Work alongside other trail supporters and help spread wood chips, pull weeds and invasive plants, and conduct basic trail maintenance. We are partnered with the cities of Lacey and Olympia on projects around the county. 

High schools can register a school club for an opportunity to win cash for their ASB! The High School with the most student volunteers wins! 

Our Restoration Locations:

SEE YOU THERE!

This Thursday & Friday ONLY! May 23 & 24, 2013 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.

By Joe Hyer

I said to the staff: “I want 500 people to walk through our doors in a single day!” They replied: “Well, okay, but we need two days. We don’t want to copy the Bon Marche ‘One Day Sale’ ploy. We want to do more!” I said: “So, what can we offer?” They replied: “Everything!” And I said to myself: Oh my! Then I said to the staff: “Okay, you’re on!” As we stand on the cusp of summer, at the tail edge of Spring, we’ve got to move some of this great stuff out!

Yep, the whole darn store – every single item is ON SALE. No, not just for sale, but ON SALE. Everything. Boots, shoes, sandals, bikes, tents, ropes, clothing – all of our stuff. If you want 500 people to walk through your door, you’ve got to treat them nice – really nice! And we will be counting as people walk through the doors. Every 50^th person wins a prize. The 500th customer to walk through the doors, oh my, you win big.

Click here to print an entry form.

OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS:

Contest Period:

Officially begins: May 16, 2013 and ends May 30, 2013.

Contest Rules:

Participate in Choose Your Own Adventure by picking up (downloading) an entry form from The Alpine Experience, go have an adventure between Friday, May 16 and Thursday, May 30, 2013, turn your competed form (including photo) in to The Alpine Experience for a chance to win.

Enter to Win a $200 gift card from Swing Wine Bar:

• Return your completed form (including photo) to The Alpine Experience by dropping it off at the store (408 Olympia Ave NE, Olympia) or by emailing it to mountainnews@alpinex.com. Entries must be returned by 7 PM on Thursday, May 31, 2013

Judging: A panel of judges from the Alpine Experience will decide on the best adventure.

• Limit one entry per person, ages 21 and over and entrant must be a legal resident of the USA.
• Void where prohibited by law
• All entry forms must be completed and delivered by 7 PM on Thursday, May 31, 2013
• The prize winner will be announced on Saturday, June 1, 2013 at the Mountain Life Festival – Block Party and will also be notified by email and /or phone.

Odds of winning depend on the total number of entries received. Prize winner is chosen by The Alpine Experience whose decisions are final. Winner assumes liability. The Alpine Experience is not in any way responsible for damage, loss or injury. Any federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prize is not transferable, exchangeable or redeemable for cash. Entry into this promotion will be deemed as an agreement to comply with these official rules. Sponsor will not replace lost or stolen prize item. Should the winner not accept or fulfill the requirements of eligibility, an alternative winner will be selected. The Alpine Experience has the right to publish or announce the winner’s names and submitted photo(s) for publicity purposes. Winners release and hold harmless The Alpine Experience from all liability arising from the receipt of the prize offered. There will be no substitutions for the prizes offered and the prize is nontransferable. Thanks for participating in Choose Your Own Adventure!

Spring has sprung, it’s getting warm,  and we want YOU out on the WATER. Who needs to borrow or rent a boat for Teva’s Epic Water Night on May 31? You sure don’t, because we’ve got the BIG, BIG, BIG Boat Sale going on NOW through June 2, 2013.

What’s so big about it? Well, we decided to do Paddle sports backwards this season. No, we’re not actually paddling backwards because going upriver is exhausting! For the past three seasons- we’ve had okay sales in May, June, and July – then EPIC sales in August. Why? The reason is simple – at the end of season, everything is on sale. And sales drive traffic. And traffic drives sales.

However, if you wait until August to get a boat you’ve missed three months of good boating. And our motto is Get Outside and Play.

 In the spirit of our motto, we’re offering August pricing in MAY. We do have limited overall stock in boats this season, primarily to avoid winter carryover. That means this is your best chance by far to get a great deal on the boat you want.

Example: The Tarpon 120 from Wilderness Systems. A stable sit-on top for fishing or recreational use. Great features, but usually $900 (okay, $899). But now it’s just $699. Perhaps the full-feature Aspire boats is more your style. These are traditional rec boats, with great versatility, and on sale for just $549.

