Outdoor Research Adds Fourth Vertfest Event in Jackson Hole

With 4 events in the western U.S., Vertfest has become the nation’s largest backcountry ski-focused festival.

SEATTLE, Wash. (Jan. 29, 2015) – Since its founding eight years ago, Vertfest, a celebration of backcountry skiing conceived by Seattle apparel maker Outdoor Research in the nearby Cascades, has grown with affiliated events in Bend, Ore., and Brighton, Utah. This year, Vertfest will again grow with a fourth affiliated event in Jackson Hole, Wyo., at Snow King Mountain.

What originally began as the LifeLink rando race, Outdoor Research took the event over in 2007 and rebranded it as Vertfest. Originally a rando race, the event changed formats in 2010 to be more inclusive and help bring manufacturers, consumers and educators together to further avalanche safety and awareness, while raising funds for the Northwest Avalanche Center. Since then, the additions of Brighton and Mt. Bachelor in 2014 and Jackson Hole in 2015 have created the nation’s largest backcountry ski festival, which has helped raise more than $100,000 for avy centers across the West.

Vertfest is dedicated to raising the level of avalanche awareness, snow safety and general stoke for backcountry enthusiasts. All four festivals feature on-mountain races, demos and clinics, whose topics include ski mountaineering, photography, steep skiing and avalanche safety.

“As backcountry skiing and riding continues to grow, it’s more important than ever to help support education and safety, and that’s best done in an environment where you can also have some fun and get people excited about the sport,” said Christian Folk, Grassroots Marketing Manager for Outdoor Research. “We’re excited that Vertfest has grown into helping fill that role in multiple locations throughout the U.S.“

2015 Tour Dates:

• Mt. Bachelor, OR, benefiting the Central Oregon Avalanche Center, February 7-8.
• Snow King, WY, benefiting the Snow King Volunteer Ski Patrol, February 20-21.
• Brighton, UT, benefiting the Utah Avalanche Center, March 7-8.
• Alpental, WA, benefiting the Northwest Avalanche Center, originally planned for February 14-15, this event will be postponed until March 21-22 due to current low snow conditions in the Cascades.

For more information about individual festivals, and their full schedules, visit www.outdoorresearch.com/en/vertfest-14-15.

You can also stay updated on event details on Vertfest’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/vertfest.

About Outdoor Research

Outdoor Research® is Designed by Adventure®. We provide Innovation and Inspiration for the Relentless Adventurer. Based in Seattle, Outdoor Research was founded in 1981. We are dedicated to building better outdoor apparel, gloves, hats and an array of other outdoor accessories informed by real-world testing. We develop innovative, functional, bomb-proof products that are beautiful in their simplicity. We strive to provide the best value to our customers, not shareholders. We are committed to our core sports: alpinism, rock and ice climbing, hiking, backpacking, paddling, trail running, and skiing and snowboarding. And we’re having fun along the way. 

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MEDIA CONTACT
Dave Simpson
Verde Brand Communications
dave@verdepr.com
(970) 259-3555