The North Face

Feb 09 | Sign Up for Summit Signals - It's Free!

By The North Face

 
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Feb 06 | Back in Base Camp

By Willie Benegas

4 nights on the mountain with winds increasing daily, we made our retreat yesterday.  we are back at basecamp and the winds are even howling down here.  after sitting at 18,000 ft temperatures with temperatures dropping to -20F and winds hitting a steady 50-60 miles per hour, reports only call for increasing failing weather for the next few days.  it was hard to pack up the tents to head downhill.  but, the good news is, it looks like a great day for monday, very cold temperatures but winds are expected to drop to almost nothing.  so we spend two days in camp, eating, resting, washing, and plan to head back onto the mountain tomorrow. 

our team is fabulously united.  the discussion on the mountain was to maybe make a big push from camp 2 and try to beat the storm but all decided that we would rather try and get up as many as possible to the summit - thus the return to basecamp to wait for more favorable conditions that would give all much better chances.  logistically trickier, but a tender team effort.  everyone is lining up at the $2 per minute phone to try and change tickets and call their work and honeys at home to beg a few more days of hall passes. 

diane and willie made a solo training mission to 20,000 feet yesterday, as we packed camp to head down, before the winds chased them down behind us.  i have not been in the andes in 5 years and forgot how formidable and intimidating the weather is here. 

so, the new plan stands as this...saturday morning, head back up to camp two, sunday morning, camp three and monday...oh so cold and early...we hope mother nature  will be calm and sweet and we can bring as many of our team together to the summit.  besides lots of gnarly stomach crud everyone is amazingly happy and healthy - like i have never seen in such cold, dry, and communal living.  i feel we have been very lucky at every turn. 


we will be back we hope monday night!  thanks to all!   thanks scott mcguire and tnf and meredith for sending robert fry!!




diane sends love to all and is learning an entirely different set of skills from flight series!!!!

Feb 05 | Review of 'Global Clean Water Crisis Awareness Summit'

By The North Face

Listen to National Geographic Weekend Radio's interview with Jimmy Chin, Alpinist and Photographer regarding the 'Global Clean Water Crisis Awareness Summit' that was held at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Download Natgeo_podcast020610_jchin

 

Feb 05 | Update: Snapshots from Aconcagua

By The North Face

We just recieved a short email with some images from Diane Van Deren on her quest to climb Aconcagua, while being monitored by the team from Mayo Clinic. We're not exactly sure where they are, but the team is slated to make a summit bid in the next day or so. 60 mph winds are keeping them off the summit, and the team is hoping for a weather window soon.

Stay tuned for the latest and greatest! Be sure to check the Mayo Clinic's blog as well: http://bit.ly/cIjosT

From Diane, recieved Feb 4, 2010:

di at base camp. keep prayers for all this mt is massive.  docs are working super hard. di

 

Feb 04 |

By The North Face

Radical line and new victory for Xavier de Le Rue in Chamonix during the Nissan Russian adventure

Xavier de Le Rue won the Nissan Russian Adventure by Swatch, relocated in Chamonix due to weather and avalanche risks in Russia.

The competition site, The North-East face of l’aiguille pourrie allowed riders to make choices between relatively mellow terrain with freestyle options or fast steep line Alaska style. Xavier decided to go for the second choice. He performed it de Le Rue style, combining fluid fast turns with radical cliff drop and clean landings. This breathtaking line would go unequalled for the rest of the competition and bring back Xavier in the game to defend his back to back freeride world champ titles.

"Today there was this line that really attracted me and that looked really natural," said de Le Rue.  "I went in there, the snow was great, I forgot about the contest, I just had fun and it paid off, it’s a really good and I’m stoked to be going to the Olympics with that victory. It kind of reminds me where I’m from and that’s good."

Xavier will not even have the time to savour his victory as he will leave Europe tomorrow morning for Mt Bachelor, Oregon to meet up with the French snowboard cross team for a week of riding and off media solicitations before heading to Vancouver Olympic games.