Every boat in stock is on sale until June 2. You can even save $350 on the best-selling Tsunami boat with rudder. With some boats, in addition to the sale price, you can earn either an instant discount on all your accessories, or an instant rebate of $50-$100 to spend on accessories. See our in-store staff for specific boats and pricing.

Paddling clothing and accessories will also be on sale, so get in and get stocked up. Example: the Bending Branches Whisper Paddle, regular $99, is just $69 during this event.

So let’s get YOU out on the water before August! The Big Big Big Boat Sale runs now through June 2 only.

Shop now, or miss out.

Seventeen years. February 10, 1996, began the journey of a little upstart outfit called Alpine Experience in west Olympia in a little hole in the wall strip mall in Black Lake Village – now known as the Outback Plaza. We reached $1 million in annual sales by 1999, and were bursting at the seams. So in 2000, we moved to downtown Olympia into our current building, which is the old Hyak Lumber Building.

But how old is the Hyak Lumber building? According to county records, it dates back to 1955. Tom Allen, however, owner of our neighbor Acme Fuel, says his dad (who was Mayor of Olympia back in the day) remembers them moving that building onto the site in the 50s, not building it. Now, can you really move a building that is 84×200 feet?

Just last month, former staffer Dylan Carlson sent us a photo circa 1946 showing the TAE building on site and nearly on the waterfront. So we now know our home is 65-plus years old. Check out all you can see of Downtown Olympia back then.ave been told it is possible, but unlikely.

And then, in 2008, on the brink of the banking crisis and just after the housing collapse, we expanded, and took over Olympic Outfitters and The Bike Stand from long-time owners Ray and Barbara Laforge. People often ask us, if you knew then what you know now, would you still have purchased Olympic Outfitters?

My answer: If I knew then what I know now, I’d have been betting on World Series and Superbowls over the past five years, and would be a rich man. Hindsight is perfect 20/20. Let’s just say that if we hadn’t acted then, today in 2013 we wouldn’t be able to offer you everything we have under one roof. With the economy stuck in neutral for five years, at some point, you simply must lift your head up and look forward. So let’s ponder that the future holds for our economy and its grassroots retailers?

On second thought, looking forward is like looking into a dense fog, isn’t it? Will the government keep spending? Will consumers spend? Will jobs be created? There is as much diversity of opinion out there as there are styles of Keen Shoes! See, even in this article there’s room to maneuver placement of great products – so check out the new Wichita in stock now). Our plan is to go forward – consolidate, reduce overhead, and ensure sustainable operations long into the future.

This plan began with the liquidation of Olympic Outfitters in 2012. Was this in response to REI (OMG, he said that word!) opening up in west Olympia? Yes. Absolutely. According to the The New York Times, the US has approximately two retail square feet operating for every one that is supported.

REI’s west Olympia store is 1/3 larger than all of our store footage, and with deep pockets for inventory, we must be very smart to compete. Reducing our footprint improves sales per square foot and operating overhead, but offers far greater convenience for you. It’s not rocket science.
In January, we moved Crossfit Olympia, a private crossfit gym, into the upper portion of the building. As of March 31, all operations of the Bike Stand will be in the main TAE building at 408 Olympia Avenue. Sales, service, rentals – all things cycling will continue in the main store. The Bike Stand name and staff remain. In fact, this move helps us keep all the great staff you’ve come to know and appreciate.The next and final stage of our consolidation is happening as we speak. The Bike Stand Moving Sale is winding down. Our last days in the old location will be March 30-31, and this Saturday and Sunday should be a ton of fun for our customers. Everything we have left in the building will be Half Off!

Beginning April 1 (no fooling!), operations for the Warehouse Rock Gym, Alpine Experience and The Bike Stand will all be based  xclusively in the Hyak Lumber building, in the heart of historic downtown Olympia. Our goal is simple. We are committed to providing great service to our customers and new friends and look forward to a long and healthy future. We think we’ve designed a more sustainable footprint for our operation.

And if you agree that the store, its employees and owners, and its business and community values are important to Olympia, then be sure to try us first for all your outdoor needs. Equally important, help us by telling all your friends and neighbors about us too.
You are our best ambassadors, and our most important marketing tool.

At TAE, we firmly believe that every day is Earth Day. The Earth could sure use some rest days, some time to heal and recover from the past couple of centuries. And while we can’t declare that everyone on earth should come together and celebrate the Earth through service, we can invite our community to join us in this important efforts.

