Archives: Press Releases

Hundreds of public leaders, trail advocates and professionals join forces in new TrailNation™ Collaborative to leverage once-in-a-generation opportunity to fund and connect active transportation networks nationwide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 19, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), the nation’s largest trails and active-transportation advocacy organization, today launched the TrailNation™ Collaborative, a new community where public leaders, advocates and professionals will come together to advance the development of trail and active-transportation networks across the country. According to RTC, this collaborative is filling an unmet need for peer learning and collective action—leveraging the unprecedented demand for safe places to walk, bike and be active outside alongside a once-in-a-generation opportunity for public funding to create connected systems of trails, sidewalks and protected bike lanes in every community in America.

“This momentum is a result of decades of advocacy, the determination of the trail-building community, and the ingenuity it takes to envision a future where trail networks are embraced as fundamental to the quality of the places where we live, work and play,” said Liz Thorstensen, RTC’s vice president of trail development and the thought leader behind the TrailNation program.

“RTC began our TrailNation work to prove what is possible when trail networks are central to community design. Over the past decade, our aspirations have grown. Now, we want to ensure that trail networks—and all they deliver—are at the forefront of how communities prioritize resources. How places are designed, and whether they are safe and convenient for everyone to walk, bike and be active outside, can make all the difference,” said Thorstensen.

The recent influx of federal dollars and growing demand for trails are the catalysts for the TrailNation Collaborative’s vision to ensure that trail and active transportation networks are prioritized in the nation’s infrastructure plans.

Trail use increased 9.5% nationwide in 2022, nearly on par with 2020 levels, which was the most significant year on record, according to recent RTC analyses. The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that passed in 2021, more than doubling funding for trails, walking and biking, emphasized the important role of trails and active transportation as climate and equity tools. In addition, the bill established a new program that provides dedicated funding for the planning and construction of safe and connected trail and active-transportation networks and long-distance spine trails, the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP). Since then, trail and active transportation networks have proven competitive in the majority of federal transportation programs for which they’re eligible—including in the multimodal RAISE program, where the majority of projects have accounted for the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians, and most recently, the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, where 29 states secured earmarks for trails, walking and biking.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity moment for trail networks,” said Ryan Chao, president of RTC. “We’ve known for years that the demand for connected trails has been growing at rates that outpace the supply across the country. There’s now more funding than ever before to meet this growing need and accelerate trail network development across counties, states and the country. Together, the TrailNation Collaborative and its hundreds of change agents will lead a paradigm shift to incorporate trail networks as equitable and essential infrastructure in America.”

The TrailNation projects and RTC’s extensive network of partners will serve as the foundation for the TrailNation Collaborative. The collaborative provides proven tools, methods and resources, combined with RTC’s expertise and network of partners across the country, to accelerate the development of connected trail systems.

“TrailNation Collaborative will help the doers, planners and advocates working to connect trails in their neighborhoods and across regions to more quickly unlock the benefits that trail networks uniquely deliver,” said Mary Ellen Koontz, RTC’s TrailNation Collaborative lead. “Together, we’re going to tackle what it takes to create trail networks at the pace we need to meet growing demand and take advantage of the funding opportunities available. Anyone interested in creating trail networks in their community can benefit from the ideas, expertise and resources we will crowdsource together.”

RTC’s TrailNation initiative, along with the work of hundreds of on-the-ground partners nationwide, is redefining what it means to build trail networks and the impact these equitable systems can have on people and places. To learn more about TrailNation and sign up for the no-cost collaborative, visit: railstotrails.org/trailnation.

 

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is the nation’s largest trails organization—with a grassroots community more than 1 million strong—dedicated to building a nation connected by trails, reimagining public spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors. Connect with RTC at railstotrails.org and @railstotrails on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Female-founded outdoor apparel startup SheFly Apparel has won an Outdoor Retailer Innovation award for their Go Free™ Legging coming out later this year. This is the second time SheFly has received the OR Innovation Award after winning last year for their Go There™ Pant. Led by Co-founders Georgia Grace Edwards and Charlotte Massey, SheFly Apparel is a women’s apparel brand on a mission to make the outdoors better for all people by reimagining what’s possible through innovative and inclusive product development. Their Go There™ Pant and Go Free™ Legging feature a patented zipper that allows everyone to ‘answer nature’s call’ and relieve themselves outdoors with comfort and safety.

