Climber Kyle Vassilopoulos Joins MYSTERY RANCH Ambassador Team

MYSTERY RANCH Celebrates the Bozeman Ice Festival with

On-Ice Pitch Series Pack Launch

MYSTERY RANCH, a manufacturer of packs built on a heritage of function, comfort, quality and durability, has chosen the 19th Annual Bozeman Ice Festival to make an on-ice debut of the brand’s new 2016 Pitch Series of alpine packs. The Bozeman Ice Festival, an iconic winter celebration and fundraiser to maintain winter access into local climbing area Hyalite Canyon takes place December 9-13. It is also the site of the 2015 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup and North American Championships.

The collection of four alpine packs is part of the all-new Mountain Collection, which marks a return to Outdoor for MYSTERY RANCH co-owners, Dana Gleason and Renee Sippel-Baker. Gleason has been making packs since the 70s and is best known for founding his namesake brand Dana Design in 1985. Until this season, MYSTERY RANCH mainly produced packs for hunting, wildland firefighters and Special Ops. “My passion is the outdoors and mountains–that’s where we started out and it’s great to be back,” said Gleason. 

Also, making his debut at the festival as a new MYSTERY RANCH ambassador, is Kyle Vassilopoulos, who will be leading ice climbing clinics on Friday and Saturday of the festival. Vassilopoulos calls himself “a Jack-of-all-trades” who loves alpine and ice climbing, establishing new routes in new areas and adventures. He is known for establishing more than 200 routes and first ascents around the world. In 2013 he set a new route in Hyalite Canyon – House of Flying Daggers M12+ FA, which is reputed to be one of the hardest mixed pitch in the area. Additional noteworthy climbs set by Vassilopoulos include; Drifting Upside Down 14c FA and Meiosis 14c FA, both located in Wild Iris, Wyoming. Currently, Vassilopoulos is working on establishing new routes and crags in the greater Little Popo Agie Canyon, including the Wolf Point crag, located in WY.

Festival attendees can try out and/or purchase new MYSTERY RANCH packs while climbing in Hyalite Canyon during the festival. They will be set up nightly, from 5:30PM-7:30PM, at the demo sign-out located in the ballroom at the Emerson Center on 111 S. Grand Avenue. And, throughout the festival, RANCHERS, including Vassilopoulos and team photographer, Ben Herndon, will be broadcasting images and news via social channels. Their goal is to raise awareness beyond the festival and funds for Friends of Hyalite, which protects access to ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon. Festival goers and MYSTERY RANCH fans can join the conversation at #bif19, #MysteryRanch, #BuiltForTheMission.

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About MYSTERY RANCH

MYSTERY RANCH is committed to building the finest load carriage equipment in the world. A product-driven company from the beginning, MYSTERY RANCH designs packs for the job that needs to get done, for the people committed to doing it, with the best materials available and the most durable construction methods that exist. For more: http://mysteryranch.com #BuiltForTheMission