We recently learned about 3 Peaks 3 Weeks, an annual all-female climbing event that raises money and awareness for key issues facing Africa, and we were immediately intrigued. Bringing women from around the world together to summit Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, 3 Peaks 3 Weeks is certainly a combination of adventure, inspiration and positive change. We caught up with one of the participants, Chris Kassar (who’s also part of our favorite Rios Libres) to learn more about this woman-powered initiative and how it’s bringing real change to Africa.

Tell us a little bit about 3 Peaks 3 Weeks

In January 2011 (which is fast approaching!), I will join a team of 11 ordinary women from around the world as we attempt to summit 3 of Africa’s highest peaks (Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro) in just 3 weeks! Our aim is to raise money and awareness to address 3 peak issues currently threatening Africa: environment, education and health. In between each climb we’ll spend time with the African organizations that 3 Peaks 3 Weeks supports so we can see where each dollar we have raised is already helping to make a difference.

How have you been training for the event?

I haven’t had to change much in my life to train since I’ve always spent a majority of my free time running around outside. However, I’m aware that this is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done so I’m definitely ramping up my usual efforts.

Ironically, I was in the middle of trekking in the Himalaya when I found out that I was chosen to be part of the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks team for 201. I had just been to Everest Base Camp that very day. So…I guess my training was already well under way since I spent the majority of 2 months in Nepal hiking with a heavy pack over rough terrain at pretty high altitude.

At home here in Flagstaff, I get out into the mountains as much as I can and however I can – skis, snowshoes, running shoes, mountain bike, hiking boots. I am also currently spending a lot of time on a road bike and in the water since I am training for my first triathlon. I’m really new to swimming and biking so this is a good challenge. My success on these climbs is going to be just as dependent on my mental fitness as my physical fitness so yoga, meditation and visualization are an important part of preparing for Africa, as well. Breathing at altitude can be so hard, but yoga and meditation have made this a lot easier for me.

To get some real life climbing practice and altitude exposure, my friend Julie and I are going to do a “3 Peaks 3 Days Challenge.” So, next week we are heading to Colorado for 5 or 6 days of backpacking during which we will summit three 14ers (peaks above 14,000 feet) in 3 days.

Why do you think going on an all-women expedition is so powerful?

With each passing year, I have come to value the brilliant, passionate, tough, sweet, bold women in my life more and more. Sisterhood (both genetic and chosen) is one of the most powerful bonds that I have ever encountered. It’s hard to explain in words, but something happens when “sisters” tackle a challenge together – things get done, fun is had, passion oozes and confidence grows. Our power on this expedition will come from the fact that we are united around a common goal. Our ability to support each other, work as a team and rise to the challenge is critical if we are to accomplish what we have set out to achieve.

Aside from its impact on those of us participating, I think part of the power of an all-women expedition comes when others witness it. Even though it is 2010, I still think it is imperative for the rest of the world to see women demonstrating their strength, courage, bravery and determination.

The goal of the expedition is to raise awareness of three peak issues facing Africa: Environment, education and health. How do the three go hand in hand and how does supporting one support the others?

These are the largest issues affecting East Africa today and I believe that addressing all 3 of them is critical for the future of the people and lands of Africa because doing so is key to reducing the impacts of poverty. Simply put, providing someone with basic healthcare and education can provide them with an entire future. And because East African communities are typically incredibly dependent on their surrounding environment, it is also imperative to conserve wildlands while benefiting the surrounding communities.

Halting environmental degradation, providing education for more children and improving health care are going to become more and more important as populations continue to rise and development progresses. These are tangible and hopeful issues to focus on because individuals and groups can have a concrete impact on them; with some dedication and effort a person can create positive change in these arenas by taking action and accountability, whereas other issues – i.e., corruption – would be more difficult to target directly.

There are a lot of groups that have launched in the past few years that focus solely on women’s issues. In a place like Africa, what do you think are the benefits of this?

