water cycle which may help explain the vast amount of liquid water on the surface of our habitable planet Scientists have been looking for this missing deep water for decades.” This article originally appeared last year where it’s generating buzz across social media “Suddenly I was confronted with this image of what at that time felt like a mythical creature,” shared Jordan Boersma, the expedition's leader, with the National Audubon Society the most surreal moment of my life.” The camera trap had captured an unmistakable image of the elusive pheasant pigeon John Mittermeier of the American Bird Conservancy echoed the wonder: “To find something that’s been gone for that long and then to figure out that it’s not extinct it feels like finding a unicorn or a Bigfoot The discovery of this chicken-sized floor-dwelling pigeon wouldn’t have been possible without the help of local villagers and hunters especially a hunter named Augustin Gregory Gregory guided the team through the village of Duda Ununa west of Mt recommending the most appropriate locations for setting camera traps had seen the pigeon somewhere along the ridgeline via GIPHY “It's like finding Waldo in the actual jungle.” “It's always fun seeing grown men giddy about wholesome things.” via GIPHY View of Cuevas del Drach Imagine standing at the entrance of a dark, mysterious cave, its passages twisting deep underground. While the thought of sliding into the unknown might spook most, for thrill-seekers, it's just another day of exploration. The @ActionAdventureTwins captured this eerie experience by dropping a GoPro into one of the deepest pits in the US The video, posted by James and Edward, the @ActionAdventureTwins, has racked up 362,000 views and nearly a thousand comments. It also features guests Nate and Ben, identical twins from Pennsylvania who run their own adventure channel, @DeepFreedom Ellison's Cave is 12 miles long and 1,063 feet deep making it the 12th deepest cave in the United States Representative Image Source: Pexels | francesco ungaro and we're gonna see the deepest cave in America and we're gonna drop a GoPro down it." The duo stand at the rocky mouth of the pit The explorers drop the GoPro camera down the opening sending it deep into the dark belly of the pit Then the GoPro is dropped down another pit with a depth of about 586 feet The footage first depicts scenery of flying dust motes with the sounds of dripping water cascading between the jagged rocky structures and craggy walls Representative Image Source: Pexels | parfait fongang The camera rotates in circular motion revealing the precipitous cave walls with monstrous accumulation of limestone formations and fractured gypsum rocks The camera then flashes the bedrock of the cave mounded with stones and pebbles the GoPro is 714 feet below the Earth's surface they pull the rope upwards from the black abyss they almost seem to lose the camera as it gets entangled in the axle of the drill One of the twins says at the end of the footage “I don’t know what this footage looks like but I am just surprised we got the GoPro back.” Image Source: YouTube | @kennethprice5628 The footage of the shadowy chasm gave eerie vibes to several people. “I’m not going to lie, when it got to the bottom I was anxious for a second. I saw one of those white rocks and was like... omg is that a ghost,” commented @bombud1. @trilfiger448 added “The muffled descending sound was terrifying And the spinning...I was just waiting for something to jump-scare me.” Image Source: YouTube | @sk8ordie725 @waya420 said It would be fun to explore it with a drone if you could.” Image Source: YouTube | @paulmillard1973 The footage was also shared on Instagram where it has 371k views and over 10k likes the pair of cavers twins descended the pit a second time in November 2023 this time going all the way down themselves and narrated their experience in the caption “We can't believe we finally managed to drop down the pit after planning this for a long time We will be back to this cave to see where it goes down there!” Correction: The article originally stated that the Ellison's Cave was the deepest pit in America but it is the deepest unobstructed pit in the country A frustrated person tries to avoid single use plastics Emma Beddington, a writer for The Guardian had a challenge: Try to live one month without any single-use plastics and record her progress each day Her experience was more difficult than she could have imagined you could use reusable bags to carry groceries and buy fresh produce instead of packaged veggies but virtually everything else in the store had some form of plastic packaging and packed cuts of meat (luckily for the last one While she was able to achieve her shopping by inconveniently buying reusable paper or cloth bags then shopping from specialty shops and bakeries that don’t use plastic containers or bags she still fell short after nearly two weeks of mindfully running around and finding places and items that were plastic-free While she was shopping for supplies for a night of cocktails she blanked out and accidentally bought ice in a plastic bag single-use plastic is a part of nearly every consumer product or the packaging Even if you take away the food in the average grocery store there are several products that use non-reusable plastic packaging or containers such as laundry detergent Even paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels are sealed in plastic wrap Even if you do find a place in which you can purchase items with a reusable bottle it’s often a specialty store for specific items and you’d have to find other shops in your area or online that can refill your supplies with the containers you provide It’s nearly impossible to escape single-use plastics in the modern world Even non-fast food restaurants contribute to the single-use plastic problem.Photo credit: Canva It’s an ever-growing problem, too. According to the Smithsonian plastic waste in 2021 went to landfills instead of being incinerated or recycled Even recycling the very few types of single-use plastics that are able to be recycled don’t do much Those plastics are typically repurposed for other single-use plastic items like soda bottles that eventually end up in landfills anyway Even recycled plastic ends up in a landfill eventually.Photo credit: Canva So what can a person do about all of this? Well, there are small ways you can individually help by refilling and using metal water bottles, coffee tumblers, cloth grocery bags, and containers while also buying products and supporting businesses that use green alternatives to single-use plastics whether they come from farmer’s markets or online In terms of the bigger picture aside from voting with your wallet you can start or contribute to letter campaigns to companies saying that you would buy their products more often if they provided alternative ways to purchase or collect them without single-use plastics or disposables and federal representatives about this issue and with enough people they could introduce a bill to help bring more attention Using a reusable metal water bottle is one small yet impactful way to reduce plastic waste.Photo credit: Canva There has been an ongoing global debate about the quality of drinking water. While many people swear by filtered or packaged water, others vouch for tap water. There are various health and economic reasons attached to both and people have been stuck between figuring out which to pick. Years ago, The Story of Stuff shared a mind-boggling instance from the city of Cleveland that settled the debate for many The Fiji brand created an ad campaign proposing that they’re better than tap water any day the campaign didn’t have much effect as the city of Cleveland defended tap water with concrete evidence Representative Image Source: Pexels | Steve Johnson many people pointed out that they prefer tap water over bottled water any day Representative Image Source: Pexels | RDNE Stock Project The chairperson of the Investigations Subcommittee “Neither the public nor