Last year was totally fun. Mayor Pete Kmet of Tumwater joined nearly 40 students from Black Hills High School at Tumwater Historical Park to clean up storm debris and ivy. Alpine Experience staff worked with students and community volunteers on projects in

Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and even out in the county. Nearly 200 participants joined us that day, in service to Earth.

To that end, on Saturday, April 20 we are once again coordinating a number of service projects, in several locations around the county. Yes, we are technically one day ahead of Earth Day – but if every day is Earth Day, we certainly can celebrate on a Saturday!

We are especially thankful for our partners, including land trusts, parks departments, and others who join with us to put on the event. They provide the expertise, the tools, and the work to be done. We provide the marketing and outreach, you provide the valuable labor – and together we accomplish a great deal.

Our projects this year:

We will supply all the tools needed, plus refreshments and snacks for  all workers. Projects are going to last 2-4 hours, beginning late in the morning.

Will we have free T-shirts this year? We HOPE so, and are working on that. What we will have is a FREE LUNCH – on June 1. Yep, we will also be doing Trails Day Projects on that Saturday, and as part of our Mountain Life Festival, we’ll serve a FREE BARBECUE LUNCH for
ALL who work at EITHER day’s work parties. You will get a voucher at the end of your projects.

Call it a Cedar tree. How do we determine the value of this tree? We can cut it down, saw it up, and determine the number of board feet times the current price of lumber. We can cut it down, chop it up, and use it as fuel to keep us warm while measuring the value in BTUs.

We also could keep it growing, and measure the carbon dioxide it absorbs as it photosynthesizes and makes oxygen, quantifying the value in the amount of carbon offset, which potentially impacts climate change. We also could recognize its location near a stream and determine the tree’s value in aiding salmon spawning by keeping silt and soil from muddying up the rivers.

We could posit that the tree’s ecosystem is critical to outdoor recreation, because of the trail passing by it. Look at the outdoor equipment people buy and taxes paid, and say the tree is quite valuable to the recreation economy. There are many ways to quantify the value of a tree. As environmentalists, we’ve spent the past few decades analyzing and creating reports in an attempt to prove that there’s more value in saving trees than just cutting them down. And yes, ‘trees’ are just a metaphor. We’ve done the same with mountains, rivers, wetlands and other natural places. If only we could boil down the value to an acceptable set of numbers, we could run a cost-benefit analysis and save the environment.

To an extent, it has worked. Recreation is considered a viable economic investment. Carbon offsets are a reality. People are recognizing that the natural world has tangible value in more ways than just extraction and exploitation. It has been a long and uphill struggle, and many ecosystems have been lost along the way, but we cannot deny we’ve seen progress.

I wonder, though, if we also have lost something along the way. In our quest to quantify and justify, have we abandoned or devalued the intrinsic, intangible value of the tree? When I hike through a stand of old growth Cedars, I walk in the presence of something holy. When I stand at the foot of Cathedral Peak in the Pasayten Wilderness, it feels the same as standing before a great cathedral, except human hands didn’t build this cathedral.

There is intrinsic value to nature that can never be quantified. In the same way we protect and preserve the works of DaVinci and Picasso, shouldn’t we also protect our forests and prairies and mountains and monuments?

Those who would plow under our natural wonders or plant drilling rigs within sight of the Arches in Utah have asked us to forget that not all things valuable can be quantified. Or as we might say on TV – Hiking Boots, $150, Backpack, $200 – experiencing old growth – Priceless.

If we truly want to save the planet (and in doing so, perhaps ourselves), we need to get back in touch with a sense of sacred as environmentalists and conservationists. We need to read John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, and so many others. Yes, there is economic value in preservation. But far more fundamentally there is redemption, healing, inspiration, empathy and awe in the natural world around us. And the one argument for preservation that will always trump any other – Priceless.

Happy holidays to all, and head out and enjoy some Wild Places.

My husband Richard and I just returned from an inspiring trip to the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival in Alberta, Canada, October 27 to November 4, 2012. The Banff Centre has sponsored this festival for 37 years, building a premier internationally recognized film festival. This year’s competition included over 300 films from creative and adventurous people from around the world.

Joni Cooper, the Festival’s programming director, says in the festival program:

An adventurer with a bold new idea meets a filmmaker looking for a unique story to tell. A mountain photographer bumps into a National Geographic editor at the opening of the Festival exhibition. A North Face rep discovers a talented new climber at a Festival Seminar. Yes, serendipity can be planned, and it takes many forms here in Banff. We simply provide the inspiration and the venue.

