The North Face

Dec 05 | The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships Recap

By The North Face

Mike Wolfe after finishing first in the Endurance Challenge. He endured 50 miles, even after hitting his head on a tree early in the race Photo:Tim Kemple

Race bibs for The North Face Endurance Challenge Gore-Tex 50 Mile Championships this weeked north of San Francisco read like a veritable “Who’s Who?” of the endurance running world. In its fifth year, the race boasts a $10,000 prize purse for first place, magnificent views of the Bay Area and serious bragging rights, which attracts an elite field of ultrarunners from all over the world. Check out iRunFar's full coverage of the event for more behind-the-scenes details.

The North Face global endurance runner Mike Wolfe of Helena, MT battled it out for 50 miles to come in first place with a time 6:18:57, edging out his steepest competition and earning a course record by a full 15 minutes. Dakota Jones of Durango, CO, who trailed Wolfe by mere minutes through the last 20 miles, came in a close second with a time of 6:21:43 and was followed by Adam Campbell of Vancouver, British Columbia with a time of 6:34:28.

Mike Wolfe is all smiles after his first place finish

“It was really close the entire race,” an exhausted, but elated Wolfe said at the finish line. “We were really well-matched, [Jones] was killing me on the downhills, but I was just a stronger climber. It really came down to climbing that last hill, and I was able to pull away.”

New Zealand’s Anna Frost was the first female finisher with a time of 6:56:00, followed by Ellie Greenwood of Banff, British Columbia with a time of 7:07:16, and Mary Beth Cadwell of San Anselmo, CA with a time of 7:28:29.

Anna Frost after taking first place in the women's race and earning her $10,000 prize

Other top athletes who participated in The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships, included: 2011 San Francisco Marathon winner and USATF 100K Champion Michael Wardian, two-time Western States winner Hal Koerner, winner of the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France Lizzy Hawker, and Western States Champion Geoff Roes.

An additional three races were held Sunday, including a Half Marathon, 5K and 10K. The weekend’s events end The North Face Endurance Challenge Series, which held events in Bear Mountain, NY, Washington, DC, Kansas City, MO, Madison, WI and Atlanta, GA earlier this year.  However, The North Face Endurance Challenge will return next year with at least one new race addition, beginning in May 2012. For information on The North Face Endurance Team and where they’ll be next, head to www.thenorthface.com or www2.thenorthface.com/endurance.

Nov 28 | Snow Safety Month :: The Inside Scoop with Protect Our Winters

By The North Face

Living in Colorado, one plague I dread every spring is the threat of dirty snow.

Blowing in from southeastern Utah, dirt poses two problems.

The first is personal danger, as dirt forms a weak layer and poorly bonds with newer snowfall, resulting in a sketchy layer buried in the snowpack as spring tours come into play.  Simply put – dirt equals danger.

Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies 

The second problem dirt causes is irregular melting and accelerated run off. Irregular melting forms sun cups which wreak havoc on spring corn cycles and have spawned an entirely new vocabulary with my friends. What was formerly thought of as buttercakes or reconstituted spring pow turns into frozen ocean and junkyard chunder. Ever had a ski partner go down with a broken rib from a fall on frozen chunder landing on their beacon?  Not pretty, I can tell you.

 Dirt and avalanches

Beyond the selfish context as a backcountry skier, dirt poses a much bigger issue than just personal safety. The Center for Snow Studies based in Silverton, Colorado has been focused on this problem for years, as it tracks to a much larger macro issue  - that of climate change.

 Note to self, ski the clean snow

The dirt that blows in on the front end of Colorado storms in the form of apocalyptic billowing red clouds is at least in part due to the fact that the southwestern US has been under prolonged drought for years now.  Climate models show we're likely to only see this increase as the planet warms, turning the southwest, eventually, into a dust bowl. While dust on snow has multiple causes (grazing, off road vehicle use, drilling impacts, agriculture), drought only exacerbates the impacts.