federal regulators know nearly enough about where bottled water comes from and what safeguards are in place to ensure its safety.” How is it safer than tap water The entire chaotic discussion also brought to light that bottled water companies are charging way more for a possibly lower-quality product The cost of bottled water was a whopping 2000 times higher and is simply being sold to feed the profit needs of various companies via GIPHY Apart from health-related and financial reasons tap water is also better than bottled water due to environmental reasons Bottled water does more harm to the environment than to people The massive demand has companies manufacturing bottles on a humongous scale The list of why tap water is comparatively better goes on Billions of people don’t have access to any clean water let alone the choice between tap and packaged water So instead of spending millions on packaging the money could be used to improve the water system for better distribution Representative Image Source: Pexels | Mali Maeder why do people continue to swear by packaged water Several ad campaigns have indirectly manipulated the idea that tap water is bad and not designed for drinking people's mindset is fixed on the idea that water used for washing dishes and clothing couldn’t possibly be the same as what they consume the study concluded that there isn’t much difference between tap and packaged water harm to the environment and manipulation of the human mindset is an unwanted scenario altogether tap water for the win is the new recommended mindset This article originally appeared 3 months ago Kentucky—is a majestic place with a disturbing name I have a theory that every person is constantly pulled—almost by some invisible magnetic force—to one particular place that feels safe and magical and misty with nostalgia. Maybe it’s thegazebo where you got married or the garage where you started your first band the white noise will gently dim and life will briefly make sense again For me, that place is the flat part of a nondescript boulder positioned opposite a 15-foot waterfall with a very disturbing name I first visited Dog Slaughter Falls as a middle-schooler and I was adamantly not stoked about the idea somewhat artsy kid searching for meaning in the conservative Bible Belt town of Williamsburg I was still a lump of unformed human clay—largely consumed by rock music and entirely disinterested in matters relating to the shoeboxchurch my parents drug me to each Sunday But I was also a Certified Strait-Laced Good Boy so I entertained my mom’s pitch: an afternoon of hiking with a group of older folks guided by the botanical knowledge of a nature-loving priest Turns out this was more of a demand than an invitation so I invited my friend Tyler along for this frolic from hell—at least I could suffer alongside a kindred spirit I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this foolishness let alone have it alter my brain chemistry in a real Dog Slaughter Falls is located within Daniel Boone National Forest which sprawls across 708,000 acres and 21 counties in Eastern Kentucky you still might be familiar with its star attraction: the massive and majestic Cumberland Falls one of the only places on Earth where you can regularly see a "lunar rainbow"—a phenomenon created by moonlight rather than sunlight Visiting the so-called "Niagara of the South" was a staple of my formative years Outside of buying scratch-off tickets and meandering around Wal Mart there really wasn’t much to do in Williamsburg so we frequently made the 20- or 30-minute trip up to Corbin cranking whatever new indie-rock album we were obsessed with I vividly remember road-testing Modest Mouse’s Good News for People Who Love Bad News as we navigated those windy roads late at night my senses heightened by the darkness and perpetual motion my friend Calep showed up with a burned copy of Brand New’s The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me—hearing "Jesus Christ" in that setting felt legitimately cinematic having borrowed an unwieldy camcorder from a classmate trekked down to the Falls' beach area and staged a tragic suicide scene from our (still-unfinished) amateur film It’s Great to Be in Cincinnati I’ve always felt a restorative force at Cumberland Falls and I know a lot of people who feel similarly but living near the Falls was a badge of honor—something I could name-drop to a stranger in conversation and feel vaguely proud But…it was also a state park swarmed with tourists—it belonged to everyone - YouTubewww.youtube.com Let’s talk about the name—or, more specifically, how little we know about it. According to Kentucky State Parks, the origin of the grisly "Dog Slaughter" moniker "remains a mystery," despite regular questions from visitors.The Independent Herald is that "unwanted pets were once killed there." Yeah Another: "that hunting dogs were once slain by a beast unknown at this site—maybe a wolf maybe a bear … some even say Bigfoot." (This also calls to mind the local legend: the Mulberry Black Thing but we’ll save that one for another day.) they knew a deeper truth obscured from the general public parks program services supervisor (previously park naturalist) at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park since September 2023 (Dog Slaughter is technically not located on park property though there is a connecting trail.) "I’ve heard that [frontiersman] Daniel Boone wrote in his journal about how he brought his hunting dogs with him in the area and they chased a raccoon and the raccoon went under the lip of the Dog Slaughter Falls waterfall," she says "The hunting dogs didn’t see the cliff Daniel Boone supposedly named it Dog Slaughter Falls The other story is pretty broad: Basically there was a group of early settlers of Kentucky and they encountered a pack of wild dogs out there at the falls.“ former trails maintenance supervisor and volunteer coordinator at Cumberland Falls State Park calls Dog Slaughter a “local landmark”—but with a name that invites a lot of complaints "According to what the Park had written Dog Slaughter Falls was named for an incident that happened before the area was very populated,” she says the locals were out hunting [raccoons] in the area using dogs The dogs had the coons pinned in the creek when the raccoon got one of the dogs in the water Everyone knows dogs do not stand a chance with a raccoon in the water.” Connie Howard has been hiking there for over four decades and lives in a cabin near the trailhead she’s had “many hikers who have gotten lost knock on [her] door during the night.”) But she doesn’t think “anyone is sure” how Dog Slaughter got its name told me it was because of hunting dogs being killed by a mysterious beast that lived in the area,” she says The whole "slaughter" branding may intimidate some people from venturing out there—notably, on the horror front, it even inspired aCreepypasta involving a camping trip I’ve always been out there with at least one other person—or with a large group of people I mostly wanted to avoid Tyler and I jostled in my family’s minivan as it slowly rumbled roughly three miles down a gravel road I remember Shania Twain’s country-pop hit "Man I Feel Like a Woman" playing on the radio its signal shifting more to static with each bump—it felt like an omen We arrived at an unmarked pull-off area overseen by a huge rock and all of the churchgoers piled out of their cars and onto the trail somewhat frightening) 50-something man we’ll call Jerry decided to become our unofficial tour guide As the rest of the hikers moseyed along the shady our out-of-nowhere buddy countered that peacefulness with lots of antics he shouted caveman gibberish with a cavernous roar; at one point he frantically jumped on a downed tree that crossed along Dog Slaughter Creek in what remains the funniest thing I’ve ever seen his body soaring a Superman-like free-fall before smoothly skidding into fresh mud I was falling in love—even if I was embarrassed to admit it at the time I felt serene among