“Congratulations to the winners and all of the finalists at this year’s Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer senior vice president and show director. “These awards are a big celebration of progress and original ideas from across our industry and offers our community an opportunity to recognize all of the work happening to improve the outdoor experience for more people. These innovators are finding sustainable solutions, keeping people connected and safe, and developing new ways to support adventure. It’s this innovation that’s moving our industry forward and that you’ll also discover it first-hand throughout the aisles of Outdoor Retailer.” 

This award was particularly meaningful for the SheFly team, who started attending the Outdoor Retailer show as college students, crashing on couches and volunteering with other companies in order to get free access passes to the event. In more recent years, the SheFly team has worked their way up to showing their products at a shared booth with other small outdoor businesses who work out of the ICELab, a coworking space based in Gunnison, Colorado, where the Moosejaw Mountaineering Outdoor Industry Accelerator is hosted each year.

“We have come a long way since we walked the floor of OR with handwritten business cards and asked other brands to get us passes in exchange for setting up and taking down their booths,” said Charlotte Massey, Co-Founder of SheFly. “This second Innovation Award solidifies our role as problem solvers within the outdoor industry. We started this company from our dorm room floors because we were frustrated that our clothing wasn’t designed with our bodies in mind. We are thrilled to continue investing in product development that actually solves real problems and improves people’s lives in ways that matter.” 

In her acceptance speech, Co-Founder Georgia Grace Edwards emphasized, “If you want to keep seeing innovations that are breaking the status quo, that are solving real problems for real people, that are making the outdoors a more accessible and inclusive place for everyone, then keep supporting startups. This product truly was and is a collaborative effort…Thank you to everyone who has supported us from day 1 — our customers, our community, our manufacturers, our brand and retail partners, our mentors, our investors, our team – so many people have taken a chance on us, and this shows that it’s paying off.” 

This is just the latest win in SheFly’s rapid rise as a leader within the outdoor industry. The primarily D2C brand has been blowing up online through a series of viral TikTok and Instagram videos, including several with views in the tens of millions. This virality translated directly into sales growth and led to a feature in Outside Business Journal.

SheFly has announced the upcoming release of two new products: their Go Free™ Leggings, which won a 2023 Innovation Award, and their Go There™ Shorts, which utilize the same zipper design as their cult favorite Go There™ Pant.

SheFly products are currently available for sale on their website, in most Moosejaw Mountaineering doors, and in select stores across the country.

Four-season mountain athletes, Owen Leeper, Mons Røisland, Darcy Conover, Robin Viera and Ren Walkenhorst, join Norrøna’s team of ambassadors aiming to inspire

BOULDER, Colo. (Jan. 19, 2023) — Norrøna, the Norwegian outdoor brand known for its sustainably built, premium outerwear, welcomes ten new talented athletes to the Norrøna ambassador team, including Owen Leeper, Mons Røisland, Darcy Conover, Robin Viera and Ren Walkenhorst. Norrøna ambassadors are a key component to the brand’s extreme user testing process, which involves over 250 hours of in-field testing for each product, down to the beanies.

“Our ambassadors are skiers, snowboarders, mountain bikers, trail runners and all-around exemplary human beings who appreciate spending quality time in nature, pushing their limits and inspiring others to do the same,” says Jørgen Jørgensen, CEO and fourth-generation owner of Norrøna. “We welcome Owen, Mons, Darcy, Robin, Ren and other new ambassadors to the Norrøna family and look forward to them playing an integral role in pushing our product development and brand forward.” 

Owen Leeper (@o_leeps) has been on charging on skis since the age of four. With roots in Aspen, Colorado, Owen has called Jackson Hole, Wyoming his backyard for nearly a decade, where he can be found flipping off cliffs in the backcountry and searching out deep powder lines.

Darcy Conover (@darcenator) currently calls Aspen, Colorado home and has been on the summit of every Colorado 14,000-foot peak, as well as Mt. Kilimanjaro. When she’s not skiing, Darcy can be found making crafts with her daughter and enjoying a good book.

 

Robin Viera (@mindfullyrobin) comes to Norrøna from Bend, Oregon with a diverse background, including being a former college soccer athlete, which she later channeled into competitive trail running and gravel bike riding. Robin’s hidden talents include playing the violin and unicycling.