Actually, all 3 organizations we support do not only focus on women or women’s issues. In some cases there are certain projects that do, but overall these organizations serve a broad range of people who need help. Nonetheless, those groups that focus solely on women’s issues are extremely important. Because of the central role that women hold within communities, they are often the key to helping families and villages out of poverty.

All of the money that you raise goes straight to Africa, while you’re responsible for your expedition costs (~$10,000). That’s a lot of money. Why do you feel strongly about putting that amount of your personal money into this kind of travel?

In the past year I spent a good deal of time in Nepal, Southeast Asia and South America. As is always the case while traveling, I was reminded of how lucky I have been throughout my life and how much I have to offer to this world as a result of where I was born and the opportunities I’ve been given.

Traveling reinforced my gratitude for simple things like freedom, health, family, peace, access to education, clean drinking water, financial security and physical safety. These are things I often take for granted, yet each day of my journey I was reminded that there are millions of people throughout the world who do not have the same luxury. And so, the financial challenges are outweighed by my desire to use my talents and tenacity to help this amazing planet and those who don’t have as much as I do.

Besides supporting this expedition, what’s one thing that people can do to have a positive impact on these issues facing Africa?

Great question because it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by big problems in a continent that can feel so far away….It’s a tough one because there is no “quick fix.” Direct handouts may have their place in emergency situations, but supporting those kinds of programs in East Africa is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound that really needs surgery. So, I’d suggest that people learn as much as they can about the situation and support initiatives, programs, groups and individuals that empower people to take control of their own future; those that follow along with this idea: “give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.”

That’s the amazing thing about 3 Peaks 3 Weeks – all of the money I raise goes to sustainable projects that enable individuals and communities to be accountable for their own success over the long-term.

This trip and cause is pretty inspirational. What inspires you on a daily basis?

Nature – She inspires me because she is simultaneously strong, graceful, beautiful, powerful, loving and humbling.

My family – My mom and dad, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins are each an inspiration in their own way, but they share a common thread which also inspires me: they all sure know how to give love! And even though they may worry about me because of the crazy way I’ve chosen to live my life, they support me and believe in me no matter what.

My 5 year old friend Finley who just had open heart surgery and his parents – They have inspired me to be fearless and to act fearlessly.

People who work to make their dreams a reality regardless of the associated challenges.

The rare beings who are truly honest with themselves and with others.

Chris will be heading to Africa in January. To help support the cause of 3 Peaks 3 Weeks, you can donate by clicking here.

We love parties, especially parties that benefit awesome causes. At Epic Wheel Works’ Live the Revolution party last week, $950 was raised for Portland’s Bicycle Transportation Alliance. There were a lot of people that came together to make that happen, and they all get big thank yous here.

Want to see just how fun raising money can be? Check out these fun photos and video from the evening.

As part of our ongoing profiles section, we’re taking a look at people making a difference in the world of new media and are harnessing the power of web 2.0 to make positive change.

Today we’re talking to Danielle Brigida, Social Media Outreach Coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation. In the new media sphere, NWF has had a significant presence, pushing the envelope in how the organization approaches members and generates awareness of its campaigns. Everywhere you turn on the web, NWF seems to be there, whether it’s with a new video, a photo contest or simply just updates on what we all can do to enjoy nature, and Brigida is certainly one of the organization’s new media driving forces. She’s well respected in the world of green new media and last year was named one of the top 75 Environmentalists to Follow by Mashable. She has also spoken at a variety of new media events including South by Southwest.

We caught up with her to learn more about the ins and outs of her job and how she thinks new media is changing the layout of nonprofits.

How long have you been working as the Social Media Outreach Coordinator for NWF? How did you land the gig?

I started out as a grassroots assistant, doing data entry and trying to think of ways to engage activists. One of my tasks was maintaining the National Wildlife Federation’s MySpace page, and I was given the freedom to experiment with engaging people on that site and any others I could find. Since I was the Ecology Club President at my college, I knew that Facebook was another great way to connect with people, so I started testing out profiles, groups and pages for NWF. I’ve never looked back.

