Outdoor USA Magazine

The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is taking steps to inspire African American youth to get outside, be active and become stewards of wild places. NOLS is working to achieve this goal by running the first predominantly African American expedition to the summit of Denali.

In an effort to recognize local conservation project as well as people who share a passion for the outdoors, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA) and Columbia unveiled the launch of their new Belay Program. The Belay Program is designed to provide the basic necessities to guarantee and safeguard local projects dedicated towards improving the environment. . Of the 30 applications that were submitted for the first edition of the award, the GOA selected 10 to be granted $5,000 in cash and/or product from the Columbia.

In a continuing effort to further it's mission of getting more kids outdoor and assisting the volunteers who run programs to increase children's involvement, the Youth Outdoor Legacy Fund (YOLF) has granted $110,000 to 8 organizations in 2011.

National Ski Patrol has turned to Adrenalin to form a new marketing platform, serving as a standard for over 600 patrols and their 26,000 members. The marketing platform represents efforts the patrol is making to unify and advance its brand.

Since its inception in 1938 the National Ski Patrol has been growing, not only as a standard of safety, but in size. Now, with members spread across the U.S. the National Ski Patrol found it imperative to define their brand with a single voice.

Adrenalina has created a new style guide that gives all the patrols simple standards to follow and make the brand even more recognizable and uniform.

Eastern Outdoor Reps Association (EORA) has just finished up their first December pre-shows in Boxborough, MA; Parsippany, NJ; and Asheville, NC. The goal of the early shows is to allow retailers to take care of most of their business up front so that their attention during the holiday season can be on sales at the store with minimal rep showing disruptions.

Nonprofit Big City Mountaineers, an organization that instills critical life skills in under-resourced urban youth through wilderness mentoring has added three new members to its Board of Directors. These new leadership members, Nate Simmons, Michael Leming and Carol Sweasy will to extend the reach and impact of Big City Mountaineers.

The Paradise Area of Mount Rainer National Park represents some of the most heavily visited and hiked trails within the park. Due to the heavy travel, the 26 miles of beautiful trails in the Washington Park have been damaged. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics reinforces its already stellar reputation for sustainable park use by partnering with the National Park Service. Together they have implemented various education programs to lessen these impacts that have occurred after recreation use.

American Hiking Society (AHS) has begun accepting applications for the 2012 National Trails Fund. AHS is a non-profit dedicated to promoting, protecting and supporting foot trails and the hiking experience.