Osprey Athletes Flock to Cortez for Team Summit

Cortez, CO — Osprey Packs, Inc., a leader in creating top-quality, high-performance, innovative packs to comfortably and efficiently carry gear, held its first-ever Athlete Summit this May, bringing together Osprey sponsored, professional athletes from a variety of sports to inspire and build the brand.

Athletes attending the two-day meeting at Osprey headquarters in Cortez, CO included: climber Beth Rodden, mountain athlete Ben Clark, mountain biker Macky Franklin, skier Alison Gannett, climber Timmy O’Neill, adventure racer Payge McMahon, skier and climber Evan Stevens, climber Majka Burhardt, skier Sven Brunso, climber Jasmin Caton and mountain biking phenoms Jake and Nye Yackle.

“It was wonderful to gather our diverse lineup of athletes at Osprey headquarters,” said Osprey’s Director of Marketing Gareth Martins. “Their energy and enthusiasm was contagious. We are very lucky to have such engaged ambassadors for our brand.”

Over two days, the team participated in marketing, product and sales meetings as well as brainstorming sessions to provide input and insight. The athletes took time to tour Osprey headquarters, signing posters and meeting Osprey employees throughout the warehouse and customer service departments. The group also tried their hand at bowling and Frisbee golf. Fortunately for Osprey, they all agreed to stick with their own sports.

Throughout the Athlete Summit, the team participated in an Instagram Scavenger Hunt, competing to accomplish specific tasks and documenting them on Instagram for their fans and followers. The scavenger hunt images can be viewed here. Winners Macky Franklin and Payge McMahon donated their prize money to a non-profit of their choosing. Macky selected Field Institute of Taos while Payge chose Paradox Sports.

Based on the success of the inaugural Athlete Summit, Osprey plans on hosting follow up summits in the future to grow athlete relationships and support brand initiatives. 

Osprey Packs

Independent since 1974 and anchored by the design genius of company founder and owner, Mike Pfotenhauer, Osprey Packs has long set the standard for creating innovative, high quality gear carrying equipment. The collection includes packs and bags designed to help adventurers enjoy their outdoor, biking and travel pursuits.

The location of company headquarters in Cortez, Colorado, near the rugged San Juan Mountains and on the edge of desert canyon country, provides a constant inspiration and a superb testing ground for Osprey products. Osprey also maintains a product development office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, near the factories where they manufacture their products, ensuring face-to-face relationships and transparency with their suppliers. In 2010, Osprey opened a design office in Mill Valley, California, a hub of design talent and the birthplace of mountain biking. All three of these offices play a crucial role in creating Osprey gear that lasts a lifetime.

To celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2009, Osprey launched the All Mighty Guarantee, an enhancement of a lifetime warranty that was already one of the most robust in the industry. Free of charge, the company will repair any damage or defect in its product – whether it was purchased in 1974 or yesterday. Every Osprey product reflects the company’s commitment to protect the wild places its customers love to explore. For more information, visit www.ospreypacks.com.