The Banff Centre describes itself as Canada’s creative leader in arts and culture. Its tag line ‘inspiring creativity’ truly describes the feeling we got while there. Musicians, artists, dancers, filmmakers, photographers, writers, actors, directors and performers of all types gravitate to the Banff Centre where they find the time, space and support to pursue their dreams. Imagine having Oscar Peterson as your jazz piano instructor, or a world-renowned choreographer teaching your dance workshop, or being chosen for a classical music residency for the fall or winter season. This is what the Banff Centre provides.

We saw more than 60 films, and some will be available on the World Tour. The challenge faced by Richard Kennedy and Ron Jones, the guys selecting the films for Olympia’s World Tour event, is they usually do not see the films before making choices. This year the job will be easier. With the help of ‘road warriors’ (Banff Centre staff touring with the films) we saw most of the films that will be on tour, and what fun it was to do so.

Tuesday evening films competing for Radical Reels were screened. Wednesday’s Snow Show featured films about extreme skiing and snowboarding in high and steep mountains, and other humorous, unusual and creative films. As World Tour hosts we had access to an on demand screening room where we could see any film at the festival. There we saw films we weren’t able to see at the programmed festival events and met other World Tour hosts from Canada and the U.S., sharing information and ideas with them.

We missed seeing 89-year-old Fred Beckey at The Club (the on campus night spot) in an event titled, The Dirtbag Café with Fred Beckey, where he talked about his new book 100 Favorite North American Climbs. We did see the featured presentation by Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner about climbing K2 in August 2011, a highlight of the Festival for me. Gerlinde is the first woman, and one of only a handful of alpinists, to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. She did many of the climbs without porter support on the mountain. What an amazing story she told. The climb was featured in National Geographic magazine in its April 2012 issue.

Wade Davis, author and historian, talked about his best selling book Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest. He gave a moving account of the British climbers who attempted Everest in the years following World War I and how their horrifying experiences in the War affected their approach to the mountain.

Each evening, and all day Saturday and Sunday, films in competition were shown in five theaters on campus. We saw Crossing the Ice, the winner of three awards: the Grand Prize, the Best Film – Exploration and Adventure, and the People’s Choice Award, and met the filmmaker Justin Jones (Jonesy). This is the story of Jonesy and Cas, two Australian adventurers who “dare to tackle the perilous journey across Antarctica to the South Pole and back again, completely unassisted.” The story is told with great humor, outstanding photography and suspense.

Thirteen awards were given on Sunday night followed by The Best of Banff, a screening of many award winners. Awards were given in the three categories mentioned above and also culture, environment, climbing, wildlife, mountain sports, audio, creativity, short film, feature length film and Radical Reels People’s Choice.

As we returned to Olympia, I reflected on the joy I felt seeing so many unique and amazing films and meeting some of the explorers, adventurers, athletes and creative people who told the stories. What a gift these people give to those of us who may never be able to have such experiences. We thank them for telling their compelling stories in beautiful and exciting ways.

On behalf of the Olympia Mountaineers and Alpine Experience, we’ll see you at the Olympia Tour stop!

So, here’s the thing. We’re not going to open on Thanksgiving. No way. Sorry. We are taking the day off – and yes, we are offended by any retailer that pulls people away from their family and friends on Thanksgiving day. There are 32 shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, the most in any calendar year. Do we really need to ask people to shop on one of the few holidays left? No.

We also refuse to open at some crazy hour of the morning on the Friday after. We are a small business and don’t have the staff for such extended hours without seriously over-working our people. And we promise not to end any of our specials at extreme hours on any given day, but in fact, anything we have on sale will be on sale until 11/30. That is our promise to you (unless we run out – so shop early).

To round out the things we refuse to do – we will not use the words ‘BLACK FRIDAY’ ever again. More important, it’s morbid. It’s ugly. It’s a name from long ago that isn’t true now, and is the most over-used term in retail. However, we conceived a happier, snappier phrase for White Friday Strikes The Alpine Experience this joyous holiday season?

The Alpine Experience and The Bike Stand, in an effort to change global marketing strategies, hereby audaciously declare November 23, 2012, as ‘WHITE FRIDAY!’ (Yes, think snow, winter, think warm and cozy, and happy thoughts). WHITE FRIDAY is your time to relax and leisurely shop for the holidays, or just to get ready for the coming winter storms.

