Outdoor Nation is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications from individuals between the ages of 18 and 28 or 501c3 non-profit organizations who are interested in connecting young Americans with their waterways through recreational paddling.
The Paddle Nation Project is made possible by support and funding from the Outdoor Industry Association Paddle Advisory Council (PAC), a coalition of top paddlesports manufacturers, retailers and stakeholders dedicated to advancing and growing participation in paddlesports.
The deadline to apply is February 15, 2012. For more information and to submit an application, visit outdoornation.org/grants.
Author Archives: Pemba Serves
Outdoor Nation Paddle Grants: Now Accepting Applications
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Weather Concerns Temper December Sales Growth | OIA
Outdoor Product Sales Up 5.3 Percent Amid Warm Temperatures and Lack of Snowfall
Outdoor Industry Association released its December OIA VantagePoint™ Monthly Trend Report, which reveals that outdoor product sales grew 5.3 percent to $2.20 billion in the five-week fiscal month of December. The sales growth was tempered however by mounting concern over the impact of unseasonably warm and dry weather across much of the U.S.
November was the fifth warmest in 50 years and December was the warmest in North America since 2006 and the driest since 2001, according to Planalytics, a leading global provider of business weather intelligence. Snowfalls were the lowest since 1999, cutting into sales of seasonal products, including winter sports apparel, footwear and equipment.
“Unseasonable weather is once again the topic of fevered discussion, as everyone from specialty shops to department stores to family footwear stores is singing the weather blues,” said James Hartford, Chief Market Analyst at SportsOneSource Group. “However, the outdoor apparel business is still getting a lift from the specialty and fashion side of the market. Those consumers ‘want’ to spend even as the middle- and lower-end of the market struggle with the impact of weather on the ‘need’ to purchase winter product.”
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Emily Harrington – Ouray Ice Fest Champ! | Team PETZL
Photo: Denver Post
Congrats to Emily Harrington on her Ouray Ice Fest Win!
Overall Champ: Nathan Kutcher
Top 3 – Women’s Division
————————
1. EMILY HARRINGTON
2. DAWN GLANC
3. JEN OLSON
Top 3 – Men’s Division
———————-
1. NATHAN KUTCHER
2. ANDRES MARIN
3. SIMON DUVERNEY
Lack of snow hurting retailers, resorts | SNEWS
Stoked after last year’s snowy winter, consumers sent wintersports sales up through November, but a lack of snow this season is expected to dent sales in December. SNEWS has the latest figures from retailers and resorts.
Read More: Lack of snow hurting retailers, resorts
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Get Local with Social Seminar at ORWM
Specialty retailers who are not participating in social media miss opportunities every day to serve and build stronger bonds with their customers. From customer service, to customer acquisition, to community building and influencer outreach, specialty retailers have an opportunity to leverage their competitive advantage as place-based entities and members of their community to build relationships and drive sales.
- Saturday, January 21, 2012
- 8:00am until 9:00am
- Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown, Salon A-B
SNEWS/Backpacker Retailer of the Year Award finalists announced
Congrats to Midwest Retailers Alpine Shop, Apex Outdoor Gear, Backwoods, Midwest Mountaineering, Paddle and Trail, Rutabaga and Sunflower Outdoor and Bike Shop!
SNEWS President Michael Hodgson, Backpacker Editor in Chief Jonathan Dorn, and Horny Toad CEO Gordon Seabury will formally award one of the finalists named below with the title of “Retailer of the Year” and five other retailers will be honored as best-in-class in the following categories: Online Retailer, Community, Growth of Outdoor Sports, Sustainable Business and Youth Involvement.
“There is no question that specialty outdoor retailers continue to play a very significant and influential role in the growth and development of our outdoor community,” Hodgson said. “This award honors exemplary retailers and sets a bar for all other retailers to achieve, with the ultimate goal of establishing a standard for specialty retail excellence nationwide.”
“Specialty retailers are the gatekeepers to our industry and enable consumers to sort through the myriad of product choices available today,” Dorn added. “Because store owners and their retail sales employees have become extraordinarily educated about the products and technologies on the market and are highly skilled in being able to impart that knowledge in a meaningful and engaging way, we’re thrilled to celebrate and recognize their efforts by hosting this awards program.”
The finalists for the 2012 Retailer of the Year Award as decided by a panel of judges are:
- Alpine Shop, St. Louis, Mo.
- Apex Outdoor Gear, Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Appalachian Outdoors, State College, Pa.
