Our trajectory to Scotland felt like traveling into the future, or maybe the past – but instead of a clean break, we lost half a day, never saw the sun go down and arrived in Scotland after close to 24 hours of consistent daylight. Exhausted but invigorated, we did our best to beat jet lag. Our first full day in Peebles, Scotland, located in the Borders Region just 40 kilometers south of Edinburgh, presented us with relatively clear skies and loads to explore.
Durango native and Osprey’s own Shannon Hahn will celebrate the summer solstice by climbing California’s snow-covered, 14,179-foot Mount Shasta, the second highest volcano in the United States with a team of women from across the country to raise money for breast cancer prevention.
Check out this amazing poster promoting Stage 1 of the US Pro Cycling Challenge created by Osprey’s Graphic Designer, Tim Calkins. This super cool poster won a national contest in which entries were submitted and a winning poster chosen for each hosting city as well as an overall event poster. Tim’s poster won first place for the Durango stage which will be the kickoff city for the entire event.
Osprey is proud to be an Official Partner of as well as the Official Backpack of the 2012 US Pro Cycling Challenge. We are extremely excited to watch some of the world’s best riders take on the challenging and scenic byways that Colorado has to offer. Osprey will be present at the finish line Expo of each stage with loads of cool displays, games, giveaways, etc.. Stay tuned for details, but mark these dates in your calendar now!
I don’t really know anything about parenting, other than what I see from my friends and family. Besides the fact that it’s a big deal, and you know, it completely changes your life. But I have met quite a few women who loved the outdoors before they had their first child and have learned how to raise their children and not lose that connection in the process. Which I think is inspiring…
People ask me, “What’s your mom like,” and I tell them that she’s a ball of energy, running on caffeine and chocolate, kind of like…me sometimes. She’s a stubborn lady. I remember her saying one time when we were out for a four mph walk, Oh, I wish I could still run. She never makes excuses, never stopped moving because of this injury or that injury, Oh I have a bad back/bad knees/don’t have time. She just makes time.
And since this Sunday is Mother’s Day, we decided to troll the internet for a few more inspiring stories of mothers out there. They all seem to incorporate climbing, which is alright with us — and a pretty awesome metaphor as Susan E.B. Schwartz wrote in Climbing Magazine:
As I see it, motherhood is a lot like rock climbing.
Nothing truly prepares you for either: all the expert explanations, advice from well-meaning friends, instructional videos and manuals — nothing does motherhood or climbing justice. I’ve learned this firsthand after nearly a decade at the first and two decades at the second.
In the end, climbing and motherhood come down to one thing: until you’re there yourself, perched precariously, staring wide-eyed and terrified around you, you have absolutely no idea what it’s like. Combining two such powerful and all-consuming life experiences has always challenged women.
I believe that life is about living gracefully through the transitions. I have climbed the world over for the last 10 years and developed a keen sense of my body and its strengths. As a healthy expectant mother I continued to listen to the needs of my body. Staying in tune often means exploring the possibilities: changes in balance, energy needs, and the ability to move with ease. I hope you enjoy this video which means so much to me. It feels like a reflection of the adaptability of the human body and the strength of the human spirit.
Chances are, if you’re reading this blog post, you have a mom that crushes it. We hope you have an awesome climbing or backpacking trip planned with her this Sunday. Happy Mother’s Day!
As climbers, mountaineers, skiers, hikers, paddlers and cyclists, we spend our days searching for the path less traveled. The enticement of exploration and adventure is what drives us to seek out secluded peaks and uncharted trails. For the most part, we seek this adventure to quench our own thirst, but what if we could do more? What if we could do our part to protect the places and wildlife that we search for?
Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation is helping us bridge that gap.
In the wake of a changing climate and a rapidly expanding human population, it is imperative that the choices we make are based on relevant scientific information. We know that the collection of data can be expensive, time consuming and physically challenging.
Adventure athletes constantly travel to areas of great need. These ambassadors of the outdoors often want to do more for the areas they travel in, but simply have not acquired the skills to do so. Throughout the last several months, we have been organizing an army of adventure athletes turned citizen-scientists who are now collecting scientific data on all seven continents.
The time is now to harness the unique abilities of people who are already going to difficult to reach areas. There are thousands of people in remote areas every day who are ready, willing, and able to help protect our planet’s most vital resources; they simply need the tools to do so.
If you’d like to learn more about how to help, visit adventureandscience.org. For a limited time, we’re giving away Talon 11 packs to those who donate $150 or more to the cause. Support the cause today!
Here’s your healthy dose of wanderlust this Tuesday morning… incredible trailer for the 2012 5Point Film Festival. Warning: it’s tough to stay in the office after watching this gem. Nice work, Forge Motion Pictures.
We see a lot of great photos and videos throughout the week. So, we thought it was high time we started rounding up some of our faves each week and highlighting one on Friday to inspire weekend adventures. We call it the Osprey Round Up.
We thought we’d give you a good dose of cuteness and a kick in the pants this Friday. Our friends at 5Gyres just released this short PSA, featuring Randall from Honey Badger fame. Take a moment to watch and then do your part to stop plastic pollution.
The story of one couple’s ultimate journey—five weeks exploring the wild and rugged landscape of Chile and Patagonia. We caught this little gem on the big screen at 5Point Film Festival last weekend. It’s sure to stoke your inner wanderlust this Tuesday morning.
We see a lot of great photos throughout the week. So, we thought it was high time we started rounding up some of our faves each week and highlighting one on Friday to inspire weekend adventures. We call it the Osprey Round Up.
It’s Friday and the sun is shining in Colorado. Our friends up at 5Point Film Festival took a few hours off to raft on the Crystal River near Carbondale with local guides from Elk Mountain Expeditions. “We’re pumped to be stoked,” Sarah Kuck told us. We hope you all are too.
Osprey athlete Kim Havell sent this video to us this morning and it’s a perfect mental health break to kickstart your day. This beautiful short from Fisher Creative captures the beauty and the reality of ski attempts in the high Himalaya — in this case on the 14th highest peak in the world — without the use of any oxygen and with no one else on the mountain with them at the end.
Kim, and the rest of the team, was attempting to complete a first descent on the mountain, but not the first descent. The peak has been skied before… they were just hoping to ski a new route from the top. The crew turned around just shy of the final summit push because of a sick teammate and other factors. Take a few minutes, grab your cup and enjoy.
Osprey Packs
by Serena Bishop Gordon
Fox