For more infos about the Nissan Freeride World Tour presented by Swatch check out http://freerideworldtour.com/en/

Feb 04 | Xavier de Le Rue Joins The North Face Global Athlete Team

By The North Face

Xavier de Le Rue Joins The North Face Global Athlete Team

World-renowned snowboarder joins big mountain team

 

DENVER, Colorado—SnowSports Industry of America Snow Show—January 29, 2010— The North Face, the world’s premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, today announced snowboarder Xavier de Le Rue has joined its global athlete team. The North Face has a team of more than 60 professional global athletes from around the world which includes snowboarders, skiers, rock climbers, mountaineers and endurance runners.

 

De Le Rue has been on the snow since childhood. In addition to a regular filming schedule with Standard, TGR and Relentless Energy, de Le Rue is hot on the competition scene. In 2008 and 2009 he won the Freeride World Tour and in 2009 also Best Line at the Freeride World Tour. De Le Rue took first place at the Swatch O’Neill Big Mountain Pro and the SBX Fis Vice World in 2009. In 2008 he placed first at the Oxbow Back to the Powder and took second at the Swatch O’Neill Big Mountain Pro.

 

With only a few weeks into 2010, de Le Rue won the Standout of the Year award in the Transworld Rider Poll Awards, and was nominated for the Cold Smoke Awards, Best Line. He has already been named Big Mountain Rider of the Year by Snowboarder magazine and awarded for Best Shooting and Jury Special in the Saint Lary Freeride Film Festival.  De Le Rue is a 2010 Olympic favorite for Boardercross,

 

Based in Verbier, Switzerland, with his wife and daughter, de Le Rue spends his non-boarding time downhill mountain biking and surfing.

 

For more than 40 years The North Face has teamed up with the world's finest mountaineers, alpinists, climbers, skiers, snowboarders and endurance adventurers who have defined the limits of what is humanly possible. De Le Rue joins fellow The North Face Snowboard team members David Carrier Porcheron (DCP), Mark Carter, Lucas DeBari, Johan Oloffson, Dave Short and Eric Themel. The North Face Athlete team works closely with Research, Design and Development, creating innovative designs that push new technologies and inspire cutting-edge products. The team also integrates with Sports Marketing to develop world-class events and expeditions.

 

For more information on The North Face athlete team, check out www.thenorthface.com.

Feb 03 | Relief Efforts for Haiti

By The North Face

Many people have been asking about The North Face relief efforts for Haiti. Since word of the catastrophic earthquake that hit more than two weeks ago, The North Face has been working diligently to support a multitude of organizations that are making a direct impact on the ground. We are sending both product donations and financial support to give a diverse number of organizations the help they need to bolster their relief efforts both immediate and long-term.

The North Face has donated hundreds of tents, sleeping bags, day packs, clothing, and shoes to various organizations including Adventure Medical Kits, Can-Do Organization, and Soles4Souls. Financial donations have also been made to Americares, The Lambi Fund and The Humanitarian Coalition led by Oxfam Canada.

Additional information as well as links to each of these organizations are below. Our hearts go out to Haiti and those affected by this tragedy. We thank you for your interest in how to help.

Adventure Medical Kits: The North Face backpacks for transporting medical supplies throughout Haiti.

Americares: The North Face Retail stores, 39 locations throughout the US, are collecting donations on behalf of Americares.

Can-Do Organization: The North Face provided clothing, shoes, and sleeping bags.

The Humanitarian Coalition led by Oxfam Canada has been supported by The North Face Canada via financial donation. The teams in Canada have also been working with local organizations to provide warm clothing to Haitian refugees arriving in Montreal. Montreal is home to one of the largest Haitian populations in North America, outside of Haiti, and has seen a massive swell in refugees arriving in these past weeks.

Soles4Souls: The North Face donated more than 200 pair of shoes.

The Lambi Fund: The North Face sent cash donation to this organization implementing a four phase plan to help with the reconstruction and revitalization of Haiti, including:
:: Rebuild grain mills, sugar cane mills, and other economic development community enterprises lost in the earthquake. These buildings are the centers of communities’ economic livelihood.
:: Recapitalize micro–credit funds run by peasant organizations so that people can replenish and continue their small businesses.
:: Repair rainwater cisterns so people will have a supply of safe drinking water.
:: Plant trees critically needed to stabilize topsoil and prevent mudslides.