I’m always looking for new ways to engage people with any social site I can find. The more I was able to prove the value of having NWF’s brand represented online in these diverse ways, the more I was able to incorporate my after-hours experimentation into my current job description. I created this role for myself, and it wasn’t easy. I also can’t say that I’m done molding it to be what I know it has the potential to be. I’m lucky because the National Wildlife Federation does a great job of helping its employees explore their interests. Mine just happened to be social media from the start, and for the past 3 1/2 years I’ve been learning all that I can.

NWF certainly has a big social media presence, what are some main components of your social media outreach program?

I live by the “social media is for everyone” motto. That’s not to say we’ll all use the same tools in the same ways, but I think learning from life experiences (and that includes online) is incredibly important. When one of my colleagues comes to me interested in trying out social media, I help them focus in on what they want to do with their program, what audience they want to engage, and what their capacity is—knowing these answers helps me determine what sites they should be on.

I may be the only person with “social media” in my job title, but I’ve been able to persuade a good number of my coworkers to open their browsers and find out how their subject area is talked about on social networks. It almost instantly sells them on the value of participating, because they see a new world at their fingertips: instant focus groups, new people to connect with, people who might help share our message, people interested in helping out in any way they can, etc.

By empowering our subject-matter experts to communicate to the niche audiences interested in their subject, NWF as a whole benefits, because we are able to connect with more gardeners, Ranger Rick readers, political wonks, educators, parents, college students, etc. than anything I could offer up from a single NWF account.

Some of our staff may just lurk, some people may comment here and there, and my star pupils see the benefit of providing as much value in return to their audiences as they can. I’m seeing that no matter how much you engage, there is always something to gain from being present online.

What have been some of your most successful new media campaigns?
I’m not sure I would consider my success in the typical sense. We’ve definitely had some successful experiments, but the biggest overall success is that we’ve changed the way many of us work. For example, with our campaign to get kids outside, we’ve met many passionate parents online. This has helped us create better content, make more meaningful relationships and reach people we normally would not have reached.

We have more than 30 mommy bloggers who are our friends and help us assess our campaigns. We have used crowd sourcing to gather knowledge and interest around gardening stories and we’ve really just been using social media to lower the ladder of engagement so we can include more people and get more people engaged.

One campaign that did take us by surprise was our Endangered Species Day campaign. I wrote a blog post about how everyone knows of animals outside of the U.S. like the panda or the tiger, but very few could list endangered species in their own backyard. So we asked each person to pick a species and tweet all day about that species! It was more engaging then we EVER could have dreamed. We’re hoping to recreate the same experience and get people thinking locally when it comes to wildlife.

I truly believe as long as your learn something you haven’t failed.

What has social media allowed NWF to do that it couldn’t do before?

Social media allows us to truly connect with members. We are a big organization and we’re lucky to have so many supporters. I think our large size hasn’t always made it possible to connect with our base in the past. Thankfully, social media lets us talk to long time supporters from all over the world and engage with them daily–it’s very inspiring.

Not everyone has jumped on the new media bandwagon, how do you reach out to people that maybe aren’t used to getting news and information via new media channels like blogging?

Social media can be intimidating, and in some cases the only cure is actually trying it out. I found that once people play with it, they either love it or struggle with it and it may take a few more attempts to really get them to use it. Either way, I usually stress that some of the best users don’t have an “Aha moment” right away (you know, the moment you realize the value and want to explore it more). I love it when people come to me, to learn the tools because they generally listen more, and are more open to testing things out. I am passionate about connecting with people and I find that anyone who is interested in that will be interested in social media, for some though-it’s a series of baby steps. And that’s ok!

Why do you think new media is an effective tool for non-profits?

I think nonprofits represent passionate groups of people trying to make change. Social media allows for great organizing, information sharing and a perfect place to feed your passion (whatever it may be). With nonprofits, they may not always have the money for fancy tools, but with passion and content, social media can really be an asset to even the most understaffed nonprofit. I’m constantly impressed with the way nonprofits use social media. It’s invigorating!

How do you think new media is helping to create positive change?

