Kahtoola, creator of award-winning MICROspikes® and NANOspikes® footwear traction, is proud to announce that its 13th annual GORE-TEX Kahtoola Uphill fundraising event raised $52,000 for local Flagstaff-based nonprofit, Friends of Camp Colton. All Uphill event profits directly benefit the camp’s youth environmental education programs including scholarships that allow low-income students to attend Camp Colton.
Each February, the Kahtoola Uphill event takes place on the snow-covered San Francisco Peaks at the Arizona Snowbowl, which overlooks Kahtoola’s Flagstaff headquarters. Designed with fun in mind, the Uphill challenges participants to conquer the mountain on foot using winter traction or skinning. The race features three routes varying in distance and elevation from 1.5 miles/650 ft for the Fun Climb to the more advanced Agassiz Climb totaling 3.5 miles/2,200 ft.
“The Kahtoola Uphill initially started in 2007 with a handful of friends and has snowballed into an annual event with hundreds of participants,” said Danny Giovale, Founder and Owner at Kahtoola. “2020 is our most successful fundraising race to-date, and we are beyond proud of everyone in our community who helped make this year’s event so impactful.”
Since the first event, Kahtoola Uphill has raised more than $400,000 to help kids get outside and immerse them in the power of nature. Kahtoola would like to thank GORE-TEX, Arizona Snowbowl, Lumberyard Brewing Co., Flagstaff Subaru, K2 Adventures and all Uphill event sponsors, volunteers and supporters for making this year’s race possible. For more information on Friends of Camp Colton, please contact Ari Wilder at ari@friendsofcampcolton.org or call 928-527-6142.
About Kahtoola:
Since 1999, Kahtoola has been creating reliable gear that makes the outdoors more accessible and rewarding. Kahtoola’s flexible footwear traction systems, including MICROspikes® and NANOspikes®, are built to improve safety and performance in wintry locales around the globe. Every product from hiking crampons to running gaiters are thoughtfully designed and vigorously tested at the brand’s Flagstaff, AZ headquarters high on the Colorado Plateau. Owned and operated by founder Danny Giovale, Kahtoola proudly grants 1% of annual sales to fund projects that support indigenous cultures and improve communities, healthcare, education, resources and the environment. For more information, please visit Kahtoola.com.
About Friends of Camp Colton:
Friends of Camp Colton champions exceptional outdoor learning experiences that instill the value of preserving our natural world and inspire growth and discovery. Camp Colton, Flagstaff Unified School District’s environmental education center, immerses students in nature. Working in partnership with FUSD, Friends makes Camp more accessible, develops innovative programs, and spearheads long-range planning. For more information, visit www.friendsofcampcolton.org.