The kicker here is scientific research that culminated in a story in the Los Angeles Times by Eryn Brown (September 21, 2010), that shows dirt on snow reduces the amount of water flowing in to the Colorado River by a conservative estimate of 5%. What does 5% mean? 5% translates to over 250 billion gallons annually which equates to twice the amount of water a city such as Denver or Las Vegas uses in a year and equal to what Los Angeles consumes in 18 months.

 Independence Pass, CO. Snow to the left goes to the Atlantic, to the right the Pacific

Dirt also reduces snow’s albedo (reflectivity) by 30%, increasing melting by 50%. It’s akin to putting a black’80s concert t-shirt on during your next sunny spring tour. That rapid melt exposes surface vegetation earlier in the spring which consumes the runoff prior to reaching the river. Additionally, the faster decline of the snowpack negates the positive impact that traditional slower melts have in terms of cooling the atmosphere by reflecting heat.

So, next time you consider burning an old pair of rock skis as a tribute to the snow god Ullr add a few good words to keep the dirt away. And be sure to make good decisions, whether schralping pow in the backcountry with friends or in terms of consumption of plastic, energy and gas.

Penn Newhard is a Protect Our Winters Board member, Partner at Backbone Media and aspiring ski tech for his alpine racing kids.

 

 

Aug 24 | UTMB: Pre-Race Interviews (Cont.)

By The North Face

The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is right around the corner.  Today we're featuring IRunFar.com's pre-race interview with two of the men of The North Face Endurance Athlete Team, 2010 UTMB Champion Jez Bragg and Mike Wolfe. Check out the full post here. You can also read interviews with two of The North Face women competing in the 103-mile race here.

 

As this article goes up, the iRunFar team is on its way to cover the 2011 The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. (Well, I’m running it, too.) I know it’s overused, but this very well might be the most competitive 100 mile race in history.

Let’s start with one hell of a rematch – everyone the top five at this year’s Western States will toe the line in Chamonix on Friday. That includes, Kilian Jornet, Mike Wolfe, Nick Clark, Jez Bragg, and Tsuyoshi Kaburaki. To that you can add 2010 Western States champ Geoff Roes, 2010 The North Face Endurance Challenge champ Miguel Heras, 2011 Hardrock 100 second place finisher Dakota Jones, two-time Western States champ and The North Face runner Hal Koerner, SEVEN-time Western States champ Scott Jurek, as well as a slew of top Europeans and Asians.

As with all races, not all who entered with be out there on race day. On the American side, the no shows include Anton Krupicka (recovering from a broken leg), Karl Meltzer (back injury), and Dave Mackey (scheduling conflict). I’m sure there are similar withdrawals from the overseas crowd.

 JEZ BRAGG

iRunFar: We last saw you at the Western States 100 in June, where you ran to 4th place and a blazing sub-16 hour finish. How has your summer of recovery and then training been since then? Did you bounce back pretty quickly or take a nice break?

Jez Bragg: The recovery – train – taper phase between Western States and UTMB has been a bit blurred to say the least. I recovered pretty quickly from Western States so I really just threw myself straight into UTMB-specific stuff without too much of a break. I did quite a bit of road cycling and swimming to supplement the running early in the summer, which I always find works well to spin the muscle soreness away. With only 9 weeks between the two races it’s not a lot of time, but I’ve done all I can and I’m definitely feeling ready to go. My real focus has been on building leg strength. I know I can run 100 miles pretty quick, but there are obviously a few lumps and blumps along the way at UTMB, so plenty of long days going up and down the mountains has been top of the agenda.

iRF: It looks like you spent some time training in the Alps during July. Did you train on the course or on similar terrain? How did that go for you? Are you feeling like you’ve been able to train to your potential?