There are so many benefits that we can garner from crowd sourcing and expanding our networks as well as learning and information sharing. I look at social media as a new way to do old business, and because of that I see positive change happening throughout the different communities. The neat thing about the tools is that they are simple enough to serve a number of different change initiatives at once. Look at Twitter, Twitter has successfully saved lives through its immediate response but it also serves as a collective knowledge pool. The way social media affects change is both instantly and over time. We’re learning, we’re growing and best of all, we’re communicating and I think that’s where social media can really create positive change.

Where do you get your news from?

Tons of RSS feeds and twitter of course. I read my RSS feeds like the paper every morning and track twitter throughout the day. Staying a top of our mentions and current events helps me be relevant to our members and social media friends.

What are 3 blogs that we should all be reading?

If you’re talking social media blogs, I think there are many!

My favorites are:
Beth.typepad.com
Kdpaine’s measurement blog
Kivi’s marketing blog and many more

You can check out the blogroll on
www.thenetnaturalist.wordpress.com for a few of my green pals too!

What are your main tips for people/organizations that want to be more effective in using social and new media?

Be brave and take the leap! Do social media for a few minutes a day or whatever you can spare. Interact with people, join conversations and add meaning, be yourself, ask questions, and push yourself to learn more every time you’re on the site. I have to say that “failing” isn’t going to happen unless you miss out on an opportunity to learn.

Thanks!

Photo Credit: Re Wikstrom

For this week’s profile, we want to bring attention to an amazing organization that is inspiring women to take a “jump” into the outdoors, not just here in the States, but all over the world. SheJumps is a non-profit that was conceived by pro-skier Lynsey Dyer, with the help of her friends Vanessa Pierce and Claire Smallwood. In just a few months, they’ve jumped on the new media bandwagon by utilizing a free online social network called NING. In a little over 3 months, the community has over 270 active members from all over the world including Bulgaria, France, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom… and it’s growing every day.

We got a chance to catch up with SheJumps Executive Director, Claire Smallwood while she was driving back from yet another ski adventure. Here’s what she had to say:

What inspired you to create an organization that inspires women to get outdoors?

When I was growing up in Santa Fe, I was always the token girl on any adventure in the mountains. It got to the point when I started to take my skiing more seriously at 16 that I found myself searching through every ski magazine to see a picture of a girl to feel inspired. I got reassurance from seeing women pushing themselves and I said to myself “If she can do it, then so can I.” After meeting Lynsey Dyer at my first freeskiing comp we became friends quickly and I met Vanessa Pierce shortly after. They already had ideas for SheJumps in the works, but it didn’t exactly resemble what SheJumps is today. It has been a long road (and we continue to develop) to understand exactly what role SheJumps will end up with for women. Ultimately though, we all realized that getting more women outside would mean an easier road for all of us to accomplish our passions. It is easier to garner support from companies and snag attention from media if we can prove that it’s more than just one out of 100 ladies out there on the trails.

How has SheJumps used new media to capture the attention of women who want to get involved?

Our website has long since been the backbone of our organization. Given that importance, the addition of new social media has expanded our ability to maintain great SheJumps content but with the guarantee that our content can reach new people without sitting around with our fingers crossed that people will check up on our blog. I think that UnderSolen coming forward to work with us on avenues like Facebook and Twitter has been a huge blessing to streamline the essence of our programs. It’s been great to let people get a quick glimpse about SheJumps (the tip of the iceburg) and then let them take the next step to get involved with our community through the creation of our NING site. It is that specific website alone that has helped us to gain more tangible support in the form of a network between women who are interested in the outdoors from all over the world.

Do you feel that the NING site is an effective strategy for connecting women to their passions?

NING is a great way to get all the communicative benefits that Facebook offers, but without any distractions. The desire for someone to join our NING site automatically helps them to understand what SheJumps by deciding what to share. We have already seen the organic beginnings of this network on the NING site through the creation of discussion topics, area-specific groups, and blog posts. It effectively connects women to their passions through the direct communication that it offers between members. Have a question for a pro skier? Want to know if anyone else is fed up with women’s specific gear? How about trail running? The possibilities are endless. We currently have a NING community member who is training for a triathlon and blogs her success to keep herself (and now, apparently, others as well) motivated and inspired.

