My family took more trips here in the Inland Northwest, exploring “new” places right under our noses. Attendance at farmers’ markets spiked and local food box subscriptions sold out. We barbecued, gathered around bonfires with friends and neighbors, and talked to strangers in the park down the street.

We remembered how important it is to shop from local businesses, not only to keep money in our community, but because those entrepreneurs are our friends and neighbors. We hunted for used bikes and outdoor gear online and at shops like Rambleraven Gear Trader because the supply chain on many things had gone berserk.

Shop, ski, bike, and adventure locally in the Northwest! PHOTOS (left-right): Rambleraven Gear Trader has gear and provides bike maintenance services. // Photo courtesy Rambleraven Gear Trader; A flannel-lined Spokane Mask for COVID-era skiing. // Photo: Amy McCaffree; Hometown tea towel sold at Atticus Coffee & Gifts. // Photo courtesy Atticus Coffee; We love our Spokane bike shops, like Wheel Sport. // Photo courtesy Wheel Sport Bicycles.

Slowly, many of us really began living local more than ever before. Although it’s yet to be seen, if we manage to hold on to some of those local connections in the years to come, the pandemic, despite its many tragic and terrible outcomes, will have had a silver lining for community involvement.

I, for one, will always look back on life over these past two years with at least some fondness. For the first time in my adult life, I felt connected to my community and neighbors in a deep, meaningful way. The degree to which our successes, failures, and fate have always been linked was made real before my eyes.

When COVID lockdowns first hit and the economy tumbled, many Out There advertisers began to cancel one after another. Who could blame them? People were scared and commerce slowed to a trickle.

We thought for a while that the end of OTO was near and feared for our future. For a week or so, we had a lot of time on our hands. We took long family walks through the neighborhood with our new shelter dog Fernie, named after a favorite place north of the border we could no longer visit. We stockpiled food and cooked elaborate meals, took up long-neglected house projects, and I even dusted off the old banjo.

Then, as suddenly as COVID had smacked us down, we were busier than ever with no time to worry about what would come next. When we couldn’t find a comfortable, quality facemask weeks before they became commonplace, my wife and Out There co-publisher Shallan launched Spokane Masks, selling local, incredibly comfortable hand-made masks in all sorts of stylish fabrics.

Thanks to friends and family who bought them at first, and then, after some great publicity in local media, a broader swath of the community that chose her quality local masks over cheap, mass-produced alternatives, we were living and breathing masks and barely keeping up on orders.            

A year and a half later, some things are getting back to normal and other aspects of life will never be the same. For us, mask sales have slowed to a trickle, but what started as a niche pandemic business has evolved into Spokane Made (spokanemade.com), an online store that sells a wide range of local, hand-made goods, from paperless paper towels to market totes and more.

Out There has bounced back too, and although we are publishing fewer issues these days, this is the biggest issue we have put out in two and a half years. As we go about our lives now, we are more keenly focused on shopping local and supporting local businesses than ever before, and we hope you are too.

In that spirit, this issue features our annual Local Holiday Gift Guide, which highlights nearly 100 gift ideas from local businesses, and other great gift ideas featured in the advertisements that make Out There Venture possible. You know what to do. Give them your love. Our community and the quality of life for all of us depends on it.

The quintessential Northwest outdoor adventurer, Derrick Knowles grew up in the Spokane area, graduated from Eastern Washington University, once worked for Conservation Northwest, and is now Out There Venture co-publisher and editor-in-chief. He co-edited with EWU professor and writer Paul Lindholdt the non-fiction anthology “Holding Common Ground: The Individual and Public Lands in the American West” (EWU Press, 2005).

The post Living Local & Other Silver Linings of the Covid-Era appeared first on Out There Venture.

When Mountain Gear closed its doors this past January after 37 years of selling technical outdoor gear, Spokane-area climbers and backcountry skiers were suddenly left without a local source for select gear and expertise. Conversations around the local outdoors community quickly turned to speculation about who would step up to fill the obvious hole left by Mountain Gear’s closing. Seven months later, local outdoor industry veteran Mark Beattie is months away from opening the doors of his new shop, Adventure 509, at a yet-to-be-determined location in Spokane Valley.  

