The North Face

May 06 | Featured Philanthropy :: IMBA

By The North Face

The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) creates, enhances and protects great mountain bike experiences. Our local groups — IMBA's mountain bike chapters, clubs and patrols—help care for the trails you ride by donating nearly a million annual hours of volunteer service to public lands. We work in partnership with land managers, conservation groups and other recreational users as we promote sustainable trail building and riding practices. IMBA is a membership-based 501 3 c non-profit organization with programs in North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and elsewhere. Learn more by visiting www.imba.com or facebook.com/IMBAonFB. 

The North Face is a member of IMBA and provides additional support for special events and the Subaru IMBA Trail Care Crew--traveling trainers who teach sustainable trail building, lead volunteer workshops and work with land managers on specific MTB projects around the country. http://www.imba.com/tcc

IMBA Annual Fund 2013 from IMBA on Vimeo.

 

 

Apr 29 | Explore Fund Grantee Profile :: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake

By The North Face

To learn more about the Explore Fund visit www.ExploreFund.org, applications for 2013 grants are open until May 1st.

Through our 4 Club locations in Salt Lake and Tooele Counties in Utah, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake serves over 4,700 kids each year including 1,300 teens. We have nearly 500 members attending the Club daily. We provide low and no cost programs in neighborhoods where kids need us most to ensure we reach our intended population. The members of our Clubs represent some of the neediest and most underserved youth in our state: • 69% are from low-income families (with some Club sites as high as 97%) • 35% come from single-parent homes • 47% are ethnic minorities (with some Club sites as high as 85%) Our Clubs reside near some of the world’s best outdoor opportunities: hiking and rock climbing in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains, skiing and snowboarding in the “greatest snow on earth,” fishing and whitewater rafting in scenic lakes and rivers, and just exploring Utah nature and wildlife. Unfortunately, while some tourists from all over the world spend fortunes on Utah vacations, many low-income kids from Salt Lake City and the surrounding area are unable to access or afford the outdoor activities only miles from their homes. Also, due to urban lifestyles and sedentary habits so prevalent today many kids do not even know about the opportunities they are missing.

Club Adventure is an exciting and popular program designed to connect our Club kids with the outdoors and nature. Each year we collaborate with multiple community partners to provide snowboarding trips, canoeing and river trips, and outdoor climbing events. Our Club members have also gone ice skating, indoor rock climbing, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, and even snorkeling at the Bonneville Seabase. Every month more and more Club kids are experiencing outdoor programs and staying fit through Club Adventure.

One of the major goals of Club Adventure is to overcome barriers to getting our Club members outdoors. Unfortunately, cost is often one of the most significant hurdles preventing many of our kids from outdoor participation. Even relatively low cost activities like hiking are too far out of reach for kids who can't afford proper equipment or don't have the support and supervision of a responsible adult.

 

Club Adventure exists to fill these holes. Grant funds from The North Face Explore Fund will be used to cover the rental costs of mountain bikes, canoes, and climbing equipment. Funds will also be utilized to transport our kids to and from outdoor activities, and to cover the fees associated with guides and instructors to keep them safe.

Apr 15 | Explore Fund Grantee Profile :: Urban Peaks

By The North Face

To learn more about the Explore Fund visit www.ExploreFund.org, applications for 2013 grants are open until May 1st.

Urban Peaks supplements funding for underprivileged, urban youth to participate in rock climbing and challenge course activities. In just under two years, Urban Peaks has been able to fund climbing programs for over 400 students, introducing youth from low income, often single parent homes, and/or students with behavioral or social disabilities to the world of climbing, offering these youth an opportunity they might otherwise not have. Thanks to the North Face Explore Fund Grant, Urban Peaks was able to enrich these youth’s lives by providing funding for them to be able to participate in rock climbing activities

An 80 person Big Brother Big Sister group participated in a rock climbing program at a local climbing gym; upon entering the gym, the youth looked up at the 50 foot walls with a mixed bag of emotions. Some looked at the walls with sheer excitement saying, “I’m going to conquer that wall and climb all the way up!” While others felt a little trepidation, “oh, that’s so high, I’m scared of heights!” Upon completion of the three hours of climbing, all the students were proud of their own, personal, achievements. Whether it was getting to the top of the wall, or getting two moves higher than they expected. All the youth left proud of reaching their personal goals.

At the end of a rock climbing and challenge course program for a Boys and Girls Club group, an instructor commented, “It’s over already? I have never seen these kids so engaged!” When asked what the students are usually like, the instructor responded “apathetic teenagers”. It was great to see some natural talent in these kids who have never climbed before. When the students went through the Challenge Course, it was inspirational to see how, when some of the elements really challenged the students, they endured and found their strength to get through that element and onto the next.

