Outdoor Sports Blog

Eagle Creek Travel Gear to be acquired by VF Outdoor Inc. Eagle Creek is a manufacturer of adventure travel equipment, luggage, travel accessories and packing solutions for outdoor sports enthusiasts. The company, based in Vista, California was founded 1975 by Steve and Nona Barker. Barker announced that his company is in acquisition negotiations with VF Outdoor Inc. who has already well-known brands such as The North Face, Eastpak, Jansport and others under its roof. Eagle Creek has annual sales of approximately US$30 million. The closing of the sales is to be expected within 30 days. Eagle Creek Travel Gear example (click image): See Eagle Creek products here!

Wilderness Volunteers Wilderness Volunteers is a non-profit organization to organize and promote volunteer service to America’s wild lands in cooperation with public land services, National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and US Fish and Wildlife Service. I you want to “give back” you can help with much-needed trail work. All trips are one week long and in groups of twelve or fewer people. The cost is US$239.00 which covers food and supplies. Participants must get their own means of transportation to and from the trailhead and bring their own backpacking gear. For more information and to view the 2007 trip schedule, please visit the web site of Wilderness Volunteers. ( http://www.wildernessvolunteers.org/ )

Rock Climbing Arizona Lon Abbott, geology professor at Prescott College and experienced rock climber wrote a new guide book with the title "Weekend Rock Arizona: Trad and Sports Routes from 5.0 to 5.10a". The book aims at the weekend rock climber and the figures in the heading refer to climbs from moderate to difficult. “Trad” in the title stands for traditional climbs in which climbers place their own protective hardware. Sports routes, on the other hand, offer bolts fixed permanently fixed to the rock. The author says: "The book is a resource for those climbers who enjoy getting out for a great climb on the weekend or on a holiday but don't have the time to immerse themselves completely in the sport. These climbers usually like to sample a variety of climbing areas, and they most often enjoy climbs in the 5.0 to 5.10a difficulty range rather than harder routes.” Rock Climbing Arizona provides comprehensive descriptions of routes at 10 climbing areas around Ari

Utah skiers and snowmobile riders are fighting over wilderness rights. According to an article in the Herald Tribune, there's a long-simmering and highly charged dispute between backcountry skiers and snowmobile riders. Skiers and snowmobilers have been visiting Logan Canyon, Utah since many years to enjoy their winter activities. But since the 1990s, new engine technologies enabled snowmobiles to go up steep slopes and negotiate deep snow like it was never doable before. Ever since, tensions amid the two groups have intensified not only in Logan Canyon, Utah but across the West. Skiers, snowshoers and winter hikers are seeking outdoor recreation in a quiet, noise- and pollution free surroundings without the threat of getting run over by speeding snowmobiles. Snowmobilers want to have fun too, by speeding with 80 to 100 miles per hours through deep powder. They’re seeking thrill and action with their machines. Acting responsibly towards other non-motorized outdoor enthusi

Mount Everest conquered by disabled man Tom Whittaker’s life as a mountaineer seemed to be destroyed after he was involved in a car accident with a drunk driver back in 1979 in Pocatello, Idaho. But his life reached its peak again on Nov. 4 when the Scottsdale-based motivational speaker received an award from Queen Elizabeth II of his native England for something he had accomplished eight years ago. Click here to read this remarkable Mt Everest story by John Leptich.