the fizzy creek sounds and creeping moss and cold rocks a short swim away from the base of the falls and I was hypnotized by the unending rush of water "This is always just…out here," I thought And I’ve dusted off that disbelief every time I’ve returned over the following two-plus decades often joined by my wife (Jen) and our Brittany Spaniels (Tegan and the late Gabriel) depressive person by nature—I have trouble slowing down savoring the good moments before they slip through my fingers But I crave the zen-like tranquility I feel at Dog Slaughter I always leave feeling blissfully still—as if I’ve stopped the flood Millions of years ago, Earth was home to a supercontinent called Gondwana, which included present-day South America, Africa, Arabia, Madagascar, India, Australia, and Antarctica. Around 140 million years ago tectonic plate movements caused South America and Africa to begin drifting apart gradually creating the Atlantic Ocean that now separates the two continents Representative Image Source: Pexels | Kellie Churchman Representative Image Source: Footprints of a long-neck dinosaur (Diplodocus) The research was conducted by a team led by Southern Methodist University (SMU) paleontologist Louis L. Jacobs. “We determined that in terms of age, these footprints were similar,” Jacobs said in a SMU press release “In their geological and plate tectonic contexts Representative Image Source: Painting from a series by Ernest Untermann in the museum at Dinosaur National Monument The dinosaur footprints they found were pressed into mud and silt along the trails of ancient rivers and lakes Dinosaurs stamped these footprints on the ground nearly 120 million years ago while they were roaming the grounds of Gondwana even before it broke off from the larger supercontinent Pangea via GIPHY “One of the youngest and narrowest geological connections between Africa and South America was the elbow of northeastern Brazil nestled against what is now the coast of Cameroon along the Gulf of Guinea,” Jacobs explained “The two continents were continuous along that narrow stretch so that animals on either side of that connection could potentially move across it via GIPHY revealed that most of the dinosaur fossils were created by “three-toed theropod dinosaurs,” and a few were also likely made by sauropods or ornithischians were discovered in the Borborema region in the northeast part of Brazil and the Koum Basin in northern Cameroon the team also came across fossil pollen smudged in chalky sediment that was aged to around 120 million years ago Representative Image Source: VARIOUS DINOSAURS IN GOBI DESERT Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images) Commenting on this, Jacobs said, “Muddy sediments left by the rivers and lakes contain dinosaur footprints, including those of meat-eaters, documenting that these river valleys could provide specific avenues for life to travel across the continents 120 million years ago.” via GIPHY Jacobs first discovered the dinosaur tracks in Cameroon in the 1980s, and he presented them at the First International Symposium on Dinosaur Tracks and Traces, convened by paleontologist Martin Lockley, in 1986, per CNN “One beauty of this Earth is that any of us can see that Africa and South America used to fit together like puzzle pieces,” he said “It is easy to conceive that in a connected world could and would be likely to move from place to place.” This article originally appeared 2 months ago MILLCREEK — Two more people were charged Friday with being tied to the shooting death of an 18-year-old man at the Mount Olympus trailhead was charged in 3rd District Court with murder two counts of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of shooting a gun causing serious injury first-degree felonies; plus aggravated assault A 15-year-old boy was also charged in juvenile court Last week, Alex Daniel Ruiz-Martinez His charges were amended on Friday to match those filed against Heriberto Martinez All of their charges were filed with gang enhancement penalties Alex Ruiz-Martinez was additionally charged with being a restricted person in possession of a gun a second-degree felony; and failing to respond to an officer's signal to stop at the Mount Olympus trailhead parking lot at 5425 Wasatch Blvd His body was found in the driver's seat of a vehicle "Deputies observed that the windows on the rear driver and front passenger side of the sedan were broken and two shell casings were located on the ground at (Welday's) feet and another shell casing on the driver's side rear floor," according to charging documents who locked themselves inside their car after police say he and his friends got into a fight with four other males in the parking lot One of those friends was found by police about a mile from the parking lot on Wasatch Boulevard "(He) stated that two males approached them "Want to gang bang?" and asking if they "rep?" the charges state But when the friend said he didn't want to "mess with that," he was punched in the mouth but the group got into two cars and started to drive slowly and appeared to be looking for him When one car circled back toward the parking lot the friend called Welday and told him and the others still in his vehicle to "hide" and "lock the doors," according to the charges But while he was on the phone with his friends The friend "heard banging on the windows" as he was on the phone and the others told him to call 911 One of the friends was attacked with a hammer and escaped by rolling over a retaining wall and running across I-215 All three males arrested and charged are documented gang members But investigators do not believe Welday and his friends are gang members or have any involvement with gangs "Our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones for the grief they are all experiencing after this deadly incident One life lost through gun violence in our community is one life too many," said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill "We appreciate the extensive and detailed multiday investigation carried out by the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office and the efforts of prosecutors from our office that helped lead to these charges being filed." According to records from 3rd District Juvenile Court the 15-year-old boy has exhibited similar behavior in the past after he and four others went up to a girl asked her if she "banged," then assaulted and robbed her The boy was wearing a GPS ankle monitor at the time issued by the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Service While the teen was in Salt Lake Valley Juvenile Detention in March he punched another boy after also asking him if he was affiliated with a gang he was charged in juvenile court in Davis County with possession of a stolen vehicle Olympus limited himself to 32 words: “You have to do what works for you While this may not sound like a Chabad personality his brothers all became rabbis; his sisters all married rabbis He grew up in Pittsburgh — the Lubavitcher Rebbe sent his parents there as shluchim (emissaries) to teach in the Chabad school there “My parents had a list of 50 choices,” Rabbi Rodal said over breakfast one morning My father became an iconic teacher there.” Rodal learned in four different countries and was ordained in Israel “When you first come into Chabad,” Rabbi Rodal explained Then you realize the Rebbe gave us a mandate — every rebbe reaches the soul of every Yid to try to get them close to God and maximize their true calling.”  