Urban Peaks strives to raise funds to continue to introduce these youth to climbing, to build self-confidence, learn new things and learn ways to challenge themselves and overcome fears. Urban Peaks continues to work with Big Brothers Big Sister groups, Boys and Girls Clubs, as well as various non-profits and public schools in the Boston area, and hoping to reach northern New England.

Apr 08 | Explore Fund Grantee Profile :: Montana Wilderness Association's Outdoor Explorers

By The North Face

To learn more about the Explore Fund visit www.ExploreFund.org, applications for 2013 grants are open until May 1st.

Mentoring the next generation of America’s public lands stewards

The Montana Wilderness Association, in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the U.S. Forest Service, and with support from the North Face Explore Fund, leads monthly outdoor adventures for Montana’s underserved youth. 

 

A dozen "Bigs" and "Littles" gathered at Pattee Canyon Recreation Area to try out cross country skiing, most of them for the first time. Only a few miles from downtown Missoula, Montana, this popular locals spot on the Lolo National Forest was an entirely new destination for these Explorers. 

It was a warm Saturday in mid-January, and the experts in the crowd -- college student volunteers -- tried to explain the techniques of the sport: Push, pole, kick, glide, herring bone, and so on. The kids patiently fidgeted with bindings and jacket zippers, and focused on trying to stay upright on skis.

 

As soon as talking and introductions were finished, in a burst of energy, the crowd headed off down the trail. Gliding fearlessly, many little skiers stopped at least a few times mid-hill to topple into a pile of skis, mittens, puffy coats, and hats, but always with a smile. Quickly scrapping well-made plans to cruise the trails, the skiers left poles aside and made use of a meadow, where familiar games of tag, red-light-green-light, and red rover helped newbie skiers become accustomed to the long boards on their feet.

When it came time to stop for a lunch of chili and hot chocolate, one stand-out 5th grader was reluctant to take a break from his new found passion - cross country skiing. After scarfing down a bowl of chili, he was off on the trails again, tumbling down every downhill, slipping up every uphill, and sliding to and fro across the path, all with a special gusto to keep at it. Where adults might have shed a tear or two after the first couple of falls, he kept pushing ahead with a big smile, eager eyes, and a tenacity unique to 5th grade boys.

 

Towards the end of the day, again tumbling into a pile of skis, he stood up, raised his arms high above his head, and exclaimed with a grin, "I love skiing!  What's better than the great outdoors?!"

This exclamation of joy is exactly why the Montana Wilderness Association partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters in three Montana communities. The Montana Wilderness Association's college student volunteers help provide Montana's underserved youth - kids whose families are struggling to overcome the challenges of poverty, single parent homes, incarceration, and other social and economic obstacles - with the chance to explore the great outdoors. Monthly trips in Helena, Missoula, and Bozeman, give "Bigs" and "Littles" the chance to experience skiing, tracking, rafting, hiking, birding, and more.

 

Hopefully - like this 5th grade boy - the pairs return home with experiences they will carry with them, sharing their new-found love of outdoor adventure with their friends and families. Perhaps they'll encourage their families to hike together, or maybe they'll even start a career in conservation a decade from now. There's no telling what the long-term effects of a day in the woods might be.

After all, isn't the sentiment of this 5th grader what drives all of us to dedicate our lives to the cause of conservation? As he exclaimed so perfectly, "What's better than the great outdoors?!"

Apr 03 | Featured Philanthropy :: Big City Mountaineers

By The North Face

Big City Mountaineers changes the lives of under-resourced, racially diverse urban youth through wilderness mentoring experiences that instill critical life skills. Our proven curriculum is delivered in partnership with a vibrant network of youth-based agencies and adult volunteer mentors. Through outdoor mentoring, mentors guide youth to overcome challenges, illuminate the meaning of their accomplishments and highlight their strengths. Our youth improve self-esteem, self-awareness and personal responsibility, and return home better equipped to make critical career, educational and healthy lifestyle decisions.

The North Face and Big City Mountaineers partner to get kids outdoors and instill critical life skills! TNF sponsors approximately 20 BCM students each year, providing wilderness mentoring expeditions and programs to kids. Several TNF athletes champion BCM kids, too. For example, with help from TNF’s Explore Fund, Heidi Wirtz has taken BCM kids climbing with her, and Cedar Wright raised thousands of dollars in support for BCM youth while under-taking a major international climbing expedition.  TNF sponsored athletes Pete Athans and Cedar Wright are also climbing Mount Whitney with Summit For Someone and Backpacker readers who have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in support for BCM students!

