« March 2007 | Main | May 2007 »

April 30, 2007

Rock Creek cited in Sustainability Article

The local press is starting to notice how an increasing number of Chattanoogans have begun to act on their commitment to the environment. I got a call a week or so ago from a Times-Free Press reporter who was writing this article on "green" business practices in Chattanooga. It came out in yesterday's paper, and has some good points and mentions our new store, which should be finished in another couple months.

The 95,000-square-foot development, which will include a Greenlife Grocery store and Rock Creek Outfitters, is "LEED" certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program of the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED provides standards for green construction in operation, including site development, water savings, energy efficiency and materials selection. Some of the efforts at Two North Shore include collecting rainwater off the roof for irrigation, and using building materials purchased within 500 miles of the site, decreasing the energy spent on transport.

Among construction workers and developers, the LEED concept is becoming increasingly familiar, said Steve Arnsdorff, founder of CS & Associates, who worked with Chuck Pruett of Greenlife to develop Two North Shore.

"I think (LEED) is become a buzzword in this town, in just 18 months, which is very cool," Mr. Arnsdorff said. " 'Green' was always something that didn't really have any real application to our business, because what did it really mean? But LEED gives you something. It gives you criteria to shoot for."

Read the full story here. (The article mistakenly credits Rock Creek with starting the local chapter of Green Drinks- that was really our friends over at Tricyle).

There's also supposed to be an article on the Environmental Stewardship Award we recently gave to Chaco. I'll keep you updated on that.

If you're familiar with Rock Creek, you'll know that we're a company committed to sustainability, and we're doing what we can to decrease the negative impact our business practices have on the environment. See our environmental statement and enviro. articles online for more information.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:49 AM

April 27, 2007

A Foray into Hell's Kitchen

There is a chill in the air and my feet are freezing! This rude awakening turns into a frenzy of activity as I prepare for another ski day in Banff, Canada. The temperature outside my crowded hostel bedroom is in the negative and the thought of free pancakes and coffee starts to make my stomach churn.

I have been in Banff for a week now and my legs are starting to complain about too much work, but my mind says we’re running late for the bus. It is day seven and I have yet to take a day off. Today’s destination is Sunshine Village, located fifteen minutes from Banff.

I’ve heard about the great variety of steep terrain at Sunshine and my thirst for such has yet to be satisfied while on this adventure. Making my way down the stairs to eat, I notice that for the first time since my arrival, the sun has managed to make its way through the clouds. Two pancakes and four cups of coffee later, I find myself walking briskly to the bus with a killer caffeine buzz to boot. Naturally I am early, and as I wait for the bus to arrive I give my gear a final check and plug in the Ipod for some pump up music.

Arriving at the base, I take my skis and hop on to the gondola. At this point you still cannot see the ski area as it is neatly tucked back into the mountains. The gondola can not move any slower, despite the fact that it is billed as “high speed”. Perhaps it is my anticipation that makes the ride long, and the fact that I still have yet to see the actual ski terrain. As the Gondola rounds the final corner, the sun hits me directly in the face and there in the distance is the resort. It is absolutely spectacular! I exit the Gondola and find myself in the center of it all. As I gawk at the scenery, I am being knocked around by people who are scattering about in a hurry to catch the lift to the top of one of the many mountains.

I get my bearings and head up to some moderate terrain for a lengthy warm up. Once my legs are awake, I head over to the bread and butter area, called Goat’s Eye Mountain. Goat’s Eye holds all the steep chutes, tree runs and anything a crazy fool would like to ski as long as it is borderline deadly. There are many runs on the mountain that have stern avalanche warnings, even for the runs that are in bounds. One of the most memorable of these runs is called Hell’s Kitchen. This particular run is very steep, about 45 degrees or more in some places, and there is nothing but trees.

As I make my way through the beginning moguls to tree line, I quickly notice the forest closing in on me. Before I know it, I’m deep in the trees and the slope is only getting steeper. I have to take my turns a couple at a time because if I get going too fast there will be no way to stop. I do wear a helmet, thanks to some forceful peer pressure from my coworkers, Brooke and Wes, last year in Utah. Hell’s Kitchen really challenges your skiing ability as the path is not straightforward. If you go too far in one direction, you will be faced with the decision to jump a cliff. Stray too far in the other direction and the trees are too narrow to pass through. My legs at this point are really burning, but there is still a lot of steep tree skiing to go. I never knew that one could actually break a sweat in zero degree temperatures, but I find that out while playing in Hell’s Kitchen.