There probably isn’t another person more qualified to open the kind of shop Beattie envisions. He first started working for a store called Mountain Outfitters in Coeur d’Alene in the late 80s and eventually went on to open his own shop, Vertical Earth, that catered to steep mountain sports like climbing, mountain biking, and backcountry skiing. After selling Vertical Earth to current owner Mike Gaertner, Beattie went to work at Mountain Gear in Spokane for the next 12 years, where he sold gear, answered technical questions, and provided some of the most qualified boot and gear fitting services in the Northwest. About a week after the announcement came out that Mountain Gear was closing, Beattie says that watching the reaction to the news and the flood of long-time customers coming in convinced him he had to step up. “Spokane is a very active outdoors community and suddenly they became underserved. I didn’t want to let that happen.” 

I spoke with Beattie in the middle of August while he was waxing a pair of skis in his basement. In between bursts of loud scraping sounds over our speaker phone conversation, he shed some light on what all he had planned. For starters, Adventure 509 will focus on climbing, mountaineering, backcountry ski and avalanche gear, he says, with limited technical apparel and accessories. Beattie intends to add backpacking gear at some point too, and he plans to run demos and classes and host events to help get more people involved in backcountry sports. The shop will also provide professional technical services that are currently difficult to find or unavailable locally like backcountry boot fitting, ski tuning, touring binding installation, repair, and more. Look for store opening details on Out There’s social media pages. 

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Downtown Sandpoint’s Outdoor Experience, or OE as it’s known to many of the outdoor gear store’s customers, has been a fixture of the community for decades. And thanks to new ownership the shop should be around for years to come. 32-year-old Jenny Curto of Sandpoint stepped up and bought Outdoor Experience from one of the businesses’ founders, Kevin Nye, in May of 2019, ensuring that the shop remains in qualified local hands. Curto, who had worked in the outdoor industry in both retail and for Seattle-based Cascade Designs for 10 years, says she has tried to keep the things people love about the store the same, although she’s excited to expand existing events and gear demos that create community. 

One of the unique things about the shop, says Curto, is the exceptional customer service and employees who know their stuff. “We kept our entire staff, most of whom have worked at OE for almost the entire existence of the shop, and they have tons of local knowledge about the area, trails, and even recommendations of things like great places to eat.”

The shop carries equipment for many different types of outdoor activities, along with outdoor apparel, footwear, kayaks, and Trek bikes, says Curto. “We are the only place in downtown Sandpoint where you can get camping and backpacking gear, specialty running shoes like Hoka and Altra, and just about anything else you would need for any type of outdoor adventure.” And if you need rental gear, OE rents snowshoes, Nordic equipment, bikes, kayaks, and paddleboards. When it comes to community engagement, one of Curto’s passions, the shop is already ramping up its event schedule, including a Monday night group run, backcountry medicine classes, and a backpacking clinic planned for May. Follow the shop’s Facebook page for more event details and sale info. 

The post Long-time Gear Shop Changes Hands appeared first on Out There Venture.

Paul Fish, founder and owner of Mountain Gear, started sewing backpacks when he was in high school. Demand for his products grew, and in the early 80s, tired of having customers come to his home, he opened Mountain Gear in Spokane. From the start, Fish worked tirelessly to sell product and promote the store, but he also rolled up his sleeves and invested blood and sweat into the outdoors community. For starters, he funded numerous rock-climbing guidebooks in the area including the original Bob Loomis guide, as well as rock climbing guides from Rick Labelle, Jim Speaker, and many others.

Beyond climbing guidebooks, Fish set a course to promote nationwide outreach and advocacy for Leave No Trace ethics and the Access Fund. Mountain Gear introduced UClimb learn-to-climb clinics, the Red Rock Rendezvous rocking climbing festival in Las Vegas, and assisted several conservation fundraisers and auctions. Paul worked closely with land conservation groups, and he served on the Access Fund Board for 10 years. Mountain Gear contributed to efforts that secured Big Rock for the Dishman Hills Conservancy, contributed to a much-needed toilet at Frenchman Coulee, and continues to donate to the Bower Climbing Coalition. 