Bragg: I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the mountains over the summer – several days in the Lake District (North West England), a couple of weeks in the Alps and a few days in Snowdonia (North Wales) too. The Alps training was brilliant. I fastpacked the ‘Walkers’ Haute Route’, a high level route between Chamonix and Zermatt, then did a 3-day training weekend with The North Face Team covering the full UTMB route, as well a load of other single training days. As a whole, it’s all gone really well and should pay dividends in the race. It’s a difficult balance to strike with UTMB training. It’s obviously a super hard race so it follows that the training needs to be pretty hardcore too, but it’s so easy to over step the mark and completely trash your legs before you even start. With a bit of luck I’ve got it about right. We’ll soon find out….

iRF: You’re UTMB’s defending champion. What’s it like returning to the race in this way? Are you going back this year to defend your title or to run your own race? Or, do those two goal equate to each other for you?

Bragg: A bit different! Last year was a strange one. It was a great experience which gave me a taste of winning a big race, but it wasn’t the real UTMB race. I’m looking forward to running the full distance and seeing what happens. I will always run my own race and that definitely won’t change just because I’m wearing race number one. I know how to bring out the best in myself and that’s not necessarily battling it out at the front from mile one. It’s a long race and a lot can (and will happen). It’s gonna be very, very interesting.

iRF: One thing we’ve noticed about you is the joy you seem to derive from running in wild places. Is the scenery of the UTMB course at all motivating to you?

Bragg: I love nothing more than running solo in a super remote places. The UTMB course is very inspiring for me. Every time I go round, and I think it’s over ten times now, I’m just in awe of the incredible views – it certainly never gets boring. UTMB is very special race and the biggest reason for that is the beauty of the course and surroundings. When you’re feeling super tired and overwhelmed by the challenge, you just need to catch a glimpse of Mont Blanc or one of the other mountains to draw some extra strength to keep you going.

iRF: The UTMB men’s roster has some serious talent on it. With whom are you looking forward to spending some time out on the course? Who are your top five picks for the men?

Bragg: It’s certainly going to be a great race for the spectator. I enjoyed running with Mike Wolfe last year. We’re very similar in ability and we seemed to spur each other on a lot, so hopefully we will be get chance to run together again. Other than that, any english speaker will do! We all know how friendly the ultra community is, even amongst the elites, so it would be great to get to know some new people through running together out on the course – what better way to get to know someone that going through hell and back out on the UTMB course?! I’m going dodge that top 5 question. I think we know there is a young spaniard who will take some beating…..

MIKE WOLFE

iRunFar: You placed second at the Western States 100, just four minutes back of Kilian Jornet. That must have been a performance you were proud of. How did recovery go for you? And, in the two or so months between WS100 and UTMB, what kind of training have you been up to?

Mike Wolfe: I was definitely happy with my performance at WS this year.  I felt great afterwards.  I think it was the fastest I’ve recovered after a 100.  I was generally fatigued for a bit, but that’s it.  Since WS, I have just been focusing on lots of vertical, in terms of training.  I was able to get in a good hard block of training late July through first couple weeks of August…. we’ll see whether that pays off in a few days, I suppose.

iRF: It looks like you might have raced and won a 50k in Montana earlier this month, the HURL Elkhorn 50K. We imagine it was a UTMB tune-up race. How did you feel during it? Did you experience the results you wanted for the day?

Wolfe: I decided to run the Elkhorn 50km two days prior.  It was during my big block of training, and I did it solely as a “beat myself up” training run.  Elkhorn was right at the tailend of a BIG 12-day block for me.  My legs were fatigued, but I got out of it what I wanted, then put in 11k of vert in 20+ miles the next day.

iRF: You’re obviously quite fit. And, you’ve been to UTMB before, having placed second there last year, so you know all about the Euro-racing scene. Signs point toward this being a pretty spectacular race for you. What do you think?

Wolfe: I try not to ever speculate or go into races with any significant expectations on myself.  I want to run my heart out, and I am excited for the depth of competition. Ultimately, for me, it’s about pushing my personal limits and relishing the love of the mountain environment (and, at UTMB, enjoying the amazing spirit/culture for this race).  The competition always pushes me to explore my limits and that’s what its all about.

iRF: You put up a good fight against Kilian at WS100. What will it be like to compete against him and other top Euros on their home turf?

