Archives: Press Releases

Named for Crested Butte legend, environmental researcher and advocate, billy barr, new lobby lounge and bar celebrates local history and serves as a community anchor at the base of the mountain.

Crested Butte, Colo. [Feb. 24, 2023] — Elevation Hotel & Spa – the only ski-in, ski-out resort located at the base of Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) – announces today the latest addition to its hospitality experience, billy barr. The full-service lobby bar and lounge will open to the public this month.

Named for local environmental researcher and advocate billy barr, and featuring decor thoughtfully inspired by the unique mountain culture of Crested Butte, the new concept will serve as a casual destination for locals and guests to gather for a coffee between runs or après ski cocktails and bites. Design details include memorabilia from the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) and Crested Butte Museum, including vintage art, skis, boots and snowshoes.

Daily service includes coffee and breakfast tacos from 7-11 a.m., followed by cocktails and bar fare from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. The cocktail and bar menus offer a range of Crested Butte-inspired items including paninis and sandwiches, cheese and charcuterie boards and an array of craft cocktails.

Since 1970, billy barr has been living in a secluded cabin in the ghost town of Gothic, Colo., just north of Crested Butte. Barr has been meticulously collecting daily snowpack data and wildlife observations that have helped shape climate science in the Rockies. Now in his early 70s, barr continues to gather data for the RMBL, and puts more than 200 miles on his skis every season. The 2016 short-film The Snow Guardian is dedicated to barr and his work tracking climate change.

“We are honored to celebrate billy barr’s legacy with the launch of this concept,” says Nick Klaus, managing director for Elevation Hotel & Spa. “We are grateful that billy lent his name for our new lobby bar and hope it serves as a gathering space that the local community can enjoy for years to come. We hope to highlight billy’s environmental work and the overall impacts of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in this space through unique events and programming, while offering guests a comfortable, accessible place to enjoy a cocktail or snack.”

“Billy barr is part of what makes Crested Butte so special. For 50 years he has been his own unique individual, doing ground-breaking science around snow,” says Ian Billick, executive director of RMBL and Mayor of Crested Butte. “He has generated more international exposure for Crested Butte than any other person or institution, including RMBL. It is great to see Elevation ensure local awareness around just how special he is.”

The addition of billy barr comes on the heels of Elevation’s acquisition by hospitality company, WoodHouse, and the recent opening of its award-winning Mexican restaurant, José. WoodHouse acquired the property in August 2022 and continues to reimagine its potential, while connecting it with the local Crested Butte community.

About Elevation Hotel & Spa

Elevation Hotel & Spa is a ski-in/ski-out hotel destination located at the base of Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado. The 262-unit hotel reflects a combination of outdoor adventure, mountain charm and contemporary design offering the perfect choice for travelers seeking enriching experiences and hospitality excellence. The property features a full-service spa, heated indoor pool, three hot tubs, and José Crested Butte, a full-service, slope-side restaurant which offers regional Mexican-inspired dishes, cocktails and an extensive tequila collection. José Crested Butte opened in August 2022 and is the second location for the José brand, which has its first location in Dallas. Fore more information, visit www.elevationresort.com.

About the billy barr

Named for a legendary local naturalist and researcher, the billy barr at Elevation Hotel & Spa offers cocktails and light bites served in a casual, approachable environment. The billy barr serves as a celebration of barr’s legacy and acts as an experiential venue for visitors and locals to learn about the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), the area’s oldest non-profit and one of the largest and oldest field stations in the world. Inspired by Crested Butte’s history and the community’s strong environmental ethos, the billy barr was designed in partnership with design firm Winteriors and features memorabilia on loan from RMBL and the Crested Butte Museum.

The billy barr serves coffee and breakfast tacos daily from 7 am to 11 am, followed by cocktails and bar fare from 11 am to 10 pm. The cocktail and bar menus offer a range of Crested Butte- inspired items including paninis and sandwiches, cheese and charcuterie boards and a range of craft cocktails. For more information, please visit www.elevationresort.com and www.rmbl.org.

Moosejaw, a leading retailer specializing in outdoor gear and apparel, today announced the finalists of its fourth-annual Outdoor Accelerator Program (MOA). Aimed at boosting startup companies and increasing diversity within the outdoor industry, the company received over 40 submissions, narrowing it down to 10 finalists. Voting for the final companies runs from February 24th through March 6th. Winners will be announced on March 16th. Beginning March 6, winners will attend the Accelerator through both remote sessions and on site education at the ICELab in Gunnison, CO. To vote visit here.