SheJumps is a lot about telling stories to inspire others to take “A Jump”. What is your favorite story of someone taking a jump?

I think it changes all the time. If I had to choose one of my all-time favorites, I think it would have to be the video of Zoya Lynch’s mother. She quit her corporate job in eastern Canada to move to Whistler and ski everyday at the age of 54. There is something about the simple dialog, “Mom, what is your favorite thing to do?” and the footage brings tears to my eyes. Check it out here.

OK, I have to do a runner up–9 year old Sophie Howell. She wrote to us last year telling us she wanted to ski Tuckerman’s Ravine, but her dad said she could only do it if she could hike it. So this summer she hoofed it up there, passing grown men left and right, and is ready to ski it this spring. I had the pleasure of skiing with Sophie at Alta in January. It was really great to make the connection to a little girl who I could relate with in terms of tenacity and goals. She was such a great skier and looks up to SheJumps so much (stickers all over her helmet). It felt really good to feel like I was a part of her story.

What are some plans/programs for the organization that you’ve got going on in 2010? What are you excited about most?

Wow! Where to start? We are going to continue our (S)heJumps into the Canyon program where we take local teens from the Boys & Girls club skiing at Alta with professional skiers. It takes place over the course of 4 Sundays in March. This year we are also going to organize the Backcountry Tour for the Cure. It is a very fun event open to intermediate and advanced female backcountry skiers. Participants try to raise money for breast cancer research and then complete an overnight ski tour/winter camping trip in solidarity of women with breast cancer. We try to put ourselves in a challenging environment and still have fun the whole time!

This summer will bring a lot of action to local community groups. SheJumps is currently focusing on trying to provide as much infrastructure as possible to organize and document efforts in different areas to accomplish our mission. This means that anyone can write to us and organize a SheJumps event, such as a day hike, mountain bike ride, backpacking trip, etc. that will help solidify the outdoor community in that region. Additional options include creating goals for the event. Some examples of that would include setting a goal for vertical feet hiked, trying to accomplish as many peaks in your area, wildflower identification, hula-hooping at the end of each objective, picking up trash, or maybe just trying to make it a consistent activity! The possibilities are endless. For more information, check out shejumps.org/jumpin.

What else would you like our readers to know about SheJumps and/or SheJumps social media strategies?

There is so much information on the web today, it can be easy to feel inundated with too much information. While our mission is fairly complex, the gist of it–to inspire and increase participation of women in outdoor activities–remains pure. We welcome support from anyone and everyone who needs a little inspiration in their lives (or wants to share it!). We look forward to continue working with UnderSolen and the many different avenues of social media today in order to help more people become inspired to reach their potential.

Learn more about SheJumps at: www.shejumps.org

Join the growing online community at: http://shejumps.ning.com

Keep up on Claire’s adventures as a pro-skier and non-profit Executive Director at: www.clairesmallwood.com

Photo Credit: Re Wikstrom

Want to see some more? Check this awesome video that Claire stars in! Produced and filmed by our friend Brandon Gust:

Have a soft spot for James Bond movies? Never had the chance to channel your inner spy? Now is the time!

To raise money for their upcoming expedition, the Kamchatka Project is throwing one fancy fundraiser party. It’s an evening of gambling, salmon and espionage, with great door prizes and sweet gear on raffle. All the action happens March 13, 2010 and you’ll want to get your tickets now; they’re $35 in advance and get you complimentary drinks, hors d’oeuvres and an opening stack of chips for the casino. Buy them here. And the best part? Ticket proceeds go to funding the Kamchatka Project, which happens to be a 501(c)3 — your tickets are 100% tax deductible!

Where: Keen Headquarters

926 NW 13th Ave, PDX

When: Saturday March 13, 2010

Attire: Formal, or dress as your favorite 007 character. Best two costumes win door prizes!