Over the years, Mountain Gear has been much more than an outdoor gear shop; it’s served as a common gathering place for many like-minded backcountry enthusiasts to connect with the greater community. Back in the mid-90s, Fred Beckey occasionally stopped in Spokane, picked up any available Mountain Gear employee, and charged into the mountains. It wasn’t uncommon for Himalayan veterans and 5.14 crushers to show up at the retail store for a slideshow from Alex Lowe or Steve House. Mountain Gear worked hard to promote the genius Banff Mountain Film Festival around the country. And you could always count on posters and flyers promoting upcoming fundraisers, clinics, presentations and group outings adorning the walls and checkout counter.

Outdoor fanatics from near and far grew to love Mountain Gear for dozens of reasons, and the company prospered for over 30 years as the fast-changing outdoor retail world evolved around them. From the beginning, Mountain Gear always differentiated itself from other traditional outdoor shops. When the location on Division first opened, it featured the first indoor climbing wall and indoor kayak pool in Spokane so customers could genuinely test and demo their purchases. Mountain Gear also launched a kids’ cross-country ski trade-up program, so parents could buy cross country gear for their kids and upgrade as they grew. And for many years, Mountain Gear was the title sponsor for several paddling and Nordic ski races.

In 2004, Mountain Gear built a 112,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and distribution center in Spokane Valley that was LEED Gold-certified for its sustainability-minded construction. More importantly, the company bundled value in many gear purchases. They were among the first shops to provide a six-pack discount for carabiners or quickdraws, a discount for full sets of cams, and they were among the first catalog retailers to provide free mounting and tune-up if you purchased skis and bindings together. Mountain Gear also embraced Internet sales early on and developed a decent online retail presence long before other online outdoor retailers began dominating the market.

 Looking ahead, Fish doesn’t want to dwell on the passing of the shop. The decision to close was incredibly difficult and very emotional. Quite frankly, Amazon and other online giants played a role. However, Fish is eager to emphasize his wonderful employees, and he estimates he has employed over 800 people over the years. He piles on the praise for many long-standing customers and outdoor groups that continually promote the outdoor lifestyle everyone in the Northwest enjoys. Cumulatively, Mountain Gear employees have centuries of outdoor experience, and they work just as hard as they play.

Like many long-time fixtures in the outdoor adventure community, I also worked at Mountain Gear. During those 12 years, I climbed and backpacked as often as possible and I worked with a number of Mountain Gear characters who were as passionate about getting outside as I was: Gramps, BC, Epic Shane, Pookie, The Monk, Schenk, Timon, Hugh Georbanks, Mr. Phillips, Use-The-Schwartz, and a number of other employees that went on to great success throughout the outdoors community; I probably wouldn’t be an Out There Venture editor today had I not spent those years with Mountain Gear. 

When Mountain Gear wraps up its final sale and closes up shop in the coming weeks, the entire outdoors community will feel the repercussions. Until then, Fish promises that the shop’s Going Out of Business Sale will be gigantic. Discounts will continue to drop throughout the month, and it’s important to note there is inventory for all four seasons, which means you can find great deals on summer and winter gear. Most importantly, stop by the store sooner than later to get the right size and killer deals on some of the best gear in the Northwest. Moving forward, Paul Fish will continue to work with advocacy groups and non-profits that champion the outdoors community and the recreation lands we love. The Spokane retail store will close, but the Mountain Gear legacy and contributions will continue for generations of future climbers, skiers, hikers, trail runners and others who enjoy the outdoors. 

The post First Ascents: A Tribute to Mountain Gear appeared first on Out There Venture.

Moscow-based Northwest River Supplies (NRS) recently relocated its headquarters to a cutting-edge, 155,000 square-foot building that includes a warehouse, offices, and retail space. NRS has been a leading provider of water sports equipment and apparel since it was founded in 1972, and this new headquarters testifies to their positive economic impact in the Palouse region.  “A big part of our success at NRS comes from a culture of inclusion and shared responsibility,” says NRS Chief Financial Officer Tony Mangini. “Having everyone working together in one building will encourage communication and collaboration throughout the business while supporting continued growth.”