MOA’s mission is to help founders from diverse backgrounds achieve their dreams of growing a successful outdoor company. This year’s finalists include founders from historically underrepresented groups within the industry. The program provides access to educational and network resources, strategic mentorships, legal advice, and potential investors. 

“Being part of the success stories that come from each of these talented founders and companies is incredible,” said Eoin Comerford, CEO, Moosejaw. “As part of the winner selection process, we’re asking Moosejaw customers, non-customers, best friends, worst enemies, and all of our moms to vote for their favorite four finalists in the Moosejaw Outdoor Accelerator. Through this program and in partnership with ICELab at Western Colorado University, a team of experts in their fields will help bring entrepreneurial dreams to life while continually working to find new ways to drive inclusivity in our industry.” 

Finalists include:

Fernweh Food Co. – Oregon

Fernweh Food Co. makes great tasting, plant-based and gluten-free dehydrated meals –  all in sustainable packaging. This woman-led team by founder Ashley Lance aims to reduce waste in the adventure food industry by eliminating single-use plastics that end up in landfills. Fernweh’s packaging is entirely omnidegradable, and will break down into biomass and CO2 no matter where it ends up. On top of sustainable packaging, the meals are delicious and entirely vegan and free of preservatives.

Symbiosis Gear – Colorado

Symbiosis Gear founder Sarah Berkeleya leads a woman-owned company that creates women-specific backpacking gear. Each piece is created specifically for women’s needs, as opposed to the “shrink it and pink it” approach common in  mass-market women’s backpacking gear. Symbiosis Gear takes women’s body proportions into consideration when addressing common issues with sternum straps, padding, overall fit, pack-to-torso length match, and hip belts.

Near Zero – Arizona

Near Zero specializes in bundled lightweight backpacking gear designed to give everyone the confidence to get out and go. Their patent-pending backpack design delivers quick and easy access to all gear using a labeled and compartmentalized storage system that is designed to maximize comfort and optimize weight distribution. Near Zero even builds standard ultralight bundles, making it convenient to get out there for newcomers and old pros alike. Founded by Scott Jensen.

B&Me NYC – New Jersey

B&Me is adaptive, patented outerwear that tailors to a woman’s ever-changing body from pre-pregnancy to beyond. B&Me creates stylish outerwear pieces that are expandable to accommodate your baby bump while you’re carrying and snuggles your baby right inside the garment with you once they’re born, giving you hands-free flexibility around town or on the trail. The goal is to eventually partner with other outerwear companies to bring this patented utility to your other favorite brands. 

WNDR Outdoors – Colorado & Vermont

Created by plus-size adventurers Arwen Turner & Kara Hardman for plus-size adventurers, WNDR Outdoors strives to increase representation of larger-bodied folks outdoors by creating technical outdoor apparel in true plus sizes. 68% of women in the US are a size 14 and above, yet the outdoor industry has historically excluded this population. Finding plus-size technical hiking pants that are high quality, fit comfortably, and have useful tech specs is difficult.  Brands that do include plus-sizes most commonly only go up to size 22 and these extended-sizes of the straight size (non-plus size) fits are not made with plus-size bodies in mind. WNDR Outdoors aims to change that.

Coastal Range Equipment – California

Coastal Range Equipment engineers lightweight, high quality, and easy-to-uses outdoor cooking gear designed to fuel human-powered outdoor activities. These stoves are designed by an award-winning designer John Peretti who set out on his own to further innovate in the camp stove space. Coastal Range Equipment produces affordable, simple solutions to backcountry cooking that are accessible to all.

Aspect Avy – Colorado

Aspect Avy combines technology and avalanche safety for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. Created by internationally certified mountain guides Jeff Banks & JB Leach, Aspect Avy puts avalanche prediction and forecasting on your mobile device and right in your pocket. With over 150 million people living, visiting, and recreating in avalanche terrain each year, avalanche safety is extremely important. Aspect Avy helps users avoid avalanches while traditional equipment helps users survive them.

CarToCamp – Pennsylvania

CarToCamp can help you turn the vehicle you already have into the ultimate car camping experience. CarToCamp is a custom sleeping platform for your vehicle that helps you make the most of the space you have through clever storage and thoughtful design. The platform is adjustable to be compatible with over 1,000 different vehicles. Think of it as a more affordable and flexible alternative to rooftop tents and converted vans. 