See the full invite here.

All proceeds support the efforts of The Kamchatka Project to raise awareness about salmon conservation though exploration.

[Photo: Brocco Lee]

In our ongoing Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010 coverage, we already rounded up a list of happy hours, but what we like even better than free beer is buying awesome gear and having your money go to a good cause. So here’s a list of cool swag you can score by donating money to super cool non-profits and causes; you’ll have new gear to show off at home and feel good about supporting positive change… the ultimate for an eco warrior gear head!

KEEN Targhee Boots

Score a pair of $40 Keen Targhee IIs for yourself and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Waterkeeper Alliance.

When: Friday January 22nd, 4-6pm

Where: Keen, Booth #32149

FalconGuides’ Best Easy Day Hikes books + National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps

FalconGuides is proud to announce a new alliance with National Geographic Maps. As a result of this collaboration, two of the United States’ largest publishers of outdoor recreation information will offer hiking enthusiasts comprehensive packages featuring FalconGuides’ Best Easy Day Hikes books and National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps.

A portion of sales from the four initial packages in the Best Easy Day Hikes Book and Map Packs series will benefit the American Hiking Society.

When: Friday January 22nd, 4-6pm

Where: Falcon Guides, Booth #33035

Suunto, Patagonia, Osprey, Dakine, Pistil Designs, Black Diamond, La Sportiva & more

SkiingtheBackcountry.com is putting on a raffle in conjunction with OR and SIA to raise funds for Kirk Williams, one of the writers for the online magazine. Last November, Kirk was in a mountain biking accident and ended up with a serious spinal injury.  He’s currently an  incomplete quadriplegic, but there is hope that he will someday walk again! He is also working on regaining the use of his hands and forearms so that he can continue to pursue a career in photography. Needless to say, his medical expenses are going to be staggeringly high.  On average, someone Kirk’s age with a spinal cord injury will spend $1.5-2 MILLION of their own money on medical expenses that are not covered by insurance.  The team at SkiingtheBackcountry.com figured the best thing they could do was rally up the power of the outdoor and snowsports industry and raise as much money for Kirk as possible!

The raffle will kick off Wednesday and tickets will be able to be purchased via SkiingtheBackcountry.com.

Shoes, bags, bottles and beyond

The granddaddy of OR swag is being sold by Conservation Alliance member companies, in fact there’s so much cool stuff that it’s too long to list here. You’ll find everything from Montrail shoes to a re-purposed NEMO tote to Osprey hydration packs, with a lot of companies giving 100% of proceeds to the Conservation Alliance. You’ve never put your money in a better place! Here’s all the info you need:

Columbia, Booth #28001

Product: Ravenice, Men’s and Women’s.

Donation: 100% to The Conservation Alliance

Price: $40, MSRP $115

Hours: Happy Hour, Thursday, January 21, 4:30-6pm

Montrail, Booth #26001

Product: Sabino Trail Shoe

Price: $35, MSRP $100

Donation: proceeds will be split between The Conservation Alliance and Conservation Alliance grantee The Wilderness Support Center

Hours: Friday, January 22, 4-6pm

Brooks, Booth # 36123

Product: Brooks Cascadia 5.

Price: $50, MSRP $100

Donation: 100% to The Conservation Alliance

Hours: Thursday, January 21 – Friday, January 22, 11am-6pm each day

Ruff Wear, Booth # 33061

Product: Ruff Wear Sqwash dog toy

Price: $5, MSRP $9.99

Donation: 100% to The Conservation Alliance

Hours: available throughout the show

Stanley, Booth #21017

Product: Stanley eCycle Exchange Recycled & Recyclable mug and bottle. Two limited Edition Nineteen 13 Flasks for Auction

Price: $10 for bottle/mug. Silent Auction for Flask

Donation: 100% to The Conservation Alliance

Hours: Runs through the show and at Open Air Demo

Timex, Booth # 35125

Product: WS4 Watch

Price: $50, MSRP $200

Donation: 50% of revenue will go directly to The Conservation Alliance. IF all 300 watches are sold, Timex will provide an additional donation to a Conservation Alliance grantee.

