Author Archives: Penn

Kinda kidding but not really. En route home from a recent trip to the Selkirks, I was able to schedule an 8AM meeting last Sunday @ DIA with none other than my esteemed business partner Nate Simmons.

Nate was on his way to Seoul and then Bejing for work with Polartec. The timing was fortunate for us both to catch up for 30 minutes as previous weeks had been balancing work, spring Media FAMs and conference calls.

Simultaneously, Mike Mac was returning home from a swing by the National Broadcast Show in Vegas and the Sea Otter Classic. In between, Mike squeezed into a seat for a panel discussion on Social Media Tactics at the Bicycle Leadership Conference. This coming on the heels of a conference regarding Land Conservation Conference in Jackson Hole.

In our home state, Ian was bouncing between meetings with the Vail Valley Foundation and Teva Mountain Games and trying to keep up with his wife Sari – who was just named one of the fittest normal (?) humans in America by Outside Magazine. Greg was in the Front Range with SmartWool convening on their new Brand Campaign and Mavis, Justin and Kara are all riding bikes in the final phase of their knee recoveries.

See ya out there!

Reports from the Scufoneda Festival in Moena Italy include new snow yet warm temps. Nate and Fielding are over there hosting media as Polartec sponsors the event.

Reports from AK are that it has been a tough winter, yet recent snow has been improving conditions. We are headed there Sunday for a Black Diamond event along with 5 snowsports media to test skis, tour on Thompson Pass and fly with Alaska Backcountry Adventures.

A bit more locally reports from Sun Valley over St. Patty’s boast new snow as another Backbone group heads to Baldy for the Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony while staying at the famed Sun Valley Lodge.Word is there will be a reunion of the K2 Performers and dignitaries will range from inductees Daron Rahlves and Glen Plake to Wayne Wong and Zach and Reggie Crist.

Backbone also hosted Drew Pogge from Backcountry Magazine for 2 days of touring in the Elks. Pretty sure he liked the new AMPerage and Megawatts.

Additional upcoming events span from WESC/Tailgate Alaska to a NYC showroom.

See you out there!

When you get an email titled ‘Not bad for a Joker like me’ you open it before the others. Sure, it may not be the most pressing email in your inbox but certainly there is promise for some amusement.

In this case, the email was from Dan Abrams, one of the co-founders of Flylow along with Greg Steen with an attached PDF of the cover of Inc. Magazine and an article featuring their entrepreneurial rise.

Cover of Inc. is a wow moment for a brand that is best known among core mountain town folks. Flylow’s product is king. Their pants durability legendary and their work gloves – well that’s another story.

Check ou tthe Flylow blog – The WinterLife.com or go to their site. Congrats Dan and Greg. Now back to work.

This is somewhat of a PSA, posted following an email from friend, rep extraordinaire and all-around good guy Ian Reid.

We all know people in Boulder. We all know about the Boulder fire. We all know how the outdoor industry is built upon strong realtionships.

Just today people are being allowed back into Four mile Canyon – so as the newsflash urgency of the fire begins to fade – the reconstruction of lives of those impacted is just beginning.

Please, take some time and donate whatever you can to support those who have lost valuables in the recent fires. Thanks!

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We have secured a non-profit partner in the United Way. The United Way is on the ground and also has the manpower to assist us in getting relief to those in true need. Be assured that all product will go to that relief. What are greatly needed are socks, shoes, toiletries, fleece blankets, jackets, insulation, etc.

The United Way has just secured a warehouse in South Boulder. The address for Shipping is below.

Please label donations to Fourmile Canyon Relief Donations..

If your company would like a receipt of goods donated, you can send a request to Barbara Pingery at the local United Way. Please include the types of items and value in your request.

Fourmile Canyon Victims Relief

767 East South Boulder Road

Louisville, CO 80027

The United Way can facilitate a 501c3 certificate for your efforts, if needed. You must send an email to

Barbera Pingery at

bpingrey@unitedwayfoothills.org

Boulder is a hub in the United States for outdoor activity and we who work and live here in the industry consider the residents and families affected as extended family. All you can do is greatly appreciated.

Rumors of Carbondale, CO becoming the newly appointed center of the outdoor Universe are yet to be confirmed but recent activity in the surrounding satellite towns of Aspen, Vail and Keystone points to growing harmonic convergence.

In Aspen, the Polartec Athlete Advisory Board convened with members Bill Belcourt, Janet Bergman, Michael Sillitch, Sari Anderson, Mike Kloser, Kelly Cordes, Nick Devore, Antoine Barthelemy, and Gord Betenia. Activities included climbing, paragliding, fly fishing, hiking and cycling.

In Vail, the annual Teva Mountain Games hosted top athletes, media and a record crowd of outdoor enthusiasts in the paddling, running, cycling and climbing world. The TMG blends art, music, and mountains like no other venue nationally along with a healthy dose of family fun. Take your pick with a World Cup Bouldering event, Stand Up Paddling or the Teva MXT Mud Run.

In Keystone, Boa Lacing Technology hosted an A Tier of media in a Colorado style spring-free-for-all; meaning skiing, snowboarding, cycling, running and golf in their new products for 2010. Beyond Colorado our very own Kara Armano landed her first permit on a fly in Mexico at Pescamaya Resort last week while fishing with Ross Purnell of Fly Fisherman magazine. Way to go Kara!

In case any of you think Carbondale actually stands a chance at supplanting real self-appointed beautiful people hang-outs insert-your-town-name-here, just give us a month or so. The jury is out until after the DreamTime Festival in Paonia and of course the all-time classic Carbondale Mountain Fair.

See you out there!