Wolfe: Tough, and tougher. No doubt about that. In addition to Kilian, there are a bunch of top Euros that will certainly be pushing up front.  They have the advantage of training over here and course knowledge.  But, no excuses.  We are all equal when the race gun goes off.

Aug 23 | UTMB 2011: Pre-Race Interviews

By The North Face

The 103-mile The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is just days away and our friend Bryon Powell over at iRunFar.com is on the ground in Chamonix, France getting the full scoop. Check back here at the Never Stop Exploring Blog, or at I Run Far all week for race updates. You can also get real-time updates by following @thenorthface or @iRunFar on Twitter.

Today, we're featuring Bryon's pre-race interview with two of the women of The North Face Endurance Athlete Team, Lizzy Hawker and Helen Cospolich. Check out the full post here. You can also read interviews with two members of the men's team, Jez Bragg and Mike Wolfe here.  

 

Many a fast femme will be running the 103-mile The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc this week. Five different ladies have won UTMB in the past. Three of them will face off at this year’s race: Lizzy Hawker (’05, ’08, ’10), Krissy Moehl (’03 & ’09), and Karine Herry (’06). They’ll be joined by the second, third, and fourth place finishers from last year’s race: Nerea Martinez, Agnes Herve, and Fernanda Maciel. Two strong Americans will be joining Moehl in representing the states: Darcy Africa and Helen Cospolich. We caught up with two women’s contenders for the 2011 The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, Lizzy Hawker (post-2010 TNF UTMB win video interview) and Helen Cospolich (pre-2010 TNF UTMB video interview).

Lizzy Hawker

iRunFar: You have a lot of experience with UTMB. You won in 2005, 2008, and 2010. In addition, in 2009, you were second to Krissy Moehl. What’s it like returning to race that you know so well? What’s it like returning to a race as a defending champion, knowing that the women’s field is deep with talent?

Lizzy Hawker: The UTMB becomes something that is so much more than just the incredible challenge of the race itself. Every runner, every volunteer and every supporter becomes part of something truly special – the shared passion and dedication make this so much more than just a race – more a shared journey of exploration and endurance within the greater journey of our own life.  I’m just looking forward to the challenge of going deep within myself and making my own journey, while sharing the experience with so many.

iRF: How has your training been going this summer? Have you had any particular training days or trips that were really good or memorable? What kind of training do you do? Lots of days in the mountains? Speedwork? Some of everything?

Hawker: Training during the summer race season inevitably includes something of everything – and is specifically focused towards the races that I am next aiming for.  Thinking towards UTMB then two memorable training stints were a 2-day solo run over the route of the UTMB in June, and a 2-day solo run following the Tour de Monte Rosa just last week.  Each time, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the mountain environment and felt a deep joy in the freedom of being able to move …

iRF: We understand that you’ve raced this summer, most recently winning the 78km Swiss Alpine Davos in late July. For iRunFar’s readers who might not be familiar with this race, can you tell us about it? Can you also tell us about how you felt out there? Did winning that race instill in you some confidence for UTMB?

Hawker: The 78km Swiss Alpine is a beautiful and challenging race and it was a privilege to return for my third win.  Each race stands alone, but the end of one race is the beginning of the journey to the next (a week later I won a 2-day double mountain marathon). Each and every race is unique with its own challenges and demands – but each gives you something to learn and something to take forward to the next race.  These last two races gave me a deep joy and reminded me that if we dig deep in there to really ‘be in ourselves’ at every moment of the race – then surely we can reach beyond what we believe possible.

iRF: Krissy Moehl is returning to UTMB this year, as you know. Who else do you see as your competition out on the course? Are there any other runners with whom you’re looking forward to racing?

Hawker: It will be a privilege to be part of such a deep and talented women’s field, but for me the important thing is to focus on the race rather than to think about the competition.  I hope just to run the best that I can at each moment of the race, to give ‘all’ that I can, to feel joy in my run, and to share an incredible experience with so many people.