To learn more about how The North Face is helping inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts visit www.TheNorthFace.com/getoutdoors.

Jan 07 | Mike Foote:: Death Valley to Mount Whitney

By The North Face

Adam Peterman and Mike Foote on the summit of Mt. Whitney (14,505 ft elevation)

On December 21st I had the honor of sharing the cold and wind swept summit of Mt. Whitney in the southern Sierras with high school senior Adam Peterman. Grinning into the sun I snapped photos of the cross country runner I have coached for four years as he raised both arms in triumph while trying not to let his skinny frame be knocked over by the 50 MPH gusts we had battled all morning. Adam had just realized one of the biggest goals he had set for himself in his 17 years on this earth and I had front row seats to witness his achievement.

It was 12:15 PM and only 31 hrs prior we had set out on road bikes from Badwater, Death Valley 155 Miles away with the ambition of standing on this rocky perch.  This moment was the apex of months of planning, preparation and hard work for Adam’s high school senior project: To go from the lowest point in the contiguous United States to the highest under his own power while raising money for Outdoor Nation, a nonprofit dedicated to getting youth outdoors.

Only a couple of months ago Adam asked me after practice one day to be his mentor for his senior project, an assignment which all Hellgate High seniors must complete. After getting to know Adam over the last four years I was well aware of his drive and ambition to do extraordinary things.  He is an incredible athlete, and at one point in the XC season was ranked 5^th in the country while maintaining his honor roll status. I knew he would bring this dedication to whatever project we chose, and it came as no surprise to me that he responded with a wide eyed smile when I asked him what he thought of Death Valley to Mt. Whitney.

Shortly thereafter Adam decided that he wanted to raise money for Outdoor Nation.  It is not lost on him that he lives within a five-minute bike ride of a wilderness area with a dozen trailheads a stones throw from his home in Missoula, MT.  Adam has taken full advantage of these open spaces for years and knows how fortunate he is to have these resources at his fingertips, and therefore wants other youth to have the opportunities he has grown up with. 

With the goal of raising $5,000 we worked towards promoting our trip as well as we could. We drafted press releases and developed social media pages, blogs and websites.  Adam did local TV interviews before school and wrote articles for online media all over the country. Book ended by tight schedules and 17 hrs. of driving there and back we had literally a two day window to make this trip work.  With all the prep and planning we had done, we were left with only the hope that the weather would hold for us. We checked the forecast obsessively and crossed our fingers as the dates approached. And on a cold and cloudy mid-December afternoon, we drove away from Missoula in a packed Subaru with the compass pointing south.

As they say, the rest is history. The weather held and we set off from Badwater, Death Valley under a blue-black starry sky. We biked all day long. Adam bonked early on the first climb, then recovered, then bonked again. We pushed our bikes in the dark the last two miles up the icy switchbacks of the road to the Mt. Whitney Trailhead.  Adam crumpled into his sleeping bag without an appetite and questioned his ability to push to the summit the following morning. Accompanied with a little tough love, I focused on getting calories in him and let him go to sleep with the plan that we would just wake up and see how he felt after he got a little rest. 

The following morning I handed Adam a bowl of steaming oatmeal around 3 AM.  He had his appetite back and I could see a fresh flicker of resolve in his eyes as he wriggled out of his sleeping bag.  We passed two groups along our route to the summit who stated quite matter of factly that no one would be able to reach the top on that day, citing strong winds. Yes the winds were strong, but the skies were clear and we were buoyed by confidence with each foot gained in elevation and the subsequent and rewarding views of the stunning Sierras. With the mantra, “everything came together, so that everything could come together” we came closer and closer to our objective until we were standing right on it.

Crouching on top of Whitney trying to catch my breath in the thin air through a tired smile and watching Adam do the same I couldn’t help but think of the day we met four years ago my rookie season of coaching. Adam was a short and scrawny incoming freshman who showed promise, but lacked confidence in himself at times.  I’ve seen Adam progress and grow since that day so much, but nothing was as stark as our brief time together on the highest point in the lower 48. Watching Adams grit and determination while fighting altitude, fatigue and wind that day I saw not a scrawny kid, but a well poised young man with the world at his fingertips.  And I couldn’t have been more proud to be a part of his moment.