Dirt Series – Canada & US

Dirt Series provides mountain bike instructional camps and clinics catering to women. Their network includes more than 150 coaches currently offering programming across North America. Dirt Series provides women with extras like demo equipment, professional programming, and a multitude of programming types to support riders at all levels. They also offer all-gender camps to support the entire mountain bike community. Dirt Series has already catered to over 20,000 participants. 

PurTrek – Utah

PurTrek is a water filtration system built right into your trekking poles. PurTrek helps reduce the need to carry a separate filtration system and bottle while navigating terrain, helping you save weight. You can filter into a bottle or reservoir, or drink directly from PurTrek without having to bend down to the water source making it great for folks with difficulty crouching or kneeling. PurTrek filter delivers two liters per minute, making it great for a single hiker or a whole family. 

About Moosejaw 

About Moosejaw: Founded in 1992, Moosejaw is a leading online active outdoor retailer with a large web presence as well as 12 physical stores. It carries more than 600 brands, including Marmot, Fjallraven and Prana and includes an extensive assortment of apparel and gear for climbing, hiking, camping, snow sports, yoga, water sports and biking. Moosejaw is headquartered in Madison Heights, Michigan. 

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Fee joins the Cascade Designs team with more than 25 years of management, sales, and marketing experience in the outdoor industry.

Cascade Designs, the parent company of MSR, Therm-a-Rest, Platypus, SealLine, PackTowl and Varilite, announced today the hire of David Fee as its new Vice President of Sales & Marketing, North America/Pac Rim. In this role, Fee will drive the overall sales and marketing strategy for NAPR across all of Cascade Design’s product categories and channels, ensure alignment across departments and collaborate on forecasting, resource planning and budgeting strategy.

Fee brings more than 25 years of experience working in the outdoor industry with top brands such as Castelli Cycling, Bowtech Archery, Inc., Garmont North America, Ford Motor Company, Yakima Products, amongst others. In his most recent role as US General Manager at Castelli Cycling/Sportful USA, Fee managed all aspects of US operations for both leading global cycling apparel brands. Prior to that, Fee worked at Bowtech Archery, Inc., a family of market-leading archery brands, as the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. At Bowtech, Fee was responsible for all aspects of sales, marketing, service, and product line management for seven archery brands across three locations.

“We are extremely excited to welcome David Fee to our Cascade Designs team,” said Cascade Designs President Paul Connolly. “David is a collaborative, analytical and charismatic marketing, sales, and product leader with extensive experience delivering strong long-term growth in a broad range of premium consumer goods categories. His knowledge and experience working with so many respected and successful brands gives us confidence that David is more than equipped to help Cascade Designs continue our momentum of growth.”

“I’m extremely excited to join the Cascade Designs team. This is my dream job,” said Fee. “I grew up using Therm-A-Rest and MSR products in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. I still use them today. I’m particularly excited about working with a team that makes outdoor products in the USA. I look forward to working with this team to grow our world-class brands, and to ensure Cascade Designs continues to be a great place to work.”

Other roles Fee has held include Global Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Benchmade Knife Company, President of Garmont North America, and Senior Director of North America Sales at Yakima Products. David holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications/Media Studies from Boston College and an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management.

Fee resides in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two children. Outside of work, Fee is an avid runner, cyclist, skier, backpacker, and camper.

For more information about Cascade Designs, please visit: https://www.cascadedesigns.com.

About Cascade Designs^®

For 50 years, Seattle-based Cascade Designs, Inc. and its brands, Therm-a-Rest®, Mountain Safety Research® (MSR), Platypus®, SealLine®, PackTowl® and Varilite, has led the outdoor industry in designing innovative, useful, and long-lasting equipment, manufacturing the majority of products in their Seattle, WA, and Reno, NV, U.S.A. and Cork, Ireland facilities. From the original self-inflating Therm-a-Rest® camping mattress to the first multi-fuel stove from MSR®, Cascade Designs has developed leading products that explorers, travelers, adventurers, outdoor enthusiasts, and weekend campers can rely on to deliver optimum performance in the outdoors through exceptional engineering and quality. For more information, please visit: www.cascadedesigns.com.

Gill Fishing, a leading maker of foul weather and performance fishing apparel, announces today it has signed Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour competitor Fletcher Shryock to its pro angler team. Shryock, a veteran angler who has earned more than $612,000 in his decade-plus professional career, adds another podium threat to Gill Fishing’s talented roster in 2023.