In 2006, NRS acquired the South Blaine Street property in Moscow, formerly a Tidyman’s supermarket. The recent massive overhaul of this property provides increased space for inventory and personnel while allowing NRS to locate all business functions under one roof. More importantly, NRS finally has a brilliant showroom and retail outlet to highlight its gear and make the headquarters a worthy destination for every level of paddler and whitewater enthusiast. The showroom features boats and lifejackets, as well as NRS clothing and lifestyle products to help you enjoy life on the water even more. Visit NRS at 1638 South Blaine Street in Moscow or check out the company’s award-winning gear online at Nrs.com. 

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“We are in the middle of the architecture phase and working on the next steps to get construction started in the next couple of months,” says Shaw, who owns the land where the gym will be built. The building will have 50-foot high walls on one side, allowing for roped climbing walls in the 35-50 foot range, as well as a bouldering area. Shaw and his partners also recently chose a wall-building company based in Bend, Oregon.

Shaw grew up in Prescott, Arizona, before moving to Texas and then Colorado, eventually landing in the Inland Northwest in 2006. All the while climbing has been in his blood.

“I’ve been a climber all my life and I love it and my kids love it. And even though Coeur d’Alene is an outdoorsy place, it doesn’t have a connected climbing community, and I’ve always wanted to help build that,” he says.

Shaw had the idea of opening a gym back when the first of his three children were born, but wasn’t able to move forward with the project until recently. He soon made connections with several other Coeur d’Alene climbers with similar local climbing gym concepts, which eventually led to the current business partnership behind the project that includes Shaw, Frank Dusl, and Jeff Fowler.

Coeur Climbing Company also plans to have space for yoga, cardio equipment, weights, and a spot where they hope to create a kid-based Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course. Shaw admits that his three kids ages 6, 8, and 10 have had a big influence on the project. “My ulterior motive is to give my kids a place to climb and meet other kids who are into it.” Look for updates on the gym from Out There this summer or on the gym’s in-the-works website. 

The post New Climbing Gym Coming to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho appeared first on Out There Venture.

November marks my one-month anniversary at the Spokane Alpine Haus, a locally-owned ski shop on the South Hill. Over the past month, I learned for the first time about Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP), where companies set a minimum price at which a retailer can advertise a product. If a brick-and-mortar or online retailer is advertising a product lower than MAP pricing, it is actually illegal.This helps protect local retailers like our ski shop that put in hours of personal time with customers—helping with questions on gear, apparel fit issues, custom boot fitting, and other needs—from getting undercut by slightly lower-priced Internet promotions.

Online shopping has been a threat to almost every sector of the local retail industry in recent years, and even at a consumer level, online shopping (with the exception of some small, specialty product retailers) can cause more harm than good. The reason is simple: larger online retailers have little incentive to help the consumer or invest in local communities, and they aren’t equipped for the level of customer service only a face-to-face interaction can provide.

A recent extreme example of how the disconnect between large online retailers and consumers can have negative consequences for the entire outdoors community is the controversy that erupted around Backcountry.com. The company has become one of the top retailers in the industry, selling a wide range of outdoor gear, including some items at a discount. The trouble started in the fall of 2018, when the company trademarked the term “backcountry” and started going after smaller companies that used the word “backcountry” in their name. This legal-bullying strategy threatened the livelihood of several small-business owners across a wide range of industries including denim, coffee and even a women-focused avalanche course called “Backcountry Babes.” A social media backlash surged by October 2019, and the company dropped one of the lawsuits and apologized on November 6.

When people shop local, owners and employees are able to create relationships with customers and in our case at Spokane Alpine Haus provide a better gear selection and fitting experience, which means more fun outside. The great outdoors is supposed to be a place that builds community, and shopping local is an easy way to help strengthen our local outdoors community—it’s a personal experience that gives people life and gets more people outside.

Written by Klaus Hanley

Originally published in the December 2019 issue as “The Case for Shopping Local.”

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