Around the same time the Rebbe sent the Rodals to Pittsburgh The Rebbe told Rabbi Naftali Estulin that there would soon be a Russian Jewish community there “My father-in-law was here with Rabbi Shlomo Cunin at that time,” Rodal said “He set up shop a couple years later to be ready to accept these droves of immigrant Jewish families that just had the clothing on their backs He gave them cradle-to-grave services.” A generation later While Rabbi Rodal was growing up in Pennsylvania the Russian Jewish community in Los Angeles was becoming successful People started earning enough for a decent life; they moved up Olympus it would become known as Russian Hill “My father-in-law always wanted a presence there,” Rodal said “The Chabad Russian Synagogue started dealing more with seniors while the younger generation moved to the Hills They wanted a satellite center to service them.” married and the father of a newborn daughter was an ideal fit for the picturesque Chabad of Mt He described the setting the way a realtor might in the foliage and fauna that is Laurel Canyon a sensitive segment of his shul “want to be known as ‘Russian-speaking Jews,’ not ‘Russian Jews.’” Talking about his congregation “we have influenced thousands of families and hundreds of young people who are now fully or partially observant,” the rabbi said Every day we have 50 people posting pictures of themselves putting on tefillin to support and encourage each other “We also have done adult britot on Russian-speaking Jews this past year Those who know Rabbi Rodal will second his declaration that “we offer our heart and our soul and that is one reason we spend time together.” How is this generation of Russians different from their elders “somewhat assimilated into the American culture They also have retained a lot of the Russian-speaking culture In many ways they are similar to their parents and grandparents But the main difference is that they are more engaged Jewishly having been assimilated for 40 years.” The newest Russian generation They are also less assimilationist than American Jews.” But he loves working with them the intellectual class (doctors and academics) then the machers or shvitzers (contractors and then you have the younger generation who are like everything The young generation doesn’t fit these categories.” Rabbi Rodal has plunged into the history of the city with the pride of a 10th-generation Angeleno He probably knows more about the history of Laurel Canyon than any lifelong resident We go into beautiful areas like Runyon Canyon Jewish Journal: Your favorite moment every Shabbat Rabbi Rodal: We have a special thing we do at Kiddush: When a new person comes in one of our regulars gives a full introduction — from Sasha Baron Cohen to a regular Yid J.J.: The best nonreligious book you ever have read R.R.: Not so much the classics but I like more a fine analysis of a certain genre especially his “The Letter and the Scroll.” I also was inspired by Elie Wiesel’s “Night,” and a lot of Holocaust books elections in the 39th World Zionist Congress nears conclusion—voting closes May 4—American Zionist Movement (AZM) Executive Director Herbert Block said there were few barriers of entry to voting in what Jewish leaders are describing as a consequential election We are here today because Jewish fathers and mothers wanted more than happiness from their children The bipartisan group includes Los Angeles representatives Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) and Ted Lieu (D-West LA) Speaking ill of someone once most likely leads to a second time 11:08 AM | Updated: Oct 18 BY MARY CULBERTSON HOLLADAY — An 18-year-old man is dead after he was found shot multiple times by an unknown shooter Saturday according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports of gunfire at the Mount Olympus trailhead It was unclear whether he was still alive upon their arrival Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera indicated there could be more than one suspect but didn’t say they had anybody identified “We are committed to finding those responsible for this senseless act of violence,” Rivera said “Our detectives are working tirelessly to gather evidence and follow up on leads.” The sheriff’s office encouraged anyone with information to report it to 801-840-4000 Rivera said she has seen cases like these in the past that were targeted attacks but could not confirm if that was the case in this shooting we just don’t know if it was a targeted or if it was random,” she said “It’s very unfortunate,” Rivera said “And it does raise concern because we do have a lot of community members that use that trail.” Sheriff Rivera said however she does believe the trail is safe and there is no immediate threat to the public Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect a corrected phone number by the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office Follow @culbertreport_ MILLCREEK — A 20-year-old man and 15-year-old boy have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of another man whose body was found in a vehicle in the parking lot at the Mount Olympus trailhead Mateo Heriberto Martinez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Monday for investigation of murder Police on Tuesday said they also arrested a 15-year-old boy for investigation of murder The body of 18-year-old Naod Welday 3 with multiple gunshot wounds about 4:30 a.m who locked themselves inside the car after he and his friends had gotten into an altercation with four other males in the parking lot Another man was attacked with a hammer and sustained a head wound detectives recovered a baseball cap they linked to Martinez "Through further investigation of Mateo detectives were able to gather electronic data that places him at the crime scene on the date and time of (Welday's) murder," the affidavit alleges A palm print of the teen boy who was arrested was also collected from the scene Although both of those arrested are documented gang members investigators do not believe the victim and his friends are gang members or have any involvement with gangs A possible motive for the shooting remained under investigation Tuesday "This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of gang violence We are committed to ensuring that those responsible for this senseless act are brought to justice I want to commend the dedicated efforts of our deputies and detectives for their tireless work in leading to these arrests," Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said Tuesday "Our top priority is the safety of our residents." 5:36 PM | Updated: 7:29 pm BY MICHAEL HOUCK SOUTH SALT LAKE — Two people are facing felony murder charges for their alleged involvement in the killing of a teenager in August Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced that Mateo Martinez were charged with multiple gang-enhanced felony charges and two other friends met in the trailhead parking lot when two men approached them and asked if they were gang-affiliated “When the victims told the two males that they were not Two cars started driving around as if they were looking for (the second teen,)” the district attorney’s office press release stated the second teen called one of his friends to tell him to get into the car with Welday and lock the doors “While (Welday) and (the third teen) were locked in the Hyundai four males who had been in the cars looking for (the second teen) forced their way into the locked vehicle by breaking the windows,” the office said In a recorded 911 call placed by Welday at 4:23 a.m. the teens are heard screaming and crying while being attacked by the four men who were pounding on windows and breaking them (Welday) was in the driver’s seat of the car and was shot and killed was hit in the head with a hammer but was able to escape,” the office said detectives reported finding a palm print on one of the Hyundai’s windows Detectives also found a Toronto Bluejays hat that matched a photo of Martinez wearing the hat According to the district attorney’s office, a warrant was served on Martinez’s phone, which was found at the crime scene. Detectives found a message on Martinez’s phone that was sent from Ruiz-Martinez “Detectives believe that text was sent because (Martinez) had been in one of the cars looking for (the second teen) and (Ruiz-Martinez) was trying to get the group to return to the trailhead Cell phone data showed that Ruiz-Martinez had initially arrived at the trailhead at around 4:05 (a.m.,)” the office said According to the district attorney’s office Ruiz-Martinez and Martinez