Adam triumphant

As a competitive ultrarunner, I have had the fortune of standing on the podium of some of the biggest Mountain Races in the world. Pushing my body to its limits in the mountains is what I live for.  But my trip with Adam two weeks ago reminded me that my life as an athlete is not what defines me. It turns out that being a supporting actor in the journey of a good kid and helping him realize the things that he is capable of feels just as good as any finish line I have ever crossed.

Help us reach our goal of $5,000 dollars for Outdoor Nation. We are Halfway there!

  Mike showing his Montana Pride

Jan 07 | Featured Philanthropy :: Protect Our Winters

By The North Face

Protect Our Winters was founded in 2007 by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones to address the gap between the effects that climate change was already having in our mountains and the action being taken by the snow sports community to fight it. Winter sports is a $66 billion industry that supports over 211,000 jobs in our local mountain communities - so to us, climate change is serious business. Without a stable climate, our industry, our jobs, the economies of mountain communities everywhere and the valued lifestyle of winter will be gone.

As we start a new year, it's our goal to continue our work teaching high school students about the effects of climate change, how important it is for them to appreciate and protect the outdoors and to become the next generation of environmental leaders. In our community, professional athletes are the greatest influencers, and to have athletes such as Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Ingrid Backstrom and Nick Martini meet and talk to students about climate change and the environment is once of the most powerful ways to inspire them to really get involved. Our young students are the ones who are going to find themselves directly feeling the effects of climate change, so it's our responsibility to provide them with the tools to get involved now.

To learn more about The North Face partnership with Protect Our Winters check out: http://protectourwinters.org/programs

To learn more about how The North Face is helping inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts visit www.TheNorthFace.com/getoutdoors.

               Kit DesLauriers shares her stories of witnessing climate change first hand at a Bay Area elementary school.

               

                Nick Martini talks with a Denver Highschool student about starting an environmental club at his school.

                Sage Cattabrigga-Alosa pumps up the crowd in Salt Lake City

Oct 08 | Explore Fund Grantee Profile :: cityWILD

By The North Face

To learn more about the Explore Fund visit www.ExploreFund.org, applications for Fall and Winter grants CLOSE TODAY. 

cityWILD was established in 1997, and the organization’s first outdoor trip was piloted a year later.  Over the course of the next year, cityWILD founders volunteered their time to write curricula, develop community roots and partnerships, and secure resources for a more formal launching in September 1999.  Since its auspicious beginning, cityWILD has focused its efforts on strategic growth that meets the increasing demands of its community.  The organization’s approach promotes healthy life decision-making that encourages students to thrive as role models and leaders to their peers, as well as the greater community.  cityWILD helps build skills for students to resist the potentially negative influences of their family, school, and community environments. 

 

With the assistance of The North Face’s Explore Fund grant, cityWILD offered a multitude of outdoor adventure opportunities for its student to participate in and grow from those experiences as people.  New this year included a trip to Copper Mountain and a day of training with the Copper Mountain Ski Patrol as well as an ice climbing adventure with Outer Edge Guides for older cityWILD students experienced with rock climbing.  Both experiences testing student limits and brought them new lessons on life.  And no one wants to be put back in the neck brace ski patrol used in the training!

Oct 01 | Explore Fund Grantee Profile :: The National Sports Center for the Disabled

By The North Face

To learn more about the Explore Fund visit www.ExploreFund.org, applications for Fall and Winter grants are open until October 8th.

The National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) celebrates its 42nd anniversary of providing therapeutic recreational services to individuals with disabilities. Our mission is to enable the human spirit through therapeutic sport and recreation. We provide quality outdoor sports and therapeutic recreation programs that positively impact the lives of people with physical, cognitive, emotional or behavioral challenges. The NSCD was founded in 1970 when a ski instructor at Winter Park Resort volunteered to teach a group of children from the Children’s Hospital of Denver how to ski. Over the past 42 years, the NSCD continues to lead the way as a nationally-recognized therapeutic recreation agency serving children and adults with disabilities throughout Colorado and the country. Last year, we served more than 3,000 participants from 40 different states. Over 1,000 volunteers helped us to provide nearly 20,000 lessons last year. We continue to keep our program costs low, increase the number of individuals we serve, and improve the quality of our programs.

The NSCD Outdoor Backpacking Program is a fun and educational program that combines hiking and camping in backcountry Colorado. The program is offered to individuals with disabilities. The program teaches backcountry navigation, camping, "leave no trace", cooking, orienteering, and other eco-friendly outdoor practices. The program is offered yearly in June and July. Backpacking trips include a variety of locations in Colorado State Parks and Arapahoe National Forest. Therapeutic recreation benefits people with disabilities in profound ways, helping them gain confidence, self-esteem and self-determination; it helps people overcome obstacles, achieve goals and reach their full potential; and it provides an incredible boost to the morale and psyche of our participants as well. By teaching people with disabilities how to hike a mountain or camp overnight, we help them realize they are capable of amazing things. We are so grateful for the support of the Explore Fund and helping us get youth with disabilities outdoors to experience nature and our environment!