Will we open early? Of course, it’s The Alpine Experience! Therefore, we should get a proverbial ‘alpine start.’ But we aren’t climbing Mt. Rainier, no reason to leave at midnight. We aren’t trying to beat Tom Whitney up five peaks in a day, so no sunrise needed. Oh wait, it’s ski season! Lifts open at 9:00 a.m., so we will open around nine as well. Join us for a relaxing morning of shopping and browsing, starting around 9:00 a.m. on November 23. Yep, we say around because well, we may be a few minutes early or late. And it’s okay.

Why should you join us? First, to thumb your nose at the idea of ‘%$#@& Friday (see, we didn’t say that word). Second, we’re going to have lots of coffee from our local Olympia Coffee Roasters, fresh doughnuts and croissants, hot cider and cocoa. Come on in, take a load off, and chat with our staff. Enjoy some refreshments, and when your up for it, do some browsing, some shopping, and yep, we do hope some purchasing.

We figure that instead of making you jump through a bunch of hoops, show up at inconvenient times, or trample your fellow customers to get one of four skimpy items available at some obscene price, we’d offer something different. An experience – just like our name. We’re offering some refreshments, some great specials and many wonderful things on sale.

Now it’s time to prove our theory that we don’t need to shop on Thanksgiving day, and you don’t need to camp on our porch in the rain. As consumers, you can just say ‘enough is enough,’ I’m going to enjoy White Friday with The Alpine Experience!

White Friday Only
SKIS FOR A PENNY!
While They Last
Sure, they are 15-year-old, rusty skis we
found in the warehouse, but you can say
you got a great deal for a PENNY!
(If you don’t get the joke, we will actually
have a couple pairs of old, rusty skis to
sell at this equally ridiculous price.)

We’ve got a very exciting new line of waterproof helmet cams that offer a great value, amazing quality and nifty features. From Ion, the Air Pro Plus (just $290) is completely submersible to 30 meters, comes with numerous ways to attach it to you helmet or other places, strong resolution and easy to use. Our buyer Evan spent months analyzing myriad camera options – and he says Ion offers more for the money than any others. Says the review on C-Net: The standard Ion Air Pro is a rugged sports camcorder that is easy to use with many thoughtful features, but the addition of WiFi and app connectivity makes it a truly standout camera.

The WiFi version ($349) expands tremendously what you can do by downloading their app to review, modify, and check out your shots. You also can adjust the camera settings from that app. This model, the Air Pro Wifi, has higher resolution, slow motion capabilities, and much more.
In addition to the new Ion brand, we continue to stock the best-selling GoPro models to make a truly multimedia department. Who ever thought you could make your own movies this easily?

Acorn Holiday Socks & Slippers

If you go back to the earliest versions of our Holiday Gift Guide – you will find Acorn fleece socks and slippers. They’re classics that never grow old, never go out of style, and is ALWAYS a welcomed holiday gift. Why? Soft. Fuzzy. Warm. And one size fits several shoe sizes, so it’s fairly easy to get the right ones.

Of note, we know there are cheaper fleece socks and slippers out there, and we’ve considered carrying some of those brands over the years. So why do we stick with Acorn? It’s quite simple – quality. It is better fleece (mainly Polartec) that lasts longer without losing pill. The stitching and attention to details if far better, and they seem to have a much better sense of style. Acorn’s prints and colors rock, making other brands look lame.

Whether you pick the basics ($16-18) the Mocs ($36-40) or the slippers ($50- ish), there’s plenty of colors, styles and sizes in stock now. But shop early for best selection, Acorn is always popular.

Puff, puff. No. Not Initiative 502! Down Jackets, Vests and More

Why does every outdoor enthusiast need Down in their life? It’s simple. Natural fibers are more durable. More packable. And they perform much better in the field than synthetic alternatives. If you don’t believe this, come in and talk with our staff. We will get you to drink the kool-aid, and love Down like it’s your own feathers.

We have lots of choices, with three for women alone from The North Face. (A) The Bella Luna, a standard 550 fill for any use at a great value. $180 for the jacket, or just $120 for the vest. Or step up to the Summit Series. The Elyisum Hooded Jacket is amazing at just $299. If your purpose is layering, get the ultrathin Thunder Micro 800 Fill Down for just $270.

Also for women, the classic Patagonia Down Sweater at $200 is a mainstay in many closets. They also make a technical layering piece, the (B) Ultra Light Down Jacket for $270.

And since we really love Down, and women really love hoods, the (C) Aria Jacket from Outdoor Research is a fully hooded jacket for just $199. Lastly, Marmot has an amazing women’s jacket in the Jena 800 Fill Down (the best there is) at just $195.

