Great Outdoor Blog

YARMOUTH, Maine — (March 9, 2011) — The DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator has been honored as a recipient of a 2011 Backpacker Magazine Editors’ Choice Award. The most prestigious award in the outdoor industry, it is given annually to products in recognition of their outstanding innovation in design, materials, and/or performance.

The Earthmate PN-60w is a rugged, waterproof handheld GPS offering full navigation capabilities, plus the unique ability to create custom Type & Send text messages for delivery via the SPOT Satellite Communicator. Users can explore and stay connected with family, buddy lists, social network sites, and emergency responders, even if far beyond the reach of cell phone service.

The Backpacker Editors’ Choice Awards, bestowed annually since 1993, honor the products that Backpacker editors have chosen as the best of the year based on months of trail testing by teams of highly experienced hikers and climbers. With no set categories for the awards and no set number of recipients, the products and the testing process drive the award categories.
The Earthmate PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator was one of only 13 innovative products that have been honored with a 2011 Backpacker Editors’ Choice Award.

High-Tech Trifecta
“Here’s a high-tech trifecta,” Backpacker said in describing the PN-60w and SPOT messaging capabilities. “Navigate the backcountry and call for emergency help and stay connected with those at home.”

Backpacker Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Dorn explained how his staff, led by Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter, conducts their testing.

“With a core team that has several centuries of combined trail time, along with first descents, decades of retail experience, and expertise in every backcountry discipline, Kristin puts new products through an unprecedented level of real-world abuse in every terrain and weather imaginable,” said Dorn. “She also oversees a transparent process that has earned an unrivaled amount of trust from readers, retailers, and manufacturers. The results are reviews that lead consumers to smart, durable products that consistently prove their worth with years of best-in-class performance.”

DeLorme Vice President Caleb Mason added, “The Backpacker Editors’ Choice Award bestows enormous credibility and we are very proud to add this to the numerous honors we’ve already received for this product.”

Indeed, the Earthmate PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator has been the most-honored outdoor GPS product since it was launched in September. Previous honors include Popular Mechanics 2010 Breakthrough Award, 2010 National Geographic Gear of the Year honors, and a 2011 Consumer Electronics Association Innovations Award.

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Out of Air, Failing & a Lost World: Adventure Stories on Three Continents

Thursday, November 18, 2010
Time: 7-8pm
Cost: Free!
Location: Tipsy Teapot (409 Evans St, Uptown, Greenville, NC)

A flat mountain bike tire on a trip from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa, miles from friends. Nine days stuck in a tent at 17,200 feet on Mt. Denali, Alaska. Losing oneself on the mountain The Lost World was based on.

Follow the three different stories of East Carolina University explorers, Brandi Dudley, John Fletcher, and John Stowe. Listen as they relive their experiences of mountain biking over 4,000 miles through the heart of Africa, attempting to climb (twice) the coldest mountain in the world, or exploring the land Sir Author Conan Doyle based his book, The Lost World, on.

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This photo was taken in February of 1974 (check out the jacket in 2010 below). My math says 36 years ago! That was a Sunday morning, and the Trail Shop had sponsored a lecture and slide show by Royal Robbins on Friday evening at Chapel Hill, after sandbagging him on the “paint stripe” bouldering problem in the old Bragtown Quarry (now the Bear Den at the Museum of Life and Science) -never climb in quarries, by the way! We then took RR to Table Rock to do Crackerjack. Burt Whicker, Jacques Geitner and I then went to the Amphitheater to camp. Burt had not planned to camp, but changed his mind, and slept in the orange North Face Sierra parka in this picture, with his own Sierra wrapped around his lower half. Burt froze his butt off, which is no surprise as my minimum recording thermometer registered 20 degrees.

I am lacing up Galibier Super Guides. We descended the Mummy ravine, skirted north around the Prow, and then along the Carolina Wall. We lunched on top of Mashburn’s Pinnacle, and Burt and Jacques left to open the store and go to work at the Hickory newspaper respectively. I bushwhacked to the river, and camped.

Next day, it began to snow while I lunched at the bottom of Spence Ridge Trail. I hiked up and around Table Rock, thru the Chimneys and down to Shortoff. That night, the temp dropped to -4! That was the night the wind blew so hard that it upset my stove while I cooked in my North Face Tuoloumne tent, spilling my stew; I waited about 15 minutes and picked up the frozen pieces and put them back in the pot, re-heated and ate!?

Parking update from Carolina Climbers Coalition:

As the season for climbing at Rumbling Bald ripens, we wanted to help spread the word to all climbers that the parking situation at Rumbling Bald will be restricted this year. Historically, climbers have enjoyed ample and unrestricted parking at the Bald and along Boys Camp Rd. Since the completion of the new state park facilities and parking area at Rumbling Bald, the Park and the Town of Lake Lure have made it clear of their intention to limit the parking to that available in the new parking area only. Parking outside of the park gate and along the sides of this entrance road or Boys Camp Rd. will be prohibited. The Town of Lake Lure intends to promote a towing policy for any cars parked outside of legitimate parking places.

**Tickets are SOLD OUT**

Conrad Anker, Alpinist Presents
MOUNT MERU: THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE
Brought to you by The North Face & Great Outdoor Provision Co.

Conrad Anker has found fame for trail blazing film and research work on Everest, where he investigated the mystery of the lost 1924 expeditioners, Mallory and Irvine, and climbed the mountain a couple of times, to boot. But never before has he had to dig so deep into his soul to keep going as on a peak in the Indian Himalaya, called Mount Meru. Meru was the ultimate test to Conrad and his partners, as storm and cold battered them throughout their eighteen-day ascent. In the end, teamwork and trust was the key to their survival. Conrad illustrates his gripping tale with photographs and video that captures the adventure of his lifetime.

Official Mountains-to-Sea Trail Month Event – Proceeds benefit FMST

**Tickets are SOLD OUT**

Kings (MAP)
14 West Martin Street – Raleigh, NC US 27601

>> Learn more about alpinist Conrad Anker

Update: James and his teammate Steve summited Everest North Side safely on May 23 at 5:30 a.m. He wrote “It was the craziest weather season, causing a very short window and thus a night time summit (we climbed early to avoid the lines on the second step – the strategy which really allowed us to succeed).” Pictures coming soon.

Audio interview has been posted to WRAL.com

When we first met James Wilde he had completed 5 of the Seven Summits. This Raleigh native had us riveted to our seats at Cameron Village as he shared stories from the climbs. Now only Everest awaits as he sits in Base Camp North. Follow the adventure tonight on WRAL and learn how you can support his clean water initiative GlobalH20 that helps supply clean water throughout the world.

View more images at this link.

Freddie Wilkinson presents “Gonzo-Style Alpinism: A Year in the Trenches”

Tuesday, April 13 • 7:00 pm
Greensboro Shop • 3104 Northline Ave

Join Mountain Hardwear athlete Freddie Wilkinson for a multimedia presentation as he takes the audience on a hilarious, seat-of-your-pants ride through a single 10 month period where he managed to climb new routes in Patagonia, Alaska, India, and Nepal.

Arrive early to enjoy refreshments and shopping. Raffle prizes provided by Mountain Hardwear

Photos: (Top) cory richards (Bottom) Ben ditto

Competition Report just in from Stephen Wilkers @ UNCG Outdoor Adventures.

This past Saturday, February 20th marked the 12th annual Spartan Summit climbing competition. We had over 25 climbers compete in 3 divisions: Advanced, Intermediate, and Beginner. It was a beautiful day for climbing with temperatures in the low 60’s and a bluebird day. Registration started at 10am and the first heat started climbing at 11am.

After the three heats concluded we had a prize ceremony where, thanks to our sponsors, everyone walked away with something for their efforts. We had a great lunch provided by Chick-Fil-A and Earth Fare as well as a gear sale with lots of outdoor goodies for dirt cheap prices. If you missed the fun this year there is no need to worry, there will another climbing competition next year. In the meantime please stop by The Edge and get those hours of practice in now.

Congratulations to all our winners, and great job to all other climbers. We truly appreciate your presence and enthusiasm.

The WINNERS of the Spartan Summit are as follows:

Advanced:

• 1st: Marcin Krupowicz!
• 2nd: David Cornejo!
• 3rd: Drew DeCain!
• 4th: Zack West!
• 5th: Jonathan Gonzalez!

Intermediate Female:

• 1st: Kristi Cooke!
• 2nd: Jenn Grenier!

Intermediate Male:

• 1st: Clayton Barnette!
• 2nd: Wyatt Smith!
• 3rd: Richard Schilhavy!
• 4th: Sean Francois!

Beginner Female:

• 1st: Erica McGowan!
• 2nd: Sarah Davis!
• 3rd: Allie Cornejo!
• 4th: Brittany Balara!
• 5th: Caitie Bailey!

Beginner Male:

• 1st: Alex Graves!
• 2nd: Jason Bennett!
• 3rd: David Hewitt!
• 4th: Rob Lilley!
• 5th: Danny Gobel!

And last, but not least, thanks to the amazing Outdoor Adventures staff that organized and implemented this great event! See you all at the 2011 Spartan Summit!

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Great Outdoor Provision Co. is proud to sponsor these great events:

• 13th annual ECU Flatlanders Fling Climbing Competition – Sat, Feb 20
• UNCG Climbing Competition – Sat, Feb 20
• UNCW Seaside Scramble Climbing Competition – Sun, Feb 21

The Carolina Climbers’ Coalition started 2010 off with the purchase of the West Side Boulders at Rumbling Bald. This purchase serves as the fourth project of the Access Fund’s Land Conservation Campaign, a revolving loan program that provides local climbing organizations the funds and expertise needed to act quickly to save threatened climbing areas. This project marks the CCCs second major land acquisition project and conserve 6 acres of high-quality bouldering and recreational land for future transfer to Chimney Rock State Park. Support the Carolina Climberss Coalition at carolinaclimbers.org. For more information on the Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign, visit http://accessfund.org/aflccprojects