Link to these organizations for more information:
www.adventuremedicalkits.com
www.can-do.org
www.americares.org
www.soles4souls.org
www.lambifund.org

Feb 02 | Karina Hollekim back on skis!

By The North Face

The North Face® Global Athlete Karina Hollekim back on skis

Three and a half years after her near death accident, B.A.S.E jumper and free skiing legend Karina Hollekim returns to the slopes!

The North Face®, the world’s premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, is proud to announce that, The North Face® Global Athlete Karina Hollekim, is come back to ski!

In August 2006, during a demonstration skydive in Switzerland, Karina Hollekim’s chute failed to open. She hit the ground at over 100 km/hour. The force of impact broke her right femur in four places and splintered her left leg into 21 open fractures. She lost over three litres of blood in 45 minutes. But, she did not die.

The crash spared her spine and head, and she was told she would never walk again. It was tough to wake up everyday without the body that had let her live her dreams. But those dreams had taught her life is about challenges; that the only limits to what she could achieve were in her own head and mind. Step by step, Karina fought her battles, and slowly she began to walk again.

And now, almost three and a half years after that fateful day and over 15 painful surgeries later, Karina has hit the slopes once again. A simple run, but full of emotion and meaning. "Coming back to the slopes and to the mountains was almost too good to be true!" exclaimed Karina. "I´ve dreamt about this everyday for 3,5 years now, I´ve gone through it in my mind, how it would feel and what it would be like, but this is better than I could ever imagine. It feels unreal! I think I´m the happiest kid on the slope today, I just can´t stop smiling! And the best thing is that this is just the beginning... "

Karina embodies the philosophy behind The North Face - to ‘never stop exploring’. This is how she lives her life. She became renowned worldwide as a courageous and skilful exponent of extreme sport. As an exceptional athlete, she inspired others. Her strength and determination to recover from near-death are perhaps even more inspirational.

Commented Keith Byrne, Strategic Marketing Manager for The North Face® EMEA: "The North Face has a unique and special relationship with our athletes as their lives are an inspiration to every single one of us working within the company. Karina and the experiences she has brought us have put so many things into perspective but most of all they have inspired all of us to live a full life. Respect to Karina".

Feb 02 | Profile of Ian McIntosh, Skier

By The North Face

At 6'2" and weighing an athletic 185 pounds, ‘Mac-n-Stomp’ towers over many other big mountain skiers, and his physical stature shows in his snow-carving style. Ian focuses his blend of brute force and raw talent on some of the steepest, deepest and sickest powder lines in the world.

Learn more about Ian McIntosh.

Jan 31 | Last day in Base Camp

By Willie Benegas

we brought a load of hard gear, food and some tents to camp one yesterday, just over 16,000 feet.  our group of 22 represents el salvador, argentina, chile, the us, uk, and venezuela so at this point many of the group are at a new high point with each step - for many their first real climb of a mountain.  it brings a sweet freshness to our climb. 
we have moved into a high pressure weather system with the full moon but with this comes evidence of winds up high. last night we were treated to a ridiculous sunset and then full moon rise over the ridge of aconcagua.
diane and willlie strike out ahead of the group each day and were headed out again early this morning while the rest of us sorted gear and rested at camp. on their accelerated acclimitazation program they went to over 18,000 ft today.  kasha has held full yoga classes each afternoon with the the peak on one side and the crashing of seracs on the other - breathtaking surroundings in which to practice.  damian is madly keeping things organized and flowing smoothly for our giant group with such mixed experience and objectives,
we will run through another set of tests with the mayo doctors this afternoon.
and tomorrow we head up the mountain.  our plan will be to set three camps on the mountain over 4 days and then head for the summit.  with good luck and weather we hope to summit on on the 5th and be back in basecamp maybe that night or the next day.  no dispatches while we are on the mountain but we will take heaps of pictures to share.  

we are headed out!  the winds of yesterday turned most people off the summit but look like they have settled down a wee bit.  wish us luck!