Be Outdoors

JanSport’s “The Skip Yowell Story” selected to be shown at the BendFilm Festival

JanSport — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:14:34 +0000

JanSport’s “The Skip Yowell Story” has been selected as one of the documentary films that will be shown at this year’s BendFilm Festival, October 7-10.
“The Skip Yowell Story” recounts Skip Yowell’s unorthodox journey to the top of the Outdoor Industry, from small-town Kansas boy, to adventure-junkie extraordinaire, to respected mountaineer.

Stay tuned for more festival info…

Today we meet Greg, expert climber, friend and esteemed mountain guide for IMG

Greg Vernovage — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:50:22 +0000

Name? Greg Vernovage

Hometown and where you call “home” today?
Born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Today, I live in my Dodge truck with a slide-in camper. It is a great place, especially when I spend most of my time in a tent.

How long have you been guiding? I have been guiding for 9 years.

Where is your favorite place to climb?
Tough question, I like everyplace that I’ve been to. It depends on what I am looking for. Rainier will prepare us for any mountain in the world. Vinson is just that awesome out there, and hey, it is Antarctica. Denali because it is a huge mountain and a true carry-all. Of course the Himalaya. I love the climbing, the culture and the IMG Sherpa guys are without question the best people I could ask to be around.

What do you do to train each season?
Good core training is the key to being strong in the mountains. I have been fortunate enough to climb all year. Carry a big pack up hill with water in it, dump out the water on top and come back down. Get your upper body strong. That is the core. If your upper body breaks down, your legs will very soon follow.

Name one thing our readers would be surprised to learn about you?
Within the last year, I guided 3-8,000 meter peaks: Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and Everest. My IMG teams have stood on top of 3 of the seven summits already this spring and summer: Aconcagua, Everest and Denali. I have been involved with 2 Olympic Games as the Coach of the Men’s Beach Volleyball team. We won the Gold Medal in the Sydney Games.

What is the one thing you always take with you on your trips, besides your gear, of course?
I take my iPod on every trip. You never know when you have to be a little more patient, get in position to summit the mountain and then wait until the mountain let’s you.

What do you like most about your JanSport gear? The JanSport packs are tough and simple. I think the simplicity of how a pack works is a must. The last thing you want with high altitude is to have to solve a riddle with your back pack. I want to get the gear inside, put it on and go. If I need to make adjustments, I do not want to have to get the owners manual out and learn physics.

Why did you decide to get involved with JanSport? The owners at IMG have had a long history with JanSport. JanSport has been in the mountains for years. They handed me a pack before Everest this Spring and said, “use it.” There was never really a question as to whether it would work.

Anything else you want to share? I am looking forward to working with JanSport and IMG. Let’s get cranking!

Summertime… and the livin’s easy

Sam Magro — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:51:35 +0000

My summer has been packed full with guided trips on the Grand Teton in Wyoming. It’s kinda nice to be busy with work. I have had very few days off this summer once the guiding season started. I did manage to do a one-day ascent of the Centennial Route on Mt Cowen in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana. This involves 9 miles in followed by a dazzling alpine rock climb (roughly 1,800) on spectacular granite. The hardest pitch is 5.11b but the majority of the climbing goes at around 5.10. The descent involves two rappels into a snow-filled couloir then glissading and down climbing to the base. After that is the long 9 mile hike out back to the car.

Apart from that I really have just been guiding here in the Tetons. The JanSport Cloud Ripper packs you sent me work great for light one-day pursuits whether it be on the rock or running on the trail.

Time to meet our blog contributors from International Mountain Guides…

JanSport — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:03:52 +0000

Today we meet Jenni Fogle. In order to find out more about her and the rest of the IMG guides JanSport works with year-round to test its newest technical outdoor gear, we thought we ‘d ask them as many questions as possible to get to the root of who they are as a person, they’re hopes and dreams… ok, maybe not that in depth. Meet Jenni:

1) Name: Jenni Fogle
2) Hometown and where you call “home” today? Born in Phoenix, AZ….Ashford, WA is currently home.
3) How long have you been guiding? I’ve been guiding since the spring of 2007.
4) Where is your favorite place to climb? My favorite place to climb…that’s a tough one. I think for rock climbing I would say Indian Creek. For alpine climbing, Washington Pass.
5) What do you do to train each season? My training program varies. Work usually keeps me fit for work purposes (I ski patrol in the winter and guide mostly in the summer). On days off I’m skiing in the winter or climbing in the summer, as well as between seasons. I enjoy running and yoga. This year I am recovering from ACL replacement surgery, so I’m having to make a much more concentrated effort to stay fit. I am cycling or swimming almost every day, and doing strengthening exercises in the gym. I have also done cross fit workouts in the past at times when I was unable to do some of my regular activities.
6) Name one thing our readers would be surprised to learn about you? I broke the sound barrier once.
7) What is the one thing you always take with you on your trips, besides your gear, of course? A fingernail clipper!
What do you like most about your JanSport gear? I have three small JanSport packs. They are all fairly light and comfortable. Today I went for a bike ride and stashed my water and a light jacket in my Talus pack. It was very comfortable on my back. I love the color (retro orange/red brown). IT reminds me of the desert.
9) Why did you decide to get involved with JanSport? I work for IMG and JanSport is one of our greatest supporters so I wanted to do something to give back.

JanSport’s Outdoor Design Team Visits IMG HQ in Ashford, WA

Rick Saez — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:17:48 +0000

Derrick and I had a great meeting with the IMG Team Monday. We spent some time getting feedback on the JanSport Tahoma packs they’ve been using for the 2010 Rainier Season. The overall feedback was very positive as everyone that used the pack felt it is a great pack for Rainier as well as other Alpine environments. They gave us some terrific ideas for improvements too. We also discussed the Salish and Talus and got great reviews on them as well. We then spent some time discussing future ideas, which of course I can’t tell you about other than to say there will be some cool stuff coming soon! The guys gave Derrick and I a great tip on a short hike we could do with our limited time left that afternoon. We raced up the hill to Paradise and hiked up the Deadhorse Creek trail. The wildflowers were at their peak. I got up early the next morning to go back up and photograph the moonset, that was awesome! Thanks IMG, keep up the great work!

Dennis Sanders hits the trails in Red Rock Canyon, LV

Dennis Sanders — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:49:32 +0000

I have had a great summer using the stylish Salish pack. Over the last few days I have managed to use it for cragging and long hikes to long climbs in Red Rock Canyon. I can just about fit everything I need in there, its super comfy under heavy loads and light as a feather. I really like the back zipper pockets and side mesh pockets…it helps me keep those odds and ends organized and water close at hand. While hiking to a long climb today we stopped and I was able to get quick access through the side zipper as well (i need my breakfast…cold pizza for the 6am start). That might be my favorite part of the pack!

Lauren Blank on the Na Pali Coast — yeah, we’re jealous too!

Lauren Blank — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:53:45 +0000

My fiance and I just returned from an 10 day trip to Kauai. The only bag I brought was the Salish pack. It was great as a travel bag and worked out perfectly on our 3-day backpacking trip along the Na Pali Coast. There were two things about the bag that stood out most. The first was that I could put my water bottle into the backpack with ease while hiking! This was awesome. I am not a camelback user. I usually clip a water bottle below my shoulder strap and it bangs against my hip while hiking and ski touring, so this feature was very exciting for me. The second thing that I love about the Salish is the colors. The bright colors make me smile

IMG Guide and Director, George Dunn Reaches his 500th Mt. Rainier Summit

JanSport — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:05:53 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNPI2k9CBPA

George signing the summit register

IMG Partner, George Dunn on his way to completing his 500th Rainier Summit

JanSport — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:12:03 +0000

International Mountain Guides partner and guide, George Dunn has just completed his 499th summit on Mt. Rainier with plans to be the first person to summit the 14,411-foot peak 500 times before the beginning of August 2010.
Read more about this historic feat here.

SMI Guides Sara Berghoff and Chris Werner lead climbers to summit success at Mt. Langley

JanSport — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:32:18 +0000

This past week Sierra Mountainerring International guides Sara Berghoff and Chris Werner lead two climb teams to summit success.
Thanks to their knowledge, guiding expertise and sensational cooking skills, two Big City Mountaineers Summit For Someone benefit climbs reached the summit of Mt. Langley.

Summit for Someone climbers with SMI guides Sara Berghoff and Chris Werner

These guides climb everything!