Ski and Outdoor Industry News
Blown-In — A semi-regular look at the latest ski, outdoor and sometimes bike industry news bits is a collection of press releases, new products, and interesting stuff circulating on the interweb that catches our attention.
This week’s edition of Blown-In features AAC grants, Fjällräven, Peak Performance, La Niña, POW, Arc’teryx and leaf skiing.
Fall 2024 AAC Grants
The American Alpine Club just announced their fall grant cycle is open for application. Whether you are looking to push your personal climbing, dreaming of an expedition that pairs humanitarian efforts with alpinism or are planning an ambitious backcountry ski adventure, there’s a grant for you—including the Cutting Edge Grant, The McNeill-Nott Grant, the Jones Backcountry Grant, the Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Award, and the Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grant.
Through the years, AAC grants have encouraged thousands of climbers to dream big and push their limits, supported the work of volunteer Search and Rescue teams, and funded humanitarian projects in the areas where we climb. This fall, more than $43,000 will be awarded to AAC members across the country—apply today.
La Niña Watch!
The NOAA Climate Prediction Center is currently forecasting a favorable 71% chance for La Niña to emerge in September-November 2024 and influence our weather through January-March 2025. The Climate Prediction Center has a great blog that tracks the progress and influence of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It’s even written so that you don’t necessarily need to be a full-on weather nerd to enjoy it, though it probably helps if you are. You can also read more about ENSO and your 24-25 ski season here on Offpistemag.com.
Unifying the Outdoor State
Protect Our Winters (POW) announced the debut of Purple Mountains – Live Free or Die, the sequel to the first film installment in 2020. The film follows professional snowboarder and POW founder Jeremy Jones as he returns to his New England roots, where he grew up and fell in love with winter.
The film seeks to bridge the political divide through meaningful discussions about protecting the environment and the importance of voting. Traveling through the politically purple state of New Hampshire, Jones engages with “Outdoor State” members to understand different perspectives and motivations to act on climate, depolarize environmental conversations, and provide a sense of unity for those who enjoy and care about the outdoors. The full 30-minute film is on YouTube.
Arc’teryx Winter Film Festival
Arc’teryx is kicking off its 3rd annual winter film festival. Arc’teryx Presents will showcase nine films in total, returning to stages and screens across the globe this winter, celebrating the outdoors and the people who inspire, challenge and demand change. The Arc’teryx Winter Film Tour will run from October 24 – December 14, 2024.
Tour stops include New York, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, with all proceeds from ticket sales going to support local community partners. The event will feature exclusive film premieres, Q&A sessions with athletes, gear giveaways, and more. Check the film tour schedule.
Updates from Sweden
A couple of outdoor industry news bits from Sweden —Peak Performance, a ski and outerwear brand from ÅRE, Sweden and part of the Amer Sports group (Arcteryx, Salomon, Atomic, Armada, etc), announced their launch in the US market (they’re already in Canada). Learn more at Peak Performance.
And from Örnsköldsvik Sweden, Fjällräven announced a new resale platform. Fjällräven Pre-Loved is a peer-to-peer resale marketplace where customers across the U.S. can buy and sell second-hand Fjällräven apparel, bags and gear. They also have a
Desperate for Some Ski Time?
Desperate? Creative? It’s your call. While most of us are content just to wait for some snow, a couple of French skiers decided to roll the dice and do some leaf skiing. I think this falls into the unsafe at any speed category. Prob shouldn’t try this on those new boards.