Helen Cospolich

iRunFar: We last saw you when you finished the Western States 100 in 20:44 back in June. After that, you went on to win the Silver Rush 50 in July. Have we missed any other summer races for you?

Helen Cospolich: This year I did most of my racing in the spring as preparation for WS100 in June, so my schedule was intentionally heavy then. I raced Way Too Cool 50K in March, Spring Desert 50 Mile in April, Miwok 100K in May, and then Dirty Thirty 50K in June leading up to Western. Because Western was a focus for me, I spent much of my training time on flat ground working on speed, and I think it paid off in my early season races as I PR’d in all of them.

iRF: How has your training been this summer? We imagine UTMB is a goal race. That said, how have you structured your training to lead up to this race?

Cospolich: UTMB is a goal race for sure, but it’s been an interesting season leading up to it this year. I think I’ve found that racing two 100s in one summer pushes my limit for training. Last year I focused solely on UTMB by running the mountains all summer, starting in June. This summer I was still training for WS100 in June, and there was too much snow up high to run the peaks until mid-July. So I feel a bit like I’ve had to cram my vertical training into a month or two. I’m not sure how it will work out for the race, but I do keep telling myself that the altitude shouldn’t be a problem because I live at about 10,000 feet. I’ve spent the last few weekends running 14ers and ski areas. On the weekdays, since I’m working, I’ve been leaving the house as early as 4:30 a.m. to put in some mountain trail running before work. I’ve seen a ton of bears this summer, too.

iRF: You’ve raced in Europe before, and you placed seventh at the 2010 UTMB. Is course knowledge and experience with the abroad racing culture important? That is, is this an advantage for you?

Cospolich: Yes, absolutely! While we didn’t see all of the course last year with the mudslide and reroute, I got a really good sense of the culture and the “scene” of the race, as well as the trails. I went into it last year expecting a course as technically difficult as the Hardrock 100, and was kindof shocked that it wasn’t at all like that. Yes, there’s a ton of vertical, but the trails are so well-used over hundreds of years that they are easily distinguishable, and pretty runable in most places. Last year I was so intimidated by the whole scene of the race, but this year I’m happy to be returning knowing what it’s like. And I think in some regards it’s easier to run your own race when there are so many people around you. I enjoyed being relatively anonymous last year and hope it will be that way again this year.

iRF: You must have a few goals for the race. Can you let us in on perhaps one of those goals?

Cospolich: Honestly, I haven’t yet pieced together my goals for this year’s race. I’m working on that now and should have a good sense of it after I study the other competitors and the course more. There are a lot of very fast American women running this year, but to my knowledge, few of them have done this event before. I’m actually more concerned about the Americans than the Europeans. I think we will have a great American showing there for both men and women! I came off of Western States a little burnt out, raced the Leadville Silver Rush 50, and then I got the stomach flu and spent a family vacation at the beach. When I returned to Colorado I jammed my leg pretty good on a scree face at 13,000 feet, but I’m feeling pretty good now and trying to enjoy the taper leading up to the race and gain motivation over this time. I figure maybe it’s a good thing that I’ve been really busy with work and getting my daughter ready for school and extracurricular activities, which start the week I’m away. But overall, I’m excited to run in the Alps and really looking forward to racing UTMB again.