“I’ve learned that as a pro angler, it’s crucial to have confidence in the products you use and trust the people that make them. We fish in a lot of nasty weather, which is why I’m thrilled to partner with Gill Fishing. Their apparel is the best you can buy, and it allows me to perform my best, no matter how cold, wet or hot it is,” Shryock says. “The Gill Fishing team has a strong mix of established veterans and up-and-comers, and I’m proud to join this group of accomplished anglers.”

A former professional motocross racer, Shryock is a fierce competitor who thrives in big moments. He began his pro fishing career with a flash by winning the 2011 Bass Pro Shops Southern Open on Lake Norman, just the second major event he had ever competed in. In addition to earning a pair of top 10 finishes in 2022 on MLF’s Bass Pro Tour, his ability to consistently land big fish earned him a coveted spot in the 2023 Bass Pro Shops REDCREST, the world championship of professional bass fishing, as well as the General Tire Heavy Hitters field, an all-star competition featuring MLF’s top big-bass anglers.

“Fletcher was just born to compete. We love the energy he brings on tournament day, but also the discipline and drive he displays in his preparation. He’s a true believer in the idea that there’s no substitute for time on the water, and that’s why he competes at the sport’s highest level,” says Dominic McCarthy, executive vice president for Gill North America. “We’re thrilled that Fletcher has put his trust in Gill Fishing’s apparel and for him to join our other pro anglers, who I expect to spend a lot of time on the podium this year.”

The addition of Shryock is part of Gill Fishing’s growing presence in MLF. In January, Gill Fishing announced a multi-year sponsorship of the MLF Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.

To learn more about Gill Fishing’s tournament-inspired apparel and footwear, including the rigorous testing they’ve passed, visit www.gillfishing.com.

About Gill Fishing: Trusted by sailors for more than 40 years, Gill Marine launched Gill Fishing to meet a growing demand for durable and reliable technical fishing apparel. By leveraging its rich marine heritage and product development expertise, Gill Fishing has created a versatile line of premium apparel trusted by anglers to protect them from the worst elements of every season. www.gillfishing.com

Maven, the Wyoming-based manufacturer of premium optics, announced today a new variation of the award-winning CS.1 Spotting Scope equipped with a straight eyepiece. Now available in two variations, with either straight or angled eyepieces, both CS.1 Spotting Scopes provide the user with the same level of optical performance and clarity in the field.

 

Featuring a 15-45x magnification range and a 65mm objective lens, the CS.1 line was developed to provide powerful, yet compact spotting scopes that won’t break the bank. With the introduction of the CS.1S customers can now choose a straight or angled eyepiece to best suit their needs.

 

“Feedback and reviews of the CS.1A have been great but we were getting a lot of requests for a straight version,” said Brendon Weaver, Co-Founder and Head of Design/Marketing for Maven. “We’re always looking for ways to give customers what they need and to fill any gaps in our product offering, so we went to work on the CS.1S and we’re excited to make it available.”

 

Built on the same pedigree as the original CS.1A, as well as the brand’s other C Series optics, the CS.1S features a well-balanced lightweight magnesium/aluminum frame and fully multi-coated lenses. It also utilizes the brand’s extra-low dispersion (ED) glass to produce an exceptionally clear, bright and high-contrast image with incredible color reproduction and excellent low-light performance.

 

Measuring just 12.13 inches in length and 40.4 ounces in weight, it’s a great choice for hunters, birders, wildlife viewers and sightseers seeking a mid-range spotting scope that’s easy to transport, use, and store in the field or at home.

 

Like all other Maven products, the CS.1S is covered by a lifetime warranty and thanks to Maven’s direct-to-consumer business model it offers great value ($800) to match its exceptional performance.

 

To learn more about Maven or shop its extensive line of optics, visit www.mavenbuilt.com.

 

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About Maven

Maven is a Wyoming-based direct-to-consumer brand known for offering world-class optics at affordable prices. By cutting out the middleman and selling directly to the consumer, the company eliminates retail markups, and is therefore able to produce affordable products using best-in-class components. The result is high-quality optics offered at an exceptional value and covered by a lifetime warranty.

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• Location: Fort Collins, CO

In a world where we are constantly bombarded with advertisements for chemical-laden skincare products promising miraculous results, it’s important to remember that our skin is our largest organ, and what we put on it matters. While it may be tempting to try the latest and greatest skincare product, it’s essential to consider the long-term effects of these chemicals on our bodies.