Based in Oslo, Norway, Mons Røisland (@monsroisland), is an accomplished snowboarder, winning an Olympic silver medal from Beijing in 2022 in the big air snowboarding event and earning a world cup title in the same year. During the warmer seasons, Mons can be found downhill mountain biking, surfing and camping. 

Ren Walkenhorst (@adrentures) is as comfortable on a surfboard and in trail running shoes as he is on skis. With Bend, Oregon as a homebase, Ren enjoys all of his favorite outdoor activities year-round.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Norrona,” says new ambassador, Ren Walkenhost. “On top of making rad products, the brand weaves responsibility into every step of their process. The quality and intention that goes into each piece is a gear nerd’s dream and it all helps facilitate amazing days adventuring out in nature.”

The new ambassadors will be joining an already incredible team of athletes, including Torstein Horgmo, Chris Davenport, Delilah Cupp and Nikolai Schirmer.

New ambassador member, Mons Røisland, will be joining Torstein Horgmo for a meet and greet at the Norrøna store in Boulder, CO on January 30^th. For more details and to sign up , please visit https://www.norrona.com/en-GB/events/an-evening-with-two-shredders/.

For details on the full international team, visit https://www.norrona.com/en-GB/about-norrona/our-ambassadors/.

For media inquiries, please contact rob.steffens@rygr.us.

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About Norrøna: In 1929, Jørgen Jørgensen, a Norwegian outdoor enthusiast, began his search for durable outdoor equipment to perform in Norway´s harsh and rugged land. Starting with simple innovations such as leather straps, canvas backpacks and cotton clothing, he set Norrøna’s direction: To search for the best in technical advancements and to create the ultimate performance products. Today, four generations later, Norrøna is still a family-owned and run company and a leader in the growing market of sustainable sportswear. www.norrona.com

Backpacker’s Pantry, a family-owned maker of gourmet adventure meals, announces its annual donations for the 2022 calendar year. Over the course of the past year, Backpacker’s Pantry donated a combined total of approximately $178,000 to 12 organizations including: 1% for the Planet, American Hiking Society, Cal-Wood Education Center, Community Food Share, Community Foundation Boulder County, The Conservation Alliance, Conscious Alliance, Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Outdoor Afro, SLOW Money Initiative and Thorne Nature Experience.

“Backpacker’s Pantry is our seventh longest-standing member, with a partnership that dates back to 1990, the year after we were founded. Throughout the years, Backpacker’s Pantry has exemplified what it means to be an engaged member by providing additional financial support, supporting cause marketing campaigns, sharing content, and participating in our advocacy efforts through sign-on letters, op-eds, and trips to DC to further our priority campaigns,” said Conor McElyea, Director of Membership and Partnerships at The Conservation Alliance.  “We feel extremely fortunate to have the team at Backpacker’s Pantry by our side as we work to create a world where people, places, and wildlife thrive together.”

“We are honored to have Backpacker’s Pantry as part of our ever-growing ALLIANCE,” said Justin Levy, Executive Director at the Conscious Alliance. “From product donations to healthy and innovative product creation for the communities we serve, we know that the Backpacker’s Pantry team always has our back in our efforts to end hunger.”

For 2023, Backpacker’s Pantry will expand its nonprofit recipients, adding The Freshwater Trust, Camping to Connect, and Partnership for the National Trail System to its list of partners. The partners that will carry over from last year include: 1% for the Planet, American Hiking Society, Cal-Wood Education Center, Conscious Alliance, The Conservation Alliance, Continental Divide Trail Coalition, SLOW Money Institute, Thorne Nature Experience, and University of Colorado Foundation.

“We have the privilege of running this business in a way that considers environmental stewardship of equal consequence to financial outcomes,” said Duane Primozich, CEO at Backpacker’s Pantry. “We select our philanthropic partners with the same rigor used for making strategic business decisions and we are thrilled to be continuing support for long-term partners like The Conservation Alliance and initiating three new partnerships. In 2023, we’ll be supporting ecosystem resilience and fresh water conservation through The Freshwater Trust, access, inclusion, and connection through Camping to Connect and land conservation and protection through the Partnership for the National Trail System. Each of these new and legacy groups does incredible work and it is our privilege to support that work.”