Jul 14 | TNF Newfoundland Expedition Dispatch #2

By Mark Synnott

I'm sitting in basecamp just above the rocky shoreline of Devil's Bay on the south coast of Newfoundland.  A few hundred yards to the east rises Blow Me Down, which may well be the most beautiful sea cliff in the world: 1300 feet of weathered granite rising striaght from the sea.  It's raining hard and the stream running next to our cook tent has turned into a raging torrent, drowning out all other sounds.  Past the mouth of the bay the sky is worse before it gets better.  Everything is soaked, including me, but I'm filled with a deep sense of contentment as I think back on the climb I completed yesterday with Hazel Findlay, the newest member of The North Face Climbing Team.  Unlike today, the weather was perfect: a deep blue cloudless sky, light winds, the gentle swell of the Atlantic rolling into the bay as a thousand pinpoints of light shimmered magically on the surface of the ocean.  Climbing with nothing more than t-shirts, a rack of gear and a light pack, we spent the day working our way up perfect hand and finger cracks, thin faces, stemming corners and aretes.
After ten beautiful pitches we pulled over the lip onto the summit.  "Very Nice," said Hazel, with a perfet Borat accent, as we shared a high five and took a few moments to survey the magnificent country that stretched out below us.  To the south the rock lined the fjord of Devil's Bay led straight out to the mighty Atlantic, with nothing but 2,000 miles of cold ocean between us and the coast of Europe.  To the north, miles of endless rolling granite moonscape, punctuated by rivers, lakes and lush strips of greenery, stretched into a mysterious, uninhabited no man's land.  To our east and west lay more fjords, where we could just discern the tops of other unkown cliffs, which begged for further exploration.  More adventures beckoned, but we turned our attention back toward camp, where the cold beers we'd stashed in the river awaited.

Now we sit sipping coffee, waiting for another break in the weather, content with the knowledge that eventually the sun will shine again, the rock will dry, and then we'll be off on another grand Newfie adventure. 

Mark Synnott

(sent via patchy cell service on the summit of Blow Me Down by Tim Kemple)

Jun 22 | Congratulations Juan Martinez - 2011 National Geographic Emerging Explorer

By The North Face



This has been a big week for The North Face ambassador Juan Martinez. Last Saturday he became the first college graduate in his family when he graduated from California State University Los Angeles with a degree in History. Today, he accepted the National Geographic Emerging Explorer for his dedication to the environment and getting youth outdoors through his work with the Sierra Club, Children & Nature Network and The North Face.

 
Photo by Conrad Anker

Sierra Club National Youth Education Director Martin LeBlanc said it well in a recent blog post about Juan: His rise is a testament to the power of the outdoors and how it can create a new generation of natural leaders.

Congratulations! We couldn't be prouder.

Look for more about Juan in this month's issue of National Geographic and Outside Magazine.

 

May 31 | TNF films win awards at Telluride Mtn Film :)

By Renan Ozturk

This past weekend a number of The North Face produced films graced the the big screen at the amazing Telluride Mountain Film Festival.  Situated deep in the mountain of Colorado this festival is one of the most recognized on the planet for bringing stories of postive change for the planet to thier audience.  It is always a big energy boost to attend and a huge honor to have our expedition stories screen in the same group as films that tackle huge political, social and environmental issues.  The TNF line-up of films included COLD (Forge Motion Pictures), TOWERS OF THE ENNEDI (Camp 4 Colective), DOWN OUT AND UNDER (Sender Films) and ON ASSIGNMENT (Camp 4 Collective). 

As an athlete and filmmaker there is nothing more exciting (and scary!) than to be able to premier your work in front of a packed theatre of liked minded people hungry to absorb the adventure.  Being able to see peoples reaction in real time and answer question on stage is one the most powerful ways I can imagine to share stories.  For me, this realization of the power of film really stemmed from this particular festival in 2009 when Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and myself premiered SAMSARA and it took the Charlie Fowler Climbing film award.

I'm so proud to report that the TNF film hightlighting the historic ascent of G2, which is a very real and visceral depiction of what it is like to undergoe climbing a 8000M peak in winter won the Charlie Fowler Climbing Film award.  Furthermore our film "Towers of the Ennedi" recieved a honorable mention in this catagory and was also nominated for the cinematograpy award.  Athough I'm not much of a competive person it is always a bit nerve racking to attend the award ceremony and see how your peers, mentors and audieneces judge your art of storytelling.  In the end it is all about all those special intactions you have throughout with event with the amazing people that inpsire you to take action to keep sharing & creating positive change for the planet!   Thanks for reading and hope to see you all at the next T-Ride Mtn Film Fest :)   Cheers,  ~renan

Feb 01 | Winter Sale (In-Store Only* / Feb. 2-27, 2011)

By The North Face

 *This offer excludes The North Face® retail stores in Pennsylvania, online, and outlets.  Sale merchandise means the discontinued The North Face brand Fall 2010 marked items. All other merchandise excluded. For a complete list of participating store locations, visit http://thenorthface.com/stores. 