Once I make it to the end of the run I encounter some locals at the lift, out of breath and sweat running down my brow. The friendly locals take notice of me and ask where I have been. Upon mentioning Hell’s Kitchen, another question follows: “Where are you from?” Somehow I’m able to slur out “Tennessee”. Their eyes open widely as they proceed to tell me that they cannot believe I’m from the south, and that Hell’s Kitchen is a hard run. I guess that explains why I was alone for the entire run. I spend the next 5 days on Goat’s Eye Mountain ticking off numerous runs, mostly alone.

I will always remember my trip to Banff, and though I do not have many photos, (I can’t take pictures of myself in action) I am always happy to paint a picture with my words and memory. For those of you who are wondering how you can get your turns in for the winter while living in the South, it takes plenty of planning, a lot of saving, and most of all, a drive to accomplish a goal that you hold dear.

About the author: Clark Luckmann has been with Rock Creek for six years. He currently runs our fulfillment and customer service operations from our warehouse in Chattanooga, TN. He loves lip syncing Stevie Wonder tunes, long walks in the park, and skiing his brains out. He tries to get a few turns in after our trade shows in Utah, and usually takes one big trip every year.

See Clark's Banff trip photos at flickr >>

Check out Goggles on sale at RockCreek.com >>

Check out Hardshell Jackets at RockCreek.com >>

Tell us about your latest adventures!

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:37 AM

April 23, 2007

Tour de Georgia Wrapup

Rock Creek sponsored the Brasstown Bald finish for Stage 5 of the The Tour de Georgia, which turned out to be another solid victory for Discovery. Levi Leipheimer took the stage, with Tom Danielson a close second, and overall Tour winner Brajkovic keeping his leader jersey by keeping up with CSC's Vande Velde.

Quite a few fans showed up this year for this exciting hors categorie climb, and they were cheering the riders all the way up to the top. We stayed the night in Hiawasee, GA and woke up early to set up our booth at the expo down below the Bald. We had the pleasure of setting up right in front of the giant fake Waffle House and next to Jittery Joe's, so we had plenty of caffeine to keep us alert.

Overall it was a great Tour, with Discovery taking the overall win. I'm hoping there was enough support from sponsors (many of whom came in late in the game) to continue the Tour next year. This is one of our favorite events, and it clearly brings a lot of people and money into Georgia and Tennessee.

Photo: Mark McKnight handing over the Brasstown Bald check to Levi Leipheimer from Discovery. Courtesy Greg Browning.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:13 PM

Rock Creek Outfitters Honors Chaco with Environmental Stewardship Award

April 20, 2007 -- Rock Creek Outfitters announced today that it has awarded footwear manufacturer, Chaco, of Paonia, Colorado its first annual Environmental Stewardship Award.

Chaco’s dedication to environmental issues and improving access to outdoor recreation areas prompted Rock Creek to start the annual award. “These issues have always been at the heart of Rock Creek,” explained Rock Creek co-owner, Marvin Webb. “Chaco has really stepped up to the plate over the years, helping us fund larger projects so we have an even stronger impact within our region. They have not only supported us in our own programs, but they have also actively come to us with new ideas for local and global initiatives.”

Continue reading "Rock Creek Outfitters Honors Chaco with Environmental Stewardship Award"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:54 PM

April 19, 2007

Kevin Seeldraeyers wins KOM

Dawson Wheeler presents the Burkhalter Gap KOM check to Kevin Seeldraeyers, Belgium, Saunier Duval. Tour de Georgia 2007. Chattanooga, TN. c. Mark McKnight.

Yesterday's Stage 3 of the Tour de Georgia ended up being the deciding stage, with an unexpected and very early break by a group of riders who put nearly thirty minutes on the peloton. Jason Sumner from VeloNews called it "one of the strangest days in recent U.S. cycling history."