At Clayer, we believe that natural is always better. Our products are made from a powerful, yet gentle, ingredient that has been used for centuries: clay. Clayer healing clay is a natural ingredient that is heavy metal free, certified non-toxic and packed with nutrients that are beneficial to your skin. It’s also gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin types.

We believe that everyone should have access to high-quality, natural skincare products. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing affordable, effective skincare solutions that are free of harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances.

In addition to being better for your body, natural skincare products are also better for the environment. Chemicals found in many conventional skincare products can be harmful to our planet and its inhabitants. By using natural products, you’re doing your part to reduce your impact on the environment.

At Clayer, we’re proud to offer a line of products that harness the power of clay to promote healthy, beautiful skin. Our products are designed to be gentle and effective, and they’re suitable for all skin types. Whether you’re dealing with dry, oily, or sensitive skin, we have a solution that will work for you.

Our clay-based products are inspired by the ancient beauty rituals of cultures around the world, which have long recognized the benefits of this natural ingredient. By using clay as the foundation of our skincare line, we’re able to provide you with a powerful, natural solution that’s rooted in tradition.

We believe that everyone deserves to have healthy, beautiful skin, and we’re dedicated to helping you achieve just that. With our natural skincare solutions, you can say goodbye to harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances and hello to a healthier, more radiant you.

Try Clayer today and discover the power of natural skincare for yourself. Your skin – and the environment – will thank you.

Ultimate Direction, a Colorado-based brand that designs innovative apparel and gear for self-propelled athletes of all levels, is proud to announce its 2023 athlete roster of road and trail runners and FKT-setters. Celebrating the unique pursuits and interests in the sport of running and fastpacking, the brand has selected 17 athletes who are committed to living life with play and passion while exemplifying dedication to their individual sports and communities. 

This announcement comes at an exciting time after recent race wins including Jeff Colt’s first place overall and Nicole Bitter’s second place female overall podium at the 2023 Bandera 100K,  Joseph Gray’s first place podium win at United States Snowshoe Association’s National Championship race, and Ryan Montgomery’s third place male overall podium at Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB 102K. The brand also just hosted its first Athlete Summit since 2019 where it brought eight athletes into its headquarters for product development and field testing, as well as team community-building. The rest of the team will be involved in the product development and feedback process at a virtual summit on February 28.

“Building a team of skill, strength, passion, and community that we can nurture and support this year was our top priority,” shared Robyn Howard, Director of Brand and Marketing for Exxel Outdoors, Inc. “We are impressed by our team members’ performances on and off the trail- from working to build community within their neighborhoods and to training for top performances at this year’s notable events, we know the team will shine.”

2023 Athlete Roster:

1. Amelia Boone, Ultrarunner and OCR.
2. Cameron James, OCR.
3. Grayson Murphy, Trail, road, and track runner.
4. Jacky Hunt-Broersma, Trail and ultrarunner. 
5. James Lauriello, FKT-setter and trail runner.
6. Jason Schlarb, Trail and ultrarunner.
7. Jeff Colt, Trail and ultrarunner.
8. John Kelly, FKT-setter, trail, and ultrarunner.
9. Joseph Gray, road and trail runner.
10. Justin Simoni, FKT-setter and trail runner.
11. Kriste Peoples, Trail runner.
12. Kyle Robidoux, Trail and ultrarunner.
13. Nadia Ruiz, Trail and road runner.
14. Nicole Bitter, Traill and ultrarunner.
15. Ryan Montgomery, Trail and ultrarunner.
16. Tara Warren, FKT-setter, trail, and ultrarunner.
17. Zach Bitter, Road, trail, and ultrarunner.

Learn more about each individual athlete’s accomplishments and 2023 goals here. Throughout the year, Ultimate Direction will be highlighting each athlete’s individual journey and contributions to their sport and community through its social media channels.

For more information on Ultimate Direction, please visit ultimatedirection.com or contact Mindy Smith at mindy@darbycommunications.com. 

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About Ultimate Direction

In 1985, Ultimate Direction invented the first waist pack for carrying bottles. A few years later, they designed the first hand-held water bottle carrier and numerous innovations defining the hydration pack category for endurance and every-day athletes. Over 30 years later, the brand remains the authority on hydration for self-propelled activities and critical to the world’s most passionate athletes. Ultimate Direction is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. Visit www.ultimatedirection.com for more information.