December 21, 2008
Lookout Mountain 100k & 10k Results
It was a harrowing day full of rain, challenging creek crossings, and brutal climbs on Lookout Mountain for yesterday's 100k & 10k race. We'll have more for you soon, including full race results and photography, but I wanted to go ahead and update everyone on the results.
Click here for 100k results >
Click here for 10k results >
Keep an eye on the Lookout Mountain 100k web page for more information, and I'll post more here on the blog as well as it becomes available. Happy Holidays!
Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:56 PM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2008
Rock/Creek Hosts Longest Trail Race in Chattanooga History on Saturday
Rock/Creek and The Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies) have planned the longest trail running race in Chattanooga history. The Lookout Mountain 100k will take place for the first time on December 20th, 2008. The foot race will cross several different properties in Tennessee and Georgia, and much of the race takes place on newly constructed trails. There will also be a 10k option.
Randy Whorton, president of The Boonies, describes the historic significance of the Lookout 100k: "This race represents a milestone in Chattanooga's history, not only because it's the longest race to ever take place here, but also due to the nature of the trails. We've built many of these trails this year with the help of countless volunteers and money from Rock/Creek and other sponsors, and those trails traverse several different properties in two states."
"Some of the properties are public land held through various park services, others are private lands held in trusts and by single landowners. It's a testament to the cooperative spirit of Chattanoogans that we were able to negotiate the use of all these different lands. That was definitely the biggest challenge we faced in organizing this race." Whorton thanked all of the parties involved, including land owners, property managers, and the volunteers who have helped construct the various trails over the last year.
The Lookout race will be the last of the 9 races in the inaugural Rock/Creek Trail Series. Previous races in the series include established races such as the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k as well as new races like the Greenway 5 Miler. "I'm excited about this race," says Mark McKnight, Rock/Creek's Marketing Director. "The StumpJump has risen to national prominence as one of the best 50k trail races, and we plan to make the Lookout 100k just as successful in its category. It took eight years from the small grassroots race that Matt Sims started, but we've grown it to the point where we had a cap of 500 runners and raised $9,000 for trail work and access in Chattanooga. I don't see any reason why the 100k won't be to that level in a similar time frame."
Rock/Creek co-owner Dawson Wheeler, a Signal Mountain native, has been involved with the project for about a year. "I see this race as an opportunity to introduce trail runners from across the country to the beautiful topography we have here in Chattanooga," Wheeler explains. "Within a few minutes of downtown, you have beautiful vistas and challenging trail conditions. Stream crossings, unique rock formations, what else could you want?" Wheeler also expressed his appreciation for the volunteers and sponsors who make races such as the 100k possible. The race will have an 18 hour cutoff, so multiple shifts of volunteers will be needed and the key volunteers will put in a very long day of service to these runners.
Over the last few weekends, Dawson Wheeler, the Whortons, and a handful of other volunteers began construction of a staircase that will help stop erosion and provide access to part of the trail near the historic Cravens House property. The trail building crews have included members of The Boonies, The American Hiking Society and the Rock/Creek Race Team. Upon completion of this last key improvement, the trail will be ready for runners.
The race was first conceived by Randy and Kris Whorton, avid distance runners who wanted to provide more opportunity for ultrarunners to experience the beautiful and varied terrain around Chattanooga. They brought the idea to the board of The Boonies, and Rock/Creek agreed to commit to funding the necessary trail work with proceeds from other races in the Trail Series. The Whortons are serving as the race directors.
Day-of registration will be available for the 10k only. 100k registration is closed. The race is part of Vasque's North American Trail Tour and is also sponsored by Rock/Creek, Mountain Hardwear, SmartWool, and Hammer Nutrition.
The race starts and finishes at Lula Lake Land Trust on Lookout Mountain. Runners will leave the Land Trust and run a lollipop of 38.3 miles to Covenant College, the Lookout Mountain National Battlefield Park and Reflection Riding Center and then return to Lula Lake Land Trust the same way they went out. This section includes Lookout Mountain Conservancy land on the Guild and Hardy trails. Once back in the Land Trust, runners will traverse land trust trails, and private property to Long Branch, High Point and Lula Lake Road. Runners will turn around at the aid station at Lula Lake Road and head back on the connector trail, staying on the connector and bypassing High Point. Runners will enter Long Branch Preserve and run back to Lula Lake Land Trust the way they went out. The second portion of the course is 23.44 miles.
For registration information, results and photography, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/lookout/
Full series information available at http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/
About Rock/Creek:
Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek 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 enacting positive change in the community and for our 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. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.
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Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:08 PM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2008
"Heart of Stone" Climbing Access Film (Watch the Full Version!)
This is the full, high-def version of Andrew Kornylak & Josh Fowler's new movie. As Climbing magazine noted, "Heart of Stone debuted at Rock/Creek in Chattanooga, TN, during the Triple Crown - Stone Fort Finale on December 5th and 6th, 2008 to crowd of close to four hundred and the crowd response was nothing short of amazing." Word has it the film will also be picked up by a rock climbing film series, so it might show on the big screen in a town near you soon. We'll post details here as we have them.