For more information on Backpacker’s Pantry, please visit: https://backpackerspantry.com 

About Backpacker’s Pantry

Backpacker’s Pantry is a Boulder-based, family-owned producer of gourmet adventure meals made with healthy and sustainable ingredients. Since 1951, the company has been delivering high-quality freeze-dried meals with an emphasis on taste. To give back to the community we love, the places we adventure and the planet we must protect, Backpacker’s Pantry donates 1% of every sale, every day to nonprofits around the world through 1% For the Planet and is 100% solar powered. Today, Backpacker’s Pantry is sold in over 2,000 stores in North America. For more information and a complete list of products, visit https://backpackerspantry.com.

About American Outdoor Products

American Outdoor Products (AOP) is a food manufacturer located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, CO.  Established in 1951, American Outdoor Products remains an independent, privately held, family-owned and operated company distributing products throughout the world. Inspired by a passion for unique cuisine and exciting adventures, the company produces Backpacker’s Pantry, adventure food for the outdoors; Astronaut Foods, out-of-this-world novelty treats; Chef Soraya grab-and-go plant-based meals; and Colorado Spice, all-natural and organic artisan spice blends. To learn more, visit: https://backpackerspantry.com

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Outdoor industry guides, instructors, employees, and other professionals team up with Outdoor Prolink to give back.

Outdoor Prolink, the pro purchase program created for outdoor professionals at the heart of the industry, asks that their members give a micro-donation at checkout when making purchases on the outdoorprolink.com store. At the end of 2022, Outdoor Prolink and its members finished off the year by raising $82,970, which went to five organizations; American Whitewater, Boulder County Wildfire Fund, The Conservation Alliance, PridePads Africa, and Protect Our Winters.

Each year, Outdoor Prolink selects nonprofits focused on their core values, including climate change, conservation, and sustainability. On Giving Tuesday alone, Outdoor Prolink members donated $1,104, and Outdoor Prolink matched those donations with $1,000.

“Giving back to the community is a foundational value at Outdoor Prolink, and one we take to heart. We are so excited to continue to support the outdoor industry and double down on our commitment to our nonprofit partners,” said Gareth Richards, founder of Outdoor Prolink.

“We are so grateful to the Outdoor Prolink Community for standing with PridePads Africa in support of menstrual health and hygiene, education, and women’s economic empowerment,” said Marisa Kellogg, Executive Director. “Thanks to your generosity, PridePads will be able to continue the important work of teaching menstrual health education and providing biodegradable pads so that girls can stay in school during their periods. Investing in girls is investing in our collective future, and we thank you for helping to Break the Taboo in 2022!”

“Strategic partnerships are foundational for our ability to build the Outdoor State into the most influential and impactful climate group in the United States,” said Justin Van Saghi, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Protect Our Winters. “Partnering with Outdoor Prolink allows us to get in front of a large, dedicated community of outdoor enthusiasts, people who are the core of The Outdoor State and bring them into our advocacy efforts as we work to change the trajectory of climate change.”

“2022 marked another wildly successful year for The Conservation Alliance and its partners. Through the collective efforts of more than 270 member companies, the Alliance awarded a record $2.2m in grants to 56 organizations,” said Conor McElyea, Senior Director of Membership and Partnership at The Conservation Alliance. “In addition, we saw 14 projects cross the finish line, permanently protecting 178,815 acres of wildlands. Outdoor Prolink’s support has played a pivotal role in enhancing the efforts of our coalition to further protections of the places we all love to explore, and we look forward to furthering our partnership in 2023.”

New for 2023, Outdoor Prolink will choose a different non-profit partner each month throughout the calendar year that Outdoor Prolink professionals will be asked to give a micro-donation to at checkout. Similar to previous years, Outdoor Prolink will also match donations on Giving Tuesday, with money raised going towards the same non-profit partners they’ve historically supported.

To learn more about Outdoor Prolink, please visit: outdoorprolink.com.

About Outdoor Prolink

Founded in 2004, Outdoor Prolink acts as the facilitator of trust to connect qualified outdoor professionals with the best outdoor brands. Utilizing a strict vetting process, Outdoor Prolink strives to be the most authentic and responsible pro purchase program in the industry. Through the platform, brands engage trusted outdoor professionals and utilize their influence to drive retail sales growth. Qualified outdoor professionals earn privileged discounts on the outdoor gear they rely on for their work, in order to further the pursuit of outdoor recreation for everyone.

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