Rock Creek was happy to be a part of the action, sponsoring the final KOM climb on Burkhalter Gap on Lookout Mountain.

Check out Jason Sumner's article on VeloNews, "Game over? 13-man break shakes up Tour de Georgia."

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:57 AM

April 17, 2007

$1500 Raised for Cumberland Trail Conference

Rock Creek Outfitters (www.rockcreek.com) announced this week that the Rock Creek River Gorge Trail Race raised $1500 for the nonprofit Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC). According to CTC Executive Director Paul Freeman, Rock Creek's donation will go to the CTC's Spring Build, supporting up to 100 volunteers a day as they extend the Cumberland Trail through the Smokies near Caryville, TN. The Cumberland Trail is a beautiful multi-use single-track foot path that will eventually stretch over 300 miles on the Cumberland Plateau.

About 230 people showed up to run, making this the best turnout in the race's six year history. As race director Jamie Sanders explains, “We’re pleased to have a successful race that draws so many people from across the region." The race took place on a beautiful Spring morning, with the first racers showing up for registration before dawn, and the last racer coming across the finish line by midday.

Rock Creek’s race team finished well, with race team member Geno Phillips finishing third on the 10.2 mile course. Rock Creek employee Clay Werner finished fourth. On the 6.5 mile course, race team members Tom Sell and Jim Farmer took first and second place. The race took place within the Prentice Cooper Wilderness Management Area, the Southern terminus of what will be over 300 miles of backpacking and hiking trails starting in the Cumberland Gap National Park in Kentucky. A comment from Jim Farmer summed up the significance of the race perfectly: "What better way to showcase the work of the Cumberland Trail Conference than to bring 225 people out for a race and on the trail itself?"

Rock Creek believes that supporting the work of the CTC will help to preserve this valuable area for future generations by opening it up for use by trail runners, hikers, and backpackers. Rock Creek's philosophy of environmental stewardship hinges on access to the backcountry, and as Rock Creek President and owner Dawson Wheeler explains, "the work of the CTC dovetails perfectly with our mission to get people outside enjoying our natural resources. We believe that people who have access to the outdoors will naturally become conservationists and will work to preserve the areas where they recreate. It's great to see so many people up here enjoying the natural beauty of Signal Mountain." Both of Rock Creek's owners-- Wheeler and his partner Marvin Webb-- are long-time Signal Mountain residents, and are excited about the opportunity to give back to their local community by supporting events such as this trail race.

Rock Creek would like to thank the race sponsors: Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, Wigwam, Inov8, Chaco, Oakley and Hammer Nutrition, as well as our partners and volunteers, especially those from the Cumberland Trail Conference and Prentice Cooper, the Chattanooga Track Club, and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

For more information on the Rock Creek River Gorge Trail Race, visit the race page.

For more information on the CTC's Spring Build, visit the CTC site.

About Rock Creek Outfitters:

Rock Creek Outfitters is a specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock Creek Outfitters provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 7:14 PM

April 12, 2007

Ready for the Tour de Georgia? We Are.

The Tour de Georgia is right around the corner and we're running around here at Rock Creek making the final preparations for our sponsorship of Stages 3 and 5. We are sponsoring two KOM's again this year. Here's the PR from last year). We also had an article in SNews [PDF].

The stages have changed a bit, so we're sponsoring the Burkhalter Gap KOM on Wednesday's Stage 3 (Rome to Chattanooga) and the Brasstown Bald KOM at Stage 5 (Dalton to Brasstown). Looking at the arrival times, you know how incredible these riders are because the estimated arrival times are based on a chart with three paces, 24, 26, and 28 miles per hour. So these guys will be riding over 100 miles a day up and down some of the most challenging terrain our region has to offer, all in three to five hours. You can see the log sheets and course maps here. I've also uploaded a couple photos from last year onto the Rock Creek Flickr page.

Philip Pugliese, Outdoor Chattanooga's bicycle coordinator, just stopped by in the middle of my writing this blog and dropped off some spectator guides for the Chattanooga Stage 3 events. They'll be coming out in tomorrow's Times-Free Press, so keep an eye out for them.

