Mountain Hardwear Announces 09 Gives Back Grants

RICHMOND, Calif. (February 3, 2009) – Mountain Hardwear, Inc. is pleased to announce the 2009 recipients of the company’s Gives Back Grant program and a new program called Send a Kid to Camp. The new program will provide up to a total of $35,000 in scholarship funds to ten outdoor oriented camps located across the United States.

For every visitor to the Gives Back landing page who clicks on the Send a Kid to Camp button between now and April 15, 2009, Mountain Hardwear will donate one dollar towards the cost of camp for a youngster who would not normally have that opportunity, up to $35,000 total.

“Mountain Hardwear gravitated towards the concept of providing the opportunity for youth to attend an outdoor camp for several reasons. Research put out by the Outdoor Foundation shows that most adults who participate in outdoor recreation were first exposed to it in their youth. There is also evidence that individuals who have some sort of a connection with nature are healthier both physically and mentally. And, these days, outdoor activities and campouts can take a back seat to structured activities and electronics. As a leader in the industry, we feel we need to make sure that today’s youth have the same opportunity to experience and learn about the outdoors that we did,” Said Mike Wallenfels, president of Mountain Hardwear.

Send a Kid to Camp funds will be distributed equally to the following Camps:
Camp Jack Hazard – Modesto, California
City Wild – Denver, Colorado
Gateway Mountain Center – Truckee, California
Girls Incorporated – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Kismet Rock Foundation – North Conway, New Hampshire
Outdoor Outreach – San Diego, California
Summer Search – New York, New York
Vida Verde – Half Moon Bay, California
Women’s Wilderness Institute – Boulder, Colorado
Youth Enrichment Strategies – Richmond, California

Youth who are interested in attending these camps should contact the camps directly.

Additional Gives Back grants were awarded to the following organizations:
Access Fund
American Alpine Club
American Mountain Guides Association
American Hiking Society
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Bay Area Wilderness Training
Big City Mountaineers
Biodiversity Conservation Alliance
Breast Cancer Fund
Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies
Conservation Alliance
Global Mountain Fund
Leave No Trace
Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition
Pacific Crest Trail Association
Paradox Sports
Richmond YMCA Bay Front Race
Rocky Mountain Field Institute
The Outdoor Foundation

More information about the Mountain Hardwear Gives Back program can be found at http://www.mountainhardwear.com/GivesBack.aspx

About Mountain Hardwear:
Mountain Hardwear makes cutting-edge mountaineering and outdoor equipment, apparel and accessories for the most extreme conditions. Mountain Hardwear was established in 1993 by a group of outdoor industry veterans and is based in Richmond, Calif. The company distributes its products through specialty outdoor and sporting goods retailers in the United States and over 40 countries worldwide. Mountain Hardwear has won numerous product and customer service awards since its inception, reflecting the company’s commitment and passion toward innovation. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear Company. For more information about Mountain Hardwear, visit the company’s Internet home page at www.mountainhardwear.com.