are charged with the following: Ruiz-Martinez is facing additional charges of one count of second-degree felony possession of a firearm by a restricted person and one count of third-degree felony failure to respond to an officer’s signal to stop the 15-year-old has been charged in the juvenile court The sheriff’s office said it is searching for the fourth man that was involved in this case “Our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones for the grief they are all experiencing after this deadly incident One life lost through gun violence in our community is one life too many,” Gill said in the press release Follow @KSLMichaelHouck HOLLADAY, Utah — A new suspect has been arrested in connection to a fatal shooting at the popular Mt. Olympus trailhead in Holladay Alexander Ruiz-Martinez, 19, has been taken into custody, the third suspect arrested in the Aug. 3 death of 18-year-old Naod Welday. Earlier this week, police arrested Mateo Martinez, 20, and an unidentified 15-year-old boy and charged with homicide All three suspects are documented gang members Welday was found dead from multiple gunshots at the trailhead Arrest documents claimed Welday and two friends were sitting in their car at the trailhead parking lot when there was an altercation between them and a separate group of four people The other group forced their way into Welday's locked car before he was shot multiple times A friend of Welday's was assaulted with a hammer while another was injured after being struck by different member of the other group "We remain dedicated to ensuring all those responsible for this homicide are brought to justice," said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera "Our deputies and detectives continue to work hard on this case Their efforts have paid off with another successful arrest." HOLLADAY, Utah — Two people have been arrested, including one juvenile, in connection to the shooting of a man found dead at the Mt. Olympus trailhead earlier this month and a 15-year-old boy were taken into custody after an investigation into the Aug Eighteen-year-old Naod Welday was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds at the trailhead in Holladay Officers had responded to the scene before sunrise after receiving reports of gunfire in the area Both Martinez and the boy are documented gang members according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office which added that Welday and other victims were not connected to gang activity "We do not believe they are gang involved at all," said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera "They were just probably in the wrong place at the wrong time and it was just very unfortunate and very tragic in this situation.." Arrest documents said Welday was with two friends in the parking lot of the trailhead when there was an altercation between them and a separate group of four people One of Welday's friends was assaulted with a hammer and sustained a head wound while the other friend was injured after being struck by another member of the other group including a baseball hat left outside Welday's car door who was wearing the same hat in a video recorded five days before the murder Detectives said electronic data also placed Martinez at the trailhead at the time of the deadly shooting A recording of a 911 call made by Welday during the incident features loud banging heard on the vehicle windows and what police said were 3-4 gunshots nothing more was heard on the 911 recording "I heard gunshots and police running in my yard at 4 a.m who lives across the street from the parking lot Kerr added that he has seen an increase in gang activity and younger people gathering in the parking lot until early in the morning Martinez and the unidentified juvenile face homicide charges "This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of gang violence I want to commend the dedicated efforts of our deputies and detectives for their tireless work in leading to these arrests," said Rivera SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Authorities have arrested a third suspect in connection with the the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Naod Welday and the aggravated assault of two of his friendsat Utah's Mt. Olympus Trailhead. The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office announced Friday that Alex Daniel Ruiz Martinez was taken into custody following the execution of a search warrant on Thursday was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail just before midnight The sheriff's office announced two arrests at the beginning of the week, one of which was a 15-year-old. All three suspects are reportedly documented members of theFlorencia 13 gang Charging documents were not in the Utah court database for either Martinez or the second adult suspect as of the most recent update time of this article The third suspect's arrest information is not publicly available due to his age A fourth individual involved in the attack is still at large and the sheriff's office hasn't said whether a suspect has been identified SLCSO in a previous statement emphasized that Welday and his friends have no known gang associations and are not suspected of any gang-related activities "We remain dedicated to ensuring all those responsible for this homicide are brought to justice," Sheriff Rosie Rivera said in a statement "Our deputies and detectives continue to work hard on this case Their efforts have paid off with another successful arrest.” Welday was found dead in the driver's seat of his vehicle at the Mt he had called 911 during the attack after an altercation with four individuals The arresting deputy reported the 911 callcaptured the sounds of windows breaking multiple people could be heard banging on the windows demanding entry into the vehicle," the arresting deputy's affidavit states You could hear the males in the vehicle being assaulted and screaming/crying." One of Welday's friends was hospitalized after being struck in the head with a hammer while another sustained injuries from being hit with fists Both Alex Martinez and Mateo Martinez were booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of felony murder aggravated assault and aggravated burglary Though the arresting deputy requested both to be held without bail - with the the reasoning identical in both suspects' probable cause statements - only Mateo Martinez was ordered to remain in custody without the option to pay his way out Alex Martinez was being held on a $25,000 bond he was still listed in custody at the county jail Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office at 801-840-4000 MILLCREEK — The body of an 18-year-old man shot multiple times was found in a vehicle in the parking lot at the Mount Olympus trailhead over the weekend was shot multiple times and his body was discovered after others in the parking lot heard gunshots about 4:30 a.m the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office stated Monday Investigators aren't sure if Welday was preparing to go hiking or if he was in the parking lot for another reason "We are committed to finding those responsible for this senseless act of violence Our detectives are working tirelessly to gather evidence and follow up on leads," Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said in a prepared statement No other details about the fatal shooting were immediately available Anyone with information can call the sheriff's office at 801-840-4000 SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office has apprehended two suspects in connection with a fatal shooting at the Mt. Olympus trailhead A 15-year-old and a 20-year-old were arrested Monday nine days after a man was discovered shot to death deputies responded to the unincorporated area of Salt Lake County on Aug Welday was with two friends at the time of the shooting one of whom was hospitalized as a result of the assault The sheriff's office noted that none of the victims had any gang associations and none of the victims were suspected