 

Attached are a couple pictures from the program. One is at the top of Mount Evans after a long hike and the other is a lesson on reading a map and using a compass. Let me know if I can help in any other way. We are so thankful for the support.

 We think of all of our Explore Fund grantees as Role Models.  Take the pledge and to share your passion for the outdoors with others and you could be entered to win a Travelocity Trip to the Bay Area to meet athletes from The North Face team! apps.facebook.com/tnfrolemodels

Sep 26 | Role Models in LA :: Inspiring parents and kids to get outdoors.

By The North Face

Having had the good fortune to grow up in family that put a premium on spending quality time in the outdoors, activities such as camping, hiking and fishing were common and felt as easy and natural as riding a bike does to most kids.   Thinking about some of these great outdoor experiences I had as a kid  increased my excitement and curiosity about the trip I was about to embark on:  Traveling to the heart of south Los Angeles with my daughter Elise (5), to attend the REI and The North Face sponsored Role Models event, whose primary purpose is inspiring parents and kids to get outdoors.

 

Los Angeles greeted us with clear skies and warm temperatures and while the almost 100 degree weather felt a little stifling, I realized this is fairly typical summer weather in Los Angeles and one of the elements kids and parents face when getting outdoors in this region.  Arriving at the destination of the event, Kenneth Hahn State Park, provided the first of several pleasant surprises.  After entering the 401 acre park located just south of LA in Baldwin Hills, I was amazed how almost none of the city was visible and this definitely helped create an experience of being in the outdoors and away from civilization.

 

We received a very friendly and welcoming greeting as we entered the event and Elise quickly became excited as she saw all the tents, camping equipment, info stations and craft tables set up amongst the trees.  As the primary purpose of this Role Model event is to encourage inner city  kids to explore the outdoors, a wide range of activities were offered that would promote a fun experience while being outdoors.  Activities ranged from making and decorating a visor, building a sun catcher to learning how to set up a tent and exploring all the cooking equipment and utensils normally used when camping.

 

Most of the kids started with an activity that was in their comfort zone, like decorating a visor or making a sun catcher, then as the kids felt more comfortable in their surroundings, more outdoor focused activities began.  Talks by REI employee’s running the event ranged from wildlife you might see in the outdoors, to sun protection, to preserving and protecting the outdoors during outdoor adventures.  Conveniently the event was right next to some of the great trails running thru the park, and it was great to see the kids excitement while exploring the trails and hearing shrieks when lizards darted out in front of them.

 

Then came what turned out to be the highlight of the day for Elise and I, along with many of the kids and parents.  An REI expert gave everyone an introductory explanation of geocaching, provided us with a GPS , or as Elise later called it “a phone that helps you find stuff”, and turned us loose to search for treasures hidden throughout the park.  Who would guess that finding a container of beads or a pouch filled with post cards could be so much fun.  After finding all nine of the treasures, we took a break and feasted on some amazing tacos from a local caterer brought in for the event.

 

Elise and I also  spent time talking with Juan Martinez, who represents The North Face as an ambassador for Outdoor Exploration and was the featured The North Face representative for this event.  Juan shared his experiences growing up in South Central LA, where opportunities to explore and understand the wonder of the outdoors didn’t really exist.  Juan was able to spend time as a young adult in the Grand Teton of Montana which fostered a deep appreciation for the outdoors and lead to embarking on his current journey.  As The North Face Ambassador for Outdoor exploration and leader for the Children & Nature Networks Leaders Initiative, Juan now spends his time encouraging kids all over the country to explore and appreciate the outdoors.

 

Interacting  with Juan, it’s clear how much passion he has for promoting the outdoors, and to be reaching inner city kids in the area where he grew up and still lives made this event that much more special.  As Elise and I were traveling home after our Los Angeles adventure, it really struck me what a valuable resource people like Juan and companies like REI are in areas where getting outdoors doesn’t come naturally or easily, and what great adventures can be had even in the middle of a huge city.

 

-Paul Brown

 

GET OUTDOORS. Take Someone With You.

Role Models is about sharing your passion for the outdoors with others.  Make a pledge to help inspire the next generation of explorers and you could win the latest gear from The North Face

TAKE THE PLEDGE HERE