We haven’t forgotten the men. The

Outdoor Research Transcendent Sweater is a workhorse, with 650 Fill Down and great durability for just $180.Men also love Patagonia, which makes the (D) Down Sweater a must have at $200. For layering, the Ultra Light Sweater fits perfectly underneath outer layers at just $270.

 The North Face rocks down for men as well. The (E) Summit Series Thunder Micro is an epic jacket, and a good value at $270. Or choose the puffier (F) Thunder Jacket with 800 fill down for just $249. To feel retro, The North Face even did the Mentok, a down jacket with a retro canvas outer. How 70s!

 Outdoor Research raised the ante with a Down Hat. Yep, the (G) Transcendent Beanie at just $45. And if you really love Down, check out our sleeping bags. Whatever your need in Down, we’ve got it in stock in great colors.

Travel Accessories by Eagle Creek

A lot of factors determine what makes it into our holiday gift guide, even personal ones. Longtime TAE staffer Eric Backous now works for Eagle Creek (see him teaching on a YouTube near you), and since the travel luggage business has been challenging the last decade, we figures its time to give a little love to our favorite travel brand, Eagle Creek.

By discontinuing luggage last spring, we’re able to focus on the great accessory items Eagle Creek makes. The Pack-It systems are the most efficient and user-friendly on the market today.

Joe’s Favorite – The Pack-It Sac in large. It keeps things clean, dry, and separated. Works for papers and books, or clothing. In a pinch, it can even double as a small briefcase. And at just $12.50 – buy two and keep one for yourself.

Val’s favorite, on the other hand, is the  2-sided Half Cube at just $18.00. Versatile, expandable and with two compartments, it’s easy to sort and organize your stuff. With travel fees galore on baggage, smaller and more efficient is far better.

Of course, no traveler is complete without a security wallet. We love (C) Eagle Creek’s Undercover Neck Wallet. Our deluxe version retails for just $20, and has slots for cash, passports, credit cards and more. Be sure to check out the full assortment of practical gifts at an Alpine Experience near you.

Smartwool. A legend still growing

Many people don’t realize that Smartwool is now the second largest supplier for Alpine Experience, behind only The North Face. And yes, we do sell a lot of socks, but much of the growth comes from the amazing apparel they offer as well. We also believe strongly in wool – similar to our passion for Down – natural fibers.

This season, Val loves Smartwool’s PHD HyFi Vest. Great weight, providing core warmth, and excellent fit make this vest a best-seller for TAE. AT just $160, it offers a value that will last for decades to come.

TAE manager Maggie Brock swears by the midweight base layers. According to Maggie, it’s the perfect warmth level for the Northwest. And we have lots of choices in tops and bottoms for men and women.

Of course, never forget the socks. With the updated PHD, with great casual socks and classic styles too, socks are Smartwool’s foundation. Giving these as gifts has become a local tradition. In stock now, from $15-25.

For the Climber

We always think of the summer season for climbing gear – but with the Warehouse Rock Gym inside the building, winter has actually become as big a climbing season as summer. And for the serious climber, gifts of climbing gear are welcomed anytime.

Come see our staff for advice on what your climber needs – carabiners, protection, quickdraws, ice axes or crampons. Particularly popular in winter are Rock Shoes. We have models for men, women and kids – from $40-160. And don’t worry, no need to get a gift card. If you buy the wrong size, we keep shoes in stock all winter long and are happy to exchange to a better fit.

Harnesses also are a popular winter item. The Black Diamond Momentum is our best seller by far at $59.95. Because of sizing and body shape, women also have their own custom designed version, the Primrose at the same great value.

Be sure to check out this season’s Women of Climbing Calendar – our own local Lisa Chulich is featured!

Look at the size of that lens! Over-sized goggles.

Ten years ago, if I had worn these goggles on a mountain, I would have been laughed at in lift lines for being bug-eyed. But when you put on your first pair of over-sized lenses you immediately see how much peripheral and perfect vision you get. You won’t go back, and you won’t care how you look, even though the new versions are quite stylish.

Leading the pack is the Electric EG2 at $160-165. The original over-sized shape, it still sells well, but our new best seller is the I/O Series from Smith, $175. A great fit, great quality, and cool colors.

The Oakley Canopy fits in well at $130-160. Joe’s favorite is the Scott Off Grid at just $120. It packs a lot of punch for a great value. If the over-sized just isn’t your thing, we stock a full assortment of standard goggles for adults and kids.