Granite Gear Athlete Lonnie Dupre Launches Himalayan Exploration
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Granite Gear athlete, polar explorer and mountaineer, Lonnie Dupre, continues in his efforts to explore and advocate for fragile environments around the world. Arriving in Nepal with the Vertical Nepal team this week, they will explore unclimbed peaks and provide humanitarian support to local communities affected by the May earthquake.
Granite Gear is supporting Lonnie in his 2016 efforts, including the Vertical Nepal expedition. In the first phase of the expedition, Dupre and teammates Elías de Andrés Martos (Spain) and Bridget Schletty (USA), will review several of over 7,000 mountains that were opened for climbing by the government of Nepal last spring in order to choose one to climb next spring.
“I feel prepared for the logistics and adventure ahead,” Dupre said. “I’m looking forward to learning more about the mountain culture of the Nepalese people and offer what assistance we can after the earthquakes. The experience gained from each expedition often makes one humbler and hopefully wiser.”
During the second phase of the expedition, Dupre and team will work with The Rose International Fund for Children, Himalayan Healthcare, Snow Leopard Conservacy and the Adventures for Conservation in order to help restore the rural mountain community. Acknowledging the community’s need for basic mountaineering safety, the team will also teach a course on the topic. Later in the mission, Vertical Nepal will volunteer at a school for the visually impaired, provide data on snow leopard activity and initiate the collection of high altitude snow and rock samples for scientific studies.
Granite Gear has supported the expedition by donating campus backpacks to students with visual and hearing impairments at the Sanjiwani School in Dhulikhel, Nepal.
About Lonnie Dupre
Lonnie Dupre, a resident of Grand Marais, Minnesota, brings 25 years of Arctic exploration to his most recent endeavor. His accomplishments include being the first to circumnavigate Greenland by non-motorized transport and reaching the North Pole in two separate expeditions. Dupre has also worked to bring worldwide attention to his concern over the environment. “I spent a lot of time over the last few years trying to figure out how to inspire folks about our need to do something about climate change,” said Dupre. “ We have made a one hour film called Cold Love, which is about Arctic adventure and the world’s need – people’s need – for snow and ice. Snow and ice are important in our polar regions because they help reflect the sun’s energy back into space. Basically, the planet’s polar regions act as a thermostat to keep our planet cool.” The documentary is being entered in film festivals and offered on DVD via OneWorldEndeavors.com
About Granite Gear
For 29 independent years, Granite Gear has brought cutting-edge products to the outdoor marketplace. Their award-winning backpacks, adventure travel gear, extensive variety of storage sacks, lifestyle accessories, and canoe gear offer excellence in design and construction. Granite Gear’s desire is for all outdoor enthusiasts and travelers to experience the incredible durability and comfort of their products. Located in Northern Minnesota, just minutes from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Superior Hiking Trail, they have a rugged and beautiful testing ground for their products.