 



 

Jan 28 | USA Climbing: ABS Bouldering Series Season 12

By The North Face

 
USA Climbing and the American Bouldering Series are proud to announce the ABS 12 National Championships in February 2011. 

The ABS 12 Open National Championships will be taking place on February 11 and 12 and will feature our best athletes vying for a spot on the US National Bouldering Team and the chance to compete at the IFSC Bouldering World Cup to be held in Vail, Colorado in June of 2011. 

The Male and Female Open National Champions will also be invited to compete for the US at the 2011 IFSC World Championships to be held in Arco, Italy in July of 2011. 

The ABS 12 Youth National Championships will feature our best athletes under the age of 19 competing for a spot on the US Junior Bouldering Team.  This event will feature over 325 young athletes from all parts of the United States, all gunning for a gold medal.

Visit http://www.absnationals.org, to learn more.

The North Face® is a title sponsor. 

 

Nov 03 | THE NORTH FACE AND THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT OUR NATIONAL PARKS THROUGH FACEBOOK® DEALS

By The North Face

THE NORTH FACE AND THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT OUR NATIONAL PARKS THROUGH FACEBOOK® DEALS

 

Check In* At Any National Park or The North Face Retail Store Using Facebook Places, and The North Face Will Donate $1 to the National Park Foundation Up To $150,000

 

Washington, D.C. (November 3, 2010) – The North Face and the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, announced today their participation in the initial launch of Facebook® Deals.  Beginning today, The North Face will donate $1 to the National Park Foundation for every individual who checks in at one of America’s nearly 400 national parks or a The North Face retail location.

 

Intended to get more people outside and to give back to America’s 393 national parks, the campaign will continue for one year and will result in a donation of up to $150,000 to the National Park Foundation. It is one of the inaugural participants in the launch of Facebook Deals. A new feature introduced today by Facebook, Deals gives people the ability to easily find interesting and valuable offers in their community.

 

“We couldn’t be more excited to be working with our partners at the National Park Service, and our friends at The North Face and Facebook, to give people everywhere the opportunity to use this unique technology to support their parks,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation.  “Together we are able to encourage people to get out and experience these treasured places, use technology to share them with their family and friends, and ultimately help strengthen our parks for the future.”

 

As the official national charity for America’s national parks, the National Park Foundation is dedicated to connecting every person to their national parks and strengthening them for the future. 

 

“We are committed to educating and inspiring passion for the outdoors through enabling outdoor activity,” said Letitia Webster, Director of Corporate Sustainability, The North Face. “Working together with the National Park Foundation, National Park Service and by using Facebook Places, we are giving individuals and families more opportunities to discover National Parks to help achieve this very important goal.”  

 

The potential $150,000 raised will go to support critical Foundation programs ranging from educating youth about our national parks on critical topics including climate change, to supporting national parks as they reach out to the diverse and underserved communities around them.   

 

“This new feature will give visitors a quick and easy way to start sharing their national park experience,” said National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis.  “We appreciate that the Foundation and The North Face are working together to make ‘checking in’ a show of support for national parks and look forward to welcoming first-time and returning national park visitors as they check out (and check in to) these great places that all Americans own.”

 

Users can search for the national park or The North Face retail store near them using the latest version of the Facebook for iPhone app or by visiting touch.facebook.com from their HTML5-enabled mobile device.

 

About The North Face®  

The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company's products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.

 

About the National Park Foundation

You are the owner of 84 million acres of the world’s most treasured landscapes, ecosystems, and historic sites -- all protected in America’s nearly 400 national parks. Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks. We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow. Join us in supporting your national parks -- this is your land. www.nationalparks.org

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

*The North Face® Check In Terms and Conditions for Facebook® Places