I also asked him about the "bike in tunnel" lights that are going up on the Brainerd and Red Bank tunnels. The parts are here, so he's hoping they'll be able to get them assembled and installed within the next few weeks. This will allow a cyclist to slap a button without getting off the bike and ride through the tunnel with the added safety of a flashing light for motorists. I'm sure it will help some, and I'm very appreciative since I've been going through one of those tunnels at dusk a few times a week.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:53 PM

April 11, 2007

Kayak for Conservation Almost Full

Julie Beach from the Tennessee River Gorge Trust just let me know there are a few spots left on the Kayak for Conservation trip May 5th. Be sure to sign up now if you haven't already!

See full details on the original post.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:34 PM

April 9, 2007

Raisin Hope Ride a Success

Good news from Saul Raisin; the Raisin' Hope ride last weekend was a big success (See it on flickr). Our friends next door at River City Bicycles had a booth there, and said it went well.

Here's what Saul had to say: "My Raisin Hope ride was a total success.. I can not explain the emotions I had during the ride and event.. It feels so good to have that much support and to be able to raise money and hope for some many good people.. I would like to give thanks and big hugs to all of the 550+ riders and 100+ Volunteers that came out to the ride."

Rock Creek wishes you the best, Saul, and we hope to see you at the Tour de Georgia next week.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:12 AM

April 6, 2007

$300 prAna Shopping Spree

Come by RockCreek.com and sign up for this month's giveaway, a $300 prAna shopping spree, good for anything we have on the site from prAna. We've just loaded up the latest Spring clothing, and there are plenty of great shirts for climbing or just hanging out, also some pants for climbing or yoga, and as always some very cool chalk bag designs. Remember that you can sign up for the contest every month, even if you're already signed up for the newsletter. Just put your email address in and click "Subscribe", then review your preferences and click "Update Subscription." Good Luck! Sign up for the prAna giveaway now >>

prAna's a cool company that we've been involved with quite a bit over the last couple years. We're one of the original members of their Wind Power Initiative, which means that 100% of the electric power used by our retail stores and warehouse have been offset with certified green-e wind power credits. Green offsets have been getting a bad rap lately, but if you do the research, the company that owns prAna is one of the world's largest wind power purchasers. Through the leadership of companies like prAna, power companies have begun to expand their production of wind and other greener sources of energy, and the general public has started to pay more attention to the sources of their electricity.

You can read more about our involvement the prAna Wind Power Initiative here.

See all our prAna clothing and gear >>

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:14 AM

April 5, 2007

2007 Chacos + FREE Belt w/ Purchase

We have a great Chaco promotion running right now. You won't want to miss this. While supplies last, come get a FREE Chaco Belt with any pair of Chaco footwear.

Sale | Sandals | Hardshells | Fleece Jackets | Softshell Jackets | Trail Running Shoes

The North Face | Patagonia | Montrail | Marmot | Chaco | Mountain Hardwear | Prana *Lower 48 States, Orders over $49. Some restrictions may apply for shipping on oversized or heavy items; see site for full details. Belts available while supplies last. Photo courtesy Chaco Sandals

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:12 PM

April 3, 2007

River Gorge Race Photos & Results Available

Check out the race results and photographs from the River Gorge Trail Race. We raised a good amount of money for the Cumberland Trail Conference, and I think everyone had a good time. No major injuries.

Saturday morning was a beautiful day here in Tennessee; blue skies and cool temperatures made this the perfect day for a trail race. About 230 runners showed up at Prentice Cooper as the sun rose over the Tennessee River Gorge. After packet pick up and registration, the 10.2 mile racers began the race, and 6.5 mile racers started at 9:00.

Rock Creek race team members and employees were well represented. On the 10.2 mile course, Geno Phillips finished third. Hamilton Place employee Clay Werner finished fourth. Chad Wamack and Sheridan Ames finished 17th and 18th. On the 6.5 mile course, Tom Sell and Jim Farmer came across the line in first and second place (in the photo above, Jim is in front, Tom behind).

See full results and photographs online at RockCreek.com/RiverGorge/ >>

Again, don't forget to sign up for the StumpJump 50k. This race will sell out! >>

Read our Nutrition Tips for Trail Running >>

Read our Trail Running Gear Guide >>

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:42 PM