- Appalachian Outfitters, Penninsula, Ohio
- Austin Canoe & Kayak, Austin, Texas
- Back Country Experience, Durango, Colo.
- Backcountry.com, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Backwoods, Norman, Okla.
- Canoe Kentucky, Frankfort, Ky.
- Eagle Eye Outfitters, Dothan, Ala.
- EMS, Peterborough, N.H.
- Epic Sports, Bangor, Maine
- Fort Wayne Outfitters and Bike Depot, Fort Wayne, Ind.
- Great Miami Outfitters, Miamisburg, Ohio
- Massey’s Outfitters, New Orleans, La.
- Midwest Mountaineering, Minneapolis, Minn.
- Mountain Gear, Spokane Valley, Wash.
- Mountain High Outfitters, Birmingham, Ala.
- Outdoor Divas, Boulder, Colo.
- Outdoor Gear Exchange, Burlington, Vt.
- Paddle and Trail, Beloit, Wisc.
- Philmont Scout Ranch Tooth of Time Traders, Cimarron, N.M.
- REI, Englewood, Colo.
- River Sports Outfitters, Knoxville, Tenn.
- Rock/Creek, Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Rutabaga Paddlesports LLC, Madison, Wisc.
- Santa Barbara Outfitters, Santa Barbara, Calif.
- Sunflower Outdoor and Bike Shop, Lawrence, Kan.
- Trailcreek Outfitters, Glen Mills, Penn.
- Travel Country Outdoors, Altamonte Springs, Fla.
Read More: SNEWS/Backpacker Retailer of the Year Award finalists announced
PETZL Studio Sounds v2
To start off the year 2012 in tune, Petzl offers you the latest compilation of original music from it’s films.
Nominations Open: Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work 2012
Is your company a best place to work? Outside magazine is looking for these companies. If you think you work for a great employer, nominate them today by filling out the form below. The deadline to nominate your organization is February 17, 2012.
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Backcountry Skiing Canada: Atlas Aspect Snowshoe Review
Atlas Snowshoe Aspect
You gotta get up to get down – and when you are a snowboarder that can’t or doesn’t want to spent 2K on a splitboard setup, snowshoes become an easy answer to get you into the backcountry. The popularity of snowshoes has been exploding over the last couple of years, but most of that growth has come in the “I want to go walk in the park” category. Snowshoes are not created equal – not by a long shot, most of the snowshoes on the market are built for that user who is going for a walk in the park. A backcountry snowshoe needs to pack well, be durable, have good traction and be comfortable when climbing. Enter the Atlas Aspect Snowshoe built with the backcountry user in mind.
The Atlas Aspect Snowshoe replaces the BC (Backcountry) model in the Atlas line up. It is a great replacement; I think they have done a great job of creating a product that has everything that a snowboarder headed off resort could ask for in a snowshoe. Here is what this shoe has and what I like about it.
Read More: Atlas Aspect Snowshoe Review
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Great Lakes Endurance 2012 Snowshoe Races
Sponsored by Atlas Snowshoe Company here are the 2012 Great Lakes Endurance Snowshoe races for Wisconsin and Michigan
February 4 | Iola Twilight Snowshoe 10K & 5K
Iola Winter Sports Park, Iola, WI
A nightime snowshoe race starting at 6:00 p.m. on the fabled trails of the Iola Winter Sports Club. All racing on groomed trails under the lights! Both races utilize a rolling 5K loop. The 10K race involves 2 loops on the 5K course. Race prizes include Atlas Snowshoes, Mountain Hardwear Gear, Organic Chocolate, and local maple syrup. Organic hot cocoa and maple oatmeal cookies served post race in the ski lodge. The fire will be crackling.
February 18 | Tahquamenon Snowshoe 20K, 10K, 5K
Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Paradise, MI
All events start at the Upper Tahquamenon Falls.The 10K includes 5K of machine groomed trail and 5K of packed single track. The course includes spectacular views of the Upper Falls and travels through forested sections of towering old growth white pines. The 20K course consists of two loops of the 10K. The 5K course and Kids 800 meter are single loops on groomed trail.
March 4 | Keyes Peak Snowshoe 10K, 5K
Keyes Peak Ski Lodge, Florence, WI
All events start at the Keyes Peak Ski Lodge and feature 75% groomed trail and 25% packed single track. The course features remarkable vistas from atop Keyes Peak as well as winding and challenging forested single track.
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