Heart of Stone - HD from Andrew Kornylak on Vimeo.
It's no secret that the Southeastern US has some of the best rock climbing in the country. Grassroots organizations like the Southeastern Climbers Coalition and the Carolina Climbers Coalition are gaining and preserving access to this treasure in a unique way - by buying it. the annual Triple Crown Bouldering Competition - the largest outdoor climbing competition in the world - is at the center of this access revolution. This new film celebrates what many are calling a Golden Age of discovery and stewardship in the South. It's a look at the miraculous mix of activism, generosity and respect for tradition, in the Heart of Stone.
"Heart of Stone is the first film that takes the focus away from superstars, grades and the glory and puts it back where it belongs, on the local community, retailers and climbers that work tirelessly to keep the crags open and open the ones closed. Rock/Creek needs to take some of the credit here even though they won't ask for it; because it's the local businesses that make it happen in each of these SE communities.Jim Horton and Chad Wykle have created a competition series that is the pride of the industry and one that needs to be taken to the rest of the nation so that others may carry the torch in their region. It blows me away at each of these comps, just how many people will open their wallets in order to open more crags and protect the ones we have here in the SE. I had a 10 year old boy empty his piggy bank at this last comp to buy raffle tickets for Yellow Bluff. The rest of the nation needs to learn what is happening here and how to duplicate the banding together of community, local business and land managers/private land owners for the sake of preserving our open spaces for all to use.
Access is the holy grail of climbing and the SCC, CCC, NRAC and Access Fund have done a tremendous job over the last 10 years to secure more new climbing here in the SE than anywhere in the US."
--Kurt Smith
Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:01 PM | Comments (1)
December 1, 2008
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Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:37 AM | Comments (0)
November 25, 2008
Heart of Stone Climbing Film Premieres at Rock/Creek
Heart of Stone Climbing Film Premieres at Rock/Creek Friday December 5th
November 25, 2008 (Chattanooga, TN) - Rock/Creek and The Triple Crown Bouldering Series proudly present an exclusive premiere showing of the highly anticipated climbing access film-- Heart of Stone-- a film by Andrew Kornylak and Josh Fowler. Rock/Creek invites the general public to their retail location at Two North Shore in Chattanooga, TN for the premiere. The store will close at 7:00 pm on Friday, December 5th and doors will open at 7:15. The show will start promptly at 7:30 PM EST.
Heart of Stone investigates a critical point in rock climbing history in the southeast, while celebrating the many fantastic rock climbing resources that the Southeast has to offer.
As Kornylak explains, "the film celebrates what I think is the beginning of a golden age of discovery and stewardship of the amazing treasure of rock we have in the Southeast. The grassroots climbing community here is a miraculous mix of activism, generosity and respect for tradition: the Heart of Stone."
After the presentation of the film, acclaimed climbing athletes/activists Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden-Caldwell, Lisa Rands, and Kevin Jorgeson will speak with the audience about the current state of climbing access in the southeast and across the country.
It's no mystery that the Southeast holds some of the best rock climbing in the country. From uncountable fields of immaculate sandstone, granite, gneiss and quartzite boulders, to fantastic buttresses of steep, single pitch crags, to valleys filled with giant multi-pitch granite domes, the South simply has it all for the rock climber.
However, unlike the Western United States, most of the land of the Southeast is privately owned, with much of the remaining property being managed by State and National Parks. Rock climbing in the Southeast has become a matter of relationships between the climbing community and land managers.
Historically, climbers as a group have been known to the general public as conservationists...and simply excellent stewards of land. The number of rock climbers participating in the sport has increased dramatically over the last ten years, however. This increase in the number of climbers and the popularity of some of the rock climbing resources has placed a strain on some of the natural environments where climbers recreate, and as a result have placed the relationship between climber and land manager at risk.
Active local non-profit climbing organizations like the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition, the Carolina Climbers' Coalition, and regional activists are struggling to find a common voice for the entire climbing community--a voice that is steeped in the historical tradition of respect for the environment and the private landowner, but also one that advocates a spirit of adventure.
Please join us at the debut of this film at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location. For directions and more information on our stores, visit: http://www.rockcreek.com/customer_service/locations.asp
A trailer for the film can be viewed online:
http://blog.rockcreek.com/archives/heart_of_stone_a_film_about_climbing_access_in_the_southeast.html
If the link is broken, try:
http://tinyurl.com/5eu24k
For more information on the Triple Crown Bouldering Series, visit:
http://triplecrownbouldering.org/
High-res photography available upon request.
Contact:
Mark McKnight
423.643.1528
mark@rockcreek.com
About Rock/Creek:
Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek 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 enacting positive change in the community and for our 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. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.