Hours: Friday, January 22nd, 3-5pm.

Additional notes: limited quantity available

CamelBak, Booth # 15027

Product: SnoBlast Pack, limited edition — embroidered with The Conservation Alliance logo!

Price: $30, MSRP $79.99

Donation: 100% to The Conservation Alliance

Hours: available throughout the show,

Dansko, Booth #18027

Product: Dansko Shoes for Women and Men

Price: $75, MSRP $120-140

Donation: $10 of each shoe sale will be donated to The Conservation Alliance

Hours: available throughout the show

NEMO, Booth #1011

Product: Ditto Tote, made of repurposed NEMO tent samples and manufacturing seconds.

Price: $15, MSRP $19.95

Donation: 100% of the proceeds will benefit The Conservation Alliance

Hours: Available throughout the show

Osprey, Booth #8027

Product: Osprey Raptor 6 Hydration Pack

Price: $30, MSRP $79

Donation: 100% of the proceeds will benefit The Conservation Alliance

Hours: Thursday, January 21, 3-6pm

Black Diamond, Booth #5027

Product: Ion Headlamp

Price: $10, MSRP $19.95

Donation: 100% will benefit The Conservation Alliance

Hours: available throughout the show

Eagle Creek, Booth #22027

Product: ES Cargo Duffle, medium size. The perfect bag for hauling gear through the rainforests of Borneo or valuable schwag home from OR.

Price: $25, MSRP $75

Donation: 100% will benefit The Conservation Alliance

Hours: available throughout the show

Canada Goose, Booth # 5045

Product: Merino Wool Beanie

Price: $20, MSRP $50

Donation: 100% to The Conservation Alliance

Hours: Thursday, January 21, 2 – 4pm

Grabber, Inc., Booth #132

Product: 20-pack Hand Warmers or 8-pair Toe Warmers

Price: $5, MSRP: $10 Hand / $15 Toe

Donation: 100% to The Conservation Alliance

Hours: All Day January 23-24, 2010

Horny Toad, Booth #30051

Product: Men’s and Women’s Cashmoore fleece styles

Price: $20-$40, MSRP $76-$110

Donation: 10% of the proceeds to The Conservation Alliance

Hours: available throughout the show

Did we miss something? Leave a comment below or let us know via Twitter.

James Balog of the Extreme Ice Survey will speak next Friday at The Conservation Alliance's breakfast in Salt Lake City. The Extreme Ice Survey is the most wide-ranging glacier study ever conducted using ground-based, real-time photography.

This week at Under Solen, we’ve been gearing up for next week’s Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City. While all of our heads will be swimming with meetings, happy hours and gear, we’re hoping to keep our eye on the the thread that holds all of this together — protecting those incredible wild places that keep our industry alive and kicking.

So, we thought we’d give a shout-out to a couple great groups that are walking the walk this week.

The Conservation Alliance

Since thier founding in 1989, the Conservation Alliance has contributed more than $7 million to conservation projects throughout North America — protecting more than 49 million acres of land, stop or remove 27 dams, and preserve access to thousands of miles of rivers and several climbing areas. The Alliance is a group of outdoor industry companies that disburses its collective annual membership dues to grassroots environmental organizations to protect threatened wild habitat, preferably where outdoor enthusiasts recreate. The Alliance was founded in 1989 by industry leaders REI, Patagonia, The North Face, and Kelty, who shared the goal of increasing outdoor industry support for conservation efforts.

Mark your calendars for their awesome breakfast at 7a.m. on Friday at the Marriot. We know it’s early, but this will give you the inspiration you need to get revved up for a day at the show. Look forward to founder and director of The Extreme Ice Survey, James Balog to give a stunning look at the impact abrupt climate change is having on the world’s glaciers.

And make sure to stop by participating booths to support the Alliance! Whether you’re looking for some wild inspiration, a rockin’ party or some sweet gear that benefits a great cause – they have packed line-up.