of gang activity "This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of gang violence," Rivera said in a statement Tuesday "We are committed to ensuring that those responsible for this senseless act are brought to justice I want to commend the dedicated efforts of our deputies and detectives for their tireless work in leading to these arrests." According to a probable cause affidavit filed late Monday night Welday was the one called 911 after an altercation with a group of four males at the Mt in which the three friends had locked themselves in hopes of staving off the attack Welday was discovered dead in the driver's seat of his vehicle One of Welday's friends was transported to the hospital after one of the four attackers pummeled him in the head with a hammer The other friend "received injuries of assault from being struck with hands/fists," according to court documents The investigation led authorities to Mateo Heriberto Martinez a documented member of the Florencia 13 gang was identified by a palm print found on the victim's car is presumably the 15-year-old the sheriff's office said was arrested though available court documents don't state that expressly "This gang is known for their violence and retaliation against victims witnesses and relatives of victims or witnesses," the officer reported in his request that Martinez be held without bail Martinez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail late Monday on suspicion of first-degree felony murder "Our top priority is the safety of our residents," Rivera said in Tuesday morning's statement will continue to work tirelessly to combat gang violence and protect our community." and it wasn't clear if authorities had identified the two remaining suspects Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 801-840-4000 HOLLADAY, Utah — Months after an 18-year-old was shot and killed in the parking lot of a popular northern Utah trailhead police have identified a fourth suspect in connection to the death in August Multiple charges were filed Friday against a 17-year-old male the teen had yet to be taken into custody despite a warrant out for his arrest Alexander Ruiz-Martinez, Mateo Martinez and a 15-year-old boy were previously arrested in the shooting death of Naod Welday on Aug. 3 All four suspects are documented gang members Welday and two friends were sitting in their car at the Mt Olympus trailhead parking lot in Holladay when there was an altercation between them and the four suspects The suspects forced their way into Welday's locked car before he was shot multiple times while another was injured after being struck by a different member of the other group UTAH 11:28 AM | Updated: 2:25 pm A man who died on Mount Olympus has been identified.(KSL TV) BY MICHAEL HOUCK Utah — A man found dead near the Mount Olympus Trailhead by search and rescue crews on Christmas has been identified Arlan Bennett with the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the victim Bennett said the sheriff’s office received a call from hikers reporting a body found approximately a mile up the Mount Olympus Trailhead Read the full story at KSLTV.com Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here MILLCREEK — An 80-year-old man found dead on the Mount Olympus trailhead on Christmas Day appears to have been the victim of a fall William Thomas was found unresponsive about 3:30 p.m the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office stated The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that Thomas' death appears to be the result of a fall The fire is located in a challenging and remote area but poses no immediate threat to nearby settlements Meanwhile, on the island of Milos a fire that erupted at a waste disposal site has been brought under control with no active fronts remaining and one helicopter were deployed to the scene with additional assistance provided by local authorities using project machinery and water trucks Supergiant have released their third big update for slashy dashy roguelike Hades 2 and it adds familiar murdergod Ares to the roster of deities helping you out Like other immortals he'll offer boons 'n' blessings while smarming at you from afar The update also adds a new animal familiar - a polecat named Gale who will please defensive players by boosting your dodge chance and movement speed Which you might need if you travel the surface route towards mount Olympus - because the game now has a "final confrontation" that way For players deep into Greek mythology and Supergiant's retelling the gurgling and scaly appendage teased at the end of the above trailer will be enough to guess the final final (final?) boss who haven't even defeated vanilla boss Chronos this foe is definitely large and perhaps even in charge Other highlights of the update detailed on Steam include a bunch more story events such as a sing-song with leafy hunter Artemis There's new tarot card artwork at the Altar of Ashes (the place you prep passive skills and such before a run) And there are two new enemy types to stab - a jellyfish foe in Oceanus and a hulkin' big lad in the Rift of Thessaly As usual with the game's major updates, there is a lengthy scroll of patchnotes that details the new stuff and all changes big and small "Various forms of wildlife now may appear throughout the Crossroads," it teases "Melinoë will sometimes cover up the family portrait in her tent after brooding too much," we are told And my personal favourite of the notes: "Fixed Icarus missing his targets unexpectedly (unless you're his father and expect disappointment)." Supergiant are already working on the next big update which'll look at mixing up boss battles to give repeat runs more variation along with plans to expand on "various character relationships" But this won't arrive until "some months from now" They're giving no clues as to when a 1.0 release is coming but seem happy to have given some sense of a finale to players who dash off towards Olympus "With the core structure of both the Underworld and Surface routes now fully intact we're excited to turn our attention to filling out more of the game's content categories finishing more and more of what we started.. The first Hades was in early access for just under two years Whereas this sequel hasn't been out even a year yet So if you're waiting around for the final release No part of this website or its content may be reproduced without the copyright owner's permission Rock Paper Shotgun is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited CRIME 5:50 PM | Updated: 5:53 pm FILE - The Mount Olympus trailhead in Holiday BY LARRY D. CURTIS MILLCREEK — A 16-year-old boy is the latest person to be charged with the murder of Naod Welday, 18, at the Mount Olympus trailhead parking lot in August was charged as an adult with two counts of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of firing a gun causing serious injury the charges will all carry gang penalty enhancements KSL TV doesn’t typically name juveniles accused of crimes but is naming Mielke because he is charged as an adult the accused asked the victim and his friends about being involved in rival gangs Police were called to the Mount Olympus trailhead in the early morning hours of Aug. 3 after two friends were with shooting victim Welday and called 9-1-1 The other two managed to escape from the attackers and call for help The first person attacked — before the suspects surrounded the car where Welday was killed — hid from the accused leaving the other two unable to drive away The remaining two locked the car doors and called 911 as the suspects surrounded the car one victim was hit in the head with what he believed was a hammer and fell to the ground and then rolled off the trailhead’s retaining wall to the road below He lost his phone and knocked on doors in a neighborhood to get help Fourth suspected gang member charged for killing at Mount Olympus trailhead “There is substantial evidence implicating Joshua Arthur Mielke in the homicide,” charging documents state “Location data for the defendant’s cell phone shows that it was at the trailhead at the time of the offense and moving away from the incident with co-defendants.” Police said the behavior of the accused is consistent with behaviors known by gang detectives Police said the regular challenge individuals they believe are in rival gangs “Mielke has a significant delinquency history including firearm related offenses and fleeing police making him a continuing risk to the community.” Documents also said Mielke was a fugitive from the juvenile justice system and said he had removed his ankle monitor Follow @https://twitter.com/MrCurtis_News The Phoblographer may receive affiliate compensation for products purchased using links in this article. For more information, please visit our Disclaimers page. And that’s absolutely incredible for folks with failing vision because it will just become simple muscle memory has to do with autofocus on people of color in low light We found it to generally be very intermittent and annoyingly inconsistent Maybe this will change with firmware updates this is still a Micro Four Thirds camera with a Four Thirds sensor we cannot expect the RAW file output to match full-frame cameras you’d be hard tempted to reach for the Panasonic S9 or the Nikon Zf instead If you’re going to get the OM System OM3 I strongly suggest that you treat it like a compact camera and only shoot in JPEG Don’t even bother editing the images because they’re beautiful right out of the camera We’re awarding the OM System OM3 4 out of five stars. Want one? They’re going for around $2,000 on Amazon. We tested the OM System OM3 with the new 17mm f1.8 II and the 25mm f1.8 II All of these were loaner units provided to us by OMDS We also used the Voigtlander 17.5mm f0.95 lens Anyone who’s read this site for a while knows by affinity for this lens – which I bought several years ago There’s nothing really innovative about the OM System OM3 it’s just their higher end camera with a new body format So why are we reviewing this camera if we’ve generally been staying away from smaller-sensor options After walking with this lens for several hours during a rainy January day in NYC, I’m very proud to say that this camera is very durable and weather-resistant. OM System told us that the exterior of the camera is made of metal and the Nikon Zf; both of those really feel like metal The camera also survived quite a bit of snowfall in NYC during the mid-late part of January 2025 It indeed shrugged the snow off like it was absolutely nothing I’m surprised at how lightweight this camera is and how wonderful the dials all feel Every time I put it in the hands of friends And below are photos of the original EM5 pulled from our archives I wish that this camera had come to us in Pen-format here at The Phoblographer we’ve done tests on cameras And we know that your warranty doesn’t always cover the damage This is why we’ve created a Photography Care Program in partnership with Full-Frame Insurance photographers across the United States looking for extra security can get various protections to cover their craft The Photography Care Program provides peace of mind; now you’ll know you can bounce back from a photoshoot gone awry there is coverage outside of the US and Canada when the photographer is traveling for short periods of time for business We’re able to do this through our partnership with Full-Frame Insurance a company specializing in Small Business Insurance What about a freelance multi-media journalist The Photography Care Program will protect you Transform your focus from worry to creativity with the Photography Care Program you don’t have to face the financial burden alone Experience the freedom to capture stunning shots knowing you’re protected. Whether you’re an amateur or a professional secure your peace of mind – and protect your photography gear – with our affordable Photography Care Program today OM System is winning all kinds of awards here for the menu system It is absolutely 100% right on par with Canon’s you can get to anywhere you want with two taps on the screen This is so incredibly simple and reminds us of the old-school Apple products like the iPod that let us get anywhere with two clicks of the wheel After multiple times of needing to navigate and dig into the menus you’ll need to dig into the menus because there aren’t all that many custom buttons they were able to figure it out with a bit of guidance one couldn’t figure out which button fired the shutter I remember being on a call with Fujifilm’s reps last year and asking why they’d let their latest cameras shoot vertical video without needing to switch the camera from landscape mode. And the rep basically dismissed my question as something frivolous. Lo and behold, OM System did it After shooting with this camera from 2pm to 8pm considering that NYC was both rainy and cold That tells me that the durability of this camera is truly top-notch Even better: there was virtually no camera shake and nearly every other camera that they’ve made in the past few years Shooting with the camera is such a relief even when your jacket is covered in snow from being outside and moving becomes a bit awkward when you’ve got layers on I really love the dial designated for switching from color film you’ll know exactly where it needs to be at all times Even in low lighting, the OM System OM3 didn’t have much a problem finding people when autofocusing it probably missed the subject once – and that’s because they moved while I was shooting in Single Autofocus mode In 2024, the Phoblographer changed our rules for autofocus standards when testing cameras and lenses. In low light, the OM System OM3 could find a person of color with darker melanin in their skin when they weren’t moving around it couldn’t track them moving towards the camera This is rather unfortunate because when it comes to inclusivity we have to take away a full star from the review for this issue we were even set to scene detection mode with humans selected With my style of street photography testing using autofocus, the OM System OM3 doesn’t really totally do the trick – at least that’s what I saw in low light with C-AF on My style requires me to walk by people as they pass me on the street I let the camera pick the autofocus point and have face/body/human detection on Most full-frame cameras can do this very well But in this case when shooting around 6th Ave at night I mean that almost every single shot missed the target this camera continued to give me some of the most beautiful colors I’ve seen straight out of a camera in years I often shoot wide open with the 17mm f1.8 at f1.8 – which is around f3.6 in full frame terms It also didn’t work so well in good lighting at 2pm in the afternoon you know that the light from one block can change drastically from the one another block away So as long as you’re keeping your settings in a place to get the images you want when you’re using the color film simulations at high ISOs and raise the exposure compensation a bit in aperture priority And to my surprise, it works incredibly well. If you’ve ever used a Ricoh GR series camera, the OM System OM3 is it on steriods They’re positively beautiful when you’re embracing the color film and black and white format standards that the camera gives you the black and white looks are something that you’d dream of I truly can’t find a fault with the JPEGs here as I even go ahead and embrace the image noise in the photos The Phoblographer has been huge on transparency with our audience since day one many folks will post reviews and show lots of editing in the photos The problem then becomes that anyone and everyone can do the same thing we have a section in our Extra Image Samples area to show edited and unedited photos The Phoblographer is one of the last standing dedicated photography publications that speaks to both art and tech in our articles We put declarations up front in our reviews to adhere to journalistic standards that several publications abide by These help you