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Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2008
Upchuck 50k Report from the Race Director
Race directors: Matt Sims and Chad Wamack
Written by: Chad Wamack
This year was the first official Upchuck 50k on the Cumberland Trail in Chattanooga, TN. The previous two years the event was more of a group run with a very light turn out, namely Matt Sims and I. The word has spread about the Cumberland Trail and this year we had 25 people toe the line. The entry field included racers from seven different states and a good mix of locals. The point to point race as advertised was basically unsupported and marked with the existing blazes.
There were two check-in stations at mile 8 and 18 and a convenience store where racers could fuel up and discuss the disappointing Tennessee football season with the locals. (A couple of years ago Matt and I stopped in and I ate way too much and hence the name Upchuck.) The previous runs on the Upchuck course have been run South to North but due to logistical difficulties we changed the direction. The 2008 Upchuck course started to the North on the Rock Creek segment and traveled south for 31.6 miles through the Possum Creek and Soddy segments of the Cumberland Trail.
The morning of the race everyone met at the finish area at the base of the mountain and boarded the "Magic Bus" to the start. The bus ride was filled with nervous energy like the first day of school. The previous two days had dropped two inches of rain which brought down the brightly colored leaves and had caused the creeks to swell, making the course even more technical. When the race started and everyone headed up the mountain, it started to rain again. The weather proved to fluctuate as much as the elevation going from rain to sun to sleet. The high for the day was 50 degrees at 7 am and by the finish it was in the 30's.
The Cumberland Trail Conference recently finished construction on two new bridges at Rock Creek and Big Possum Creek. The runners were spared these creek crossings but the remaining 6 creek crossing added a lot of character to the course. The last 5 miles of the course goes right through the Deep Creek Gorge, a course that highlights the effects of the controversial surface rock mining that has devastated the Cumberland Plateau.
The winner was our own John Wiygul of Chattanooga, with a time of 5:25:29. John Brower of Jackson, MS gave him all he could handle and was just 2 seconds back. Natalie Sims, also of Chattanooga, brought in the Women's best time at 6:52:38.
Many thanks to the volunteers and rangers who braved the weather and helped to make the event possible. Rock/Creek once again came up big. This locally-owned retailer's support really made this race a reality. Other important sponsors were: SmartWool, Mountain Hardwear, and Hammer Nutrition. The Cumberland Trail is an incredible trail network that we are all very fortunate to have. The race is the second to last race in the Rock/Creek Trail Series. The Lookout Mountain 100k & 10k will close out the season on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee and Georgia. For more information on these races, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/
Here she talks about those notorious creek crossings:
Then came a series of creek crossings that I knew would leave my shoes and socks soaking wet! Argh.... I had to toughen up and take the plunge. The first one was ankle deep. The second one was calf deep. The third one was knee deep and in order not to fall further in I had to put my arms in up to my elbows! After that nasty crossing.... I had to regroup on the other side as I seriously thought to myself "Oh my god.... I'm going to get hypothermia!". I was shaking and downright COLD. Fortunately... I had stashed a vest and Smartwool gloves in my pack and I took a minute to put these items on. Thankfully the extra clothing helped warm me up and I was able to slowly press forward. The last creek crossing had a rope to help guide you across.... I did not get wet anywhere above the ankle there. [Continued]
Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2008
Upchuck 50k Trail Race Report & Photos
John Wiygul and John Brower fought hard for the win at this past weekend's Upchuck 50k. Wiygul, from Chattanooga, came in seconds before Brower, a former Chattanoogan living in Jackson, MS. Wiygul captured first after almost five and a half hours of tough trail running. Stephen Smith of Chattanooga took third. Wiygul has raced many of our trail races and will be joining the Rock/Creek race team for 2009.
This first annual (official) Upchuck 50k took place on the Cumberland Trail and was presented by Rock/Creek and The Boonies. We had 23 finishers on this rather difficult course; the cold temperatures and off-and-on rain certainly contributed to the difficulty of the course. Several stream crossings ensured that the runners were going to be wet even before the rain.
Mark took a few photos from the finish line >
Robert took photos on the trail >
See full race results online >
We'll have a full race report from Chad Wamack in the next couple days, but in the mean time I thought I'd share Matt Sims' recollections of the first (much less official) Upchuck:
History of the Upchuck 50k (as told by Matt Sims)
Chad and I run together all the time. I am well aware of his dietary habits, running pace, what he likes to talk about when he runs, etc. This particular day we headed out to run 36 miles of the continuous Cumberland Trail segment that has recently been completed outside the Chattanooga area.
We did the normal car drop off at the "take out", and then shuttled the car a LONG way to the beginning of what would be a very memorable trail for us both. Chad likes to plan the route and is very methodical in what he might need. Lucky for me really, because I am not a good planner and I typically rely on Chad to figure it all out. We decided to run South to North, which now the official Upchuck 50k course runs North to South.
I won't bore you with the detail of the actual trail description and what we saw and how we felt and how many times I stopped to pee, etc. I will simply say, the Cumberland Trail is ridiculously well done. We are really fortunate to have the trail system and to have such a thoughtful group of planners and volunteers to make it happen.
I have gone through times of being