Sign In May 2011
A place for news, views, and ideas from the outdoor community
Sweet 16 for OGE
Outdoor Gear Exchange is moving, and growing! The fixture in the climbing-hiking-camping-skiing community is settling into more than 44,000 square feet on Church Street this month, in the space once occupied by Old Navy. That makes us proud to live in a community where a locally owned, high-quality gear company can occupy an anchor space at a shopping mall—and a big corporation selling cheap clothes is out of there.
OGE will use the new space for retail, administrative offices, a warehouse, and space for its national online retail business GearX.com (which accounts for 25 percent of business). Co-owner Marc Sherman said OGE has outgrown its Cherry Street location, and the new location will attract more foot traffic from the busy Church Street Marketplace.
OGE plans to increase the selection of products for its core customers, as well as offer more gear for the everyday outdoor enthusiast, the company says. “Family camping, or car camping, is one area where we definitely plan to offer more selection,” co-owner Mike Donohue said in a release. “Plus, we’ll finally have room for things like open-tent displays and more paddling gear, from kayaks to stand-up paddleboards.”
With Climb High’s recent closing, OGE is going to carrysome of the brands that were popular there, such as Mammut.
And of course, the consignment section is staying, but it will be larger and better organized. Plus, OGE will offer an expanded selection of closeouts and seconds. A larger space also means the need for more jobs: OGE will add between five and 10 full-time positions.
The move is slated for May, coinciding with OGE’s 16th anniversary. It will be a sweet 16 indeed!
Pine Hill Park Visionary Honored With CVPS-Zetterstrom Environmental Award
Michael Smith of Rutland was honored by Central Vermont Public Service for his leadership in turning a city forest into the 300-acre Pine Hill Park—now well known for for its extensive mountain bike trails. The award, named for famed osprey advocate Meeri Zetterstrom, includes a $2,500 cash award to support continued improvements in the park, according to a release from CVPS.
“Michael Smith has not only devoted his life to making Pine Hill Park accessible and enjoyable to thousands of people, he has done it in a way that highlights its importance as an environmental oasis in the middle of an urban center,” CVPS Executive Chairman Bob Young said. “Michael, much like Meeri Zetterstrom, has educated thousands of Vermonters about the importance of preserving natural spaces for future generations.” We couldn’t have said it any better—thanks Mike, for all you do!
GMC at 10,000
The Green Mountain Club reached its “Project 10K” goal of 10,000 members—right on its 101st birthday in March. The Waterbury-based nonprofit maintains and protects the 273-mile Long Trail. Vermont Sports is proud to be one in 10,000 as well, as we recently secured our business membership. Here’s to the continued success of the GMC, and its next 10,000 members.
Shelburne Man Aims High for Diabetes Funding
Anthony Seidita, a 38-year-old from Shelburne is reaching for the sky as he attempts to climb the three tallest peaks in New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont in less than 24 hours. Seidita says this hike has never been done before, and the reason he’s eager to complete the task is to raise money and awareness for the American Diabetes Association.
He’s going to start on June 25 at midnight, with a hike up Mount Marcy in New York. Then, he’ll be driven to Vermont, and summit Mount Mansfield. Finally, he’ll be driven to New Hampshire to hike up Mount Washington, the tallest mountain in the Northeast. It will be a total of 29 miles of hiking, and a total elevation gain of 9,400 feet. His goal is to raise $10,000 for the ADA. If you’d like to learn more, or pledge financial support, visit http://main.diabetes.org/goto/hike.
Stowe Gets Speedier
Stowe is saying goodbye to its FourRunner chairlift, and hello to a new high-speed quad. The FourRunner, installed in the 1980s, has carried more skiers and riders than any other lift in Stowe’s history, said company spokesperson Jeff Wise. The new quad, name to-be-determined, will debut at the start of the 2011-2012 season.
Women Can Ski Jump in 2014 Olympics
Although it’s hard to believe, women have not been allowed to participate in the Olympic ski jumping event. But the International Olympic Committee finally woke up, and is allowing women to ski jump in the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. Top women are capable of jumping the same distances as top men, reports ESPN, because while men build up more speed on the approach, women, because they are lighter, can sail farther in the air. “Lindsey Van, the 2009 world champion from the U.S., held the distance record for both genders on the normal hill in Vancouver for two years before it was broken by several male skiers in the Olympics,” states ESPN. We look forward to both genders bringing home the hardware.