understand a lot more about what we do: More can be found on our Disclaimers page. CRIME, POLICE + COURTS Three documented gang members face numerous charges 3 fatal shooting of a man in the Mount Olympus trailhead parking lot BY PAT REAVY, KSL.COM MILLCREEK, Utah — Two more people were charged Friday with being tied to the shooting death of an 18-year-old man at the Mount Olympus trailhead Last week, Alex Daniel Ruiz-Martinez a second-degree felony; and failing to respond to an officer’s signal to stop The group is accused of shooting and killing 18-year-old Naod Welday His body was found in the driver’s seat of a vehicle “Deputies observed that the windows on the rear driver and front passenger side of the sedan were broken and two shell casings were located on the ground at (Welday’s) feet and another shell casing on the driver’s side rear floor,” according to charging documents who became an international sensation for her role in The Queen’s Gambit adding an element of mythic charm to the already high-profile production The Sacrifice cast has been a visible presence in Drama, delighting fans and locals alike. Last week, Chris Evans, known worldwide as Captain America, was spotted mingling with the team at a local café, and Salma Hayek has also been sharing highlights of her time in Greece on social media is hosting these stars as they work on the film’s intense action scenes which delve into climate change and environmental protection Romain Gavras the film explores critical issues through a powerful narrative Special platforms and additional structures have been installed in Volakas and filming is expected to extend through the scenic ski slopes of nearby Falakro until November 2 This isn’t Drama’s first taste of Hollywood glamour The region previously hosted filming for Tin Soldier in 2022 a project that made use of the area’s historic Tobacco Institute and the lush landscape of Paranesti While Tin Soldier remains delayed for bureaucratic reasons Sacrifice is set to bring the region of Drama once again into the spotlight showcasing its natural beauty and cultural heritage on the global streaming stage (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Joseph Vogel the founder of the hiking store Timpanogos Hiking Co. speaks about his journey as a business owner as he approaches the one year anniversary for Timpanogos Hiking Co Following up on the success of the badges the store offered last year for those who summited Mount Timpanogos Badges are available for hikers of 10 of Northern Utah's most recognizable peaks as well as the Y above BYU Wendy Cone possesses mountains of motivation She’s the kind of person who abides by such mantras as “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready” and “Time waits for no one.” who is charging through a self-imposed challenge to walk 10,000 steps a day for 100 days appreciates it when someone dangles a new endeavor in front of her The shop is also offering a bonus patch for people who climb to the top of the rock Y above BYU the 10 Peak Challenge was just the nudge she needed to take on some new adventures coworkers and my husband,” the 55-year-old massage therapist from Saratoga Springs said “But not until I saw somebody else posted about the badge and she’s like Getting people outside is the whole point of the Timpanogos Hiking Co. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Badges commemorating several Utah mountain peaks sit on a table at Timpanogos Hiking Co The hiking store offers these badges to hikers who post photos from the summit of each peak His father caught COVID-19 and nearly died His mother was suffering the cognitive and emotional repercussions of a severe head injury A tenured professor of literature and film at Merrimack College in Massachusetts Vogel temporarily moved back to Utah to care for his parents To care for himself during the stressful time he moved on trails in the state’s mountains and forests I think there’s something to that as well.” In part because Mount Timp looms so large over Utah County and in part because he likes the resonance of the name Much of the messaging on the clothing emphasized mental health with one collection dubbed “Escape the Noise.” That (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) A sign leans up against a wall at Timpanogos Hiking Co Last year, Vogel decided to go all-in on the brand after finding a storefront in a hip area along University Avenue near BYU in Provo. An author with several titles to his name he said he organized the store like he would a book he has copies of works by Henry David Thoreau and Mary Oliver scattered throughout the space ‘What do I want people to see first?’ That’s my introduction I was just thinking about that,” said Vogel who still teaches a few literature courses at Utah Valley University “So I have no idea if this is following any kind of standards it was just kind of thinking in terms of an audience and what I wanted them to see and in what order.” the mission of the company isn’t to keep people inside but to get them out The idea for the badges came from a history book Vogel stumbled upon while researching what he dubbed “all things Timp” prior to opening his store an organization began giving pins to anyone who hiked to the top of the 11,753-foot mountain But the program, which began in 1934, was a victim of its own success. On a summer day in 1971, more than 5,000 people showed up for the official “Mount Timp Hike” — an annual outing started in 1912 by a BYU track coach to encourage physical activity among students. The trail couldn’t withstand the swarm of hikers. The next year, the hike and the badge program were disbanded. Then, last summer, Vogel brought the Mount Timp badge program out of dormancy. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) A map of Mount Timpanogos is seen on the wall at Timpanogos Hiking Co. in Provo on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. “I thought, ‘People are still hiking the mountain all the time, so what if we just gave [out] badges,’” he said. “Obviously it’s good for our business because it brings people to our store, but it’s also kind of just a public service.” To claim a badge — which is similar to a Girls Scout patch — hikers must take a photo of themselves at the top of the peak and post it on social media with a Timpanogos Hiking Co. tag. Then, they must go to the store to collect their badge, which cannot be bought. Vogel underestimated how popular the Mount Timp badges would be. He initially ordered 300 last year, but quickly had to place a second order for 500 more. This year, he started off with a thousand Timp and Y badges and 500 each of the other nine peaks: Kings Peak, Mount Nebo (11,933 feet), Pfeifferhorn (11,331), Lone Peak (11,253), Provo Peak (11,068), Mount Superior (11,045), Spanish Fork Peak (10,192), Ben Lomond (9,716) and Mount Olympus (9,026). (Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune ) Mountain goats navigate rocky terrain near the summit of Mount Timpanogos in Provo in Sept. 2014. They are going quickly, as Cone can attest. The day she hiked the Y, she said she met three or four families whose kids were “gaga” over getting badges for finishing the hike. It’s not an easy trek, she noted, and she credited the reward, even one smaller than a Matchbox car, for motivating people to get out and push their limits. “I’m not that mom who wants to give a trophy to every kid simply for participating,” Cone said. “But I think this is a level up, definitely, of hiking. So, how cool is that? It can get people going to the next level, basically, and enjoy our [mountains].” That includes Cone, who followed up her summit of the Y with a hike to the top of Provo Peak. Next, she is planning her first trip to the top of Mount Timp in September. Then she has her sights set on the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile tramp through Spain. It’s unlikely she’ll stop at that, though. After all, to quote Thoreau: “None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.