The Epicocity Project and iLCP Flathead RAVE

Grizzly bear captured on film by iLCP photographer Joe Riis ©iLCP Flathead RAVE

The Epicocity Project’s thought-provoking new film — Flathead Wild — will premiere at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival at the Nevada Theater in Nevada City, Calif. Saturday, Jan. 16 before going on tour.

Proposed mountaintop removal mining in southeastern British Columbia, Canada is threatening one of America’s most endangered rivers and one of North America’s wildest remaining valley — The Flathead. Flathead Wild follows the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) as they descend on the Flathead River Valley, along with local conservation groups, to take breathtaking and iconic images of the threatened ecosystem. These images then act as tools for the Flathead coalition to help tip the scales in favor of protection and conservation.

Flathead Wild is also now available online. Help Epicocity spread the word by linking to the film on your blog, Facebook and Twitter and send it to your friends and family!

[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/7775085]

Helping Haiti

And we wanted to once again highlight how we can help folks in Haiti. Earlier this week, an earthquake registering 7.0 on the Richter scale hit Haiti. Centered just outside of the populated capital, Port-au-Prince, the quake’s effects have been devastating. Within less than 24 hours the outpouring of international support has been impressive.

So how can you take part? Here’s just a small collection of what’s out there.

The Epicocity Project’s awesome new film — Flathead Wild — will premiere at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival at the Nevada Theater in Nevada City, Calif. Saturday, Jan. 16.

Proposed mountaintop removal mining in southeastern British Columbia, Canada is threatening one of America’s most endangered rivers and one of North America’s wildest remaining valley — The Flathead. Flathead Wild follows the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) as they descend on the Flathead River Valley, along with local conservation groups, to take breathtaking and iconic images of the threatened ecosystem. These images then act as tools for the Flathead coalition to help tip the scales in favor of protection and conservation.

Flathead Wild is also now available online. Help Epicocity spread the word by linking to the film on your blog, Facebook and Twitter and send it to your friends and family!

“Change is inevitable, but we have the opportunity here to protect an irreplaceable wildland and natural resource. If we let the Flathead fall to mining pressures — we will never be able to bring it back,” said Ryland Nelson, the Southern Rockies program coordinator of Wildsight. “With a free-flowing, pristine river and the highest concentration of inland grizzlies in North America, the Flathead Valley is one of the most biologically important places on earth — we have to act now for our environment, wildlife and present and future generations.”

© Christina Mittermeier, iLCP Flathead RAVE

It’s up to us to save this wild place. We have to act now — not tomorrow, or a year from now — we have to take action now. Please pass this video on to your friends, family, everyone! Here’s the link: http://www.vimeo.com/7775085. Write a blog about it, post it on Facebook and Twitter. We can do it! Let’s save the Flathead!

PHOTOS © iLCP Flathead RAVE

An earthquake registering 7.0 on the Richter scale hit Haiti yesterday. Centered just outside of the populated capital, Port-au-Prince, the quake’s effects have been devastating. Within less than 24 hours the outpouring of international support has been impressive. So how can you take part? Here’s just a small collection of what’s out there.

1. Huffington Post has an ongoing list of relief efforts and how you can get involved that it is going to continue updating. Check it out here.

2. Matador is trying to use the power of its network of passionate travels to make a difference. They’re trying to get Jet Blue to sponsor a flight of volunteers to provide on the ground support. They need help with exposure, logistics and simply spreading the word. Take a couple of minutes to help out and re-tweet this message:

@JetBlue: If @MatadorNetwork could fill a plane with volunteers, would you fly them to Santo Domingo to help #quake vics in #Haiti?

3. CNN has compiled a list of organizations that will be providing support to the estimated 3 million people that have been affected by the earthquake.

4. Many people are engaging the Twitter community to raise awareness, as well as funds. Search “Haiti” and see what the latest updates are.

[Photo: ingro.comagenciadenoticias2.0 via Matador Change]

Update: Matador is working on talking to Jet Blue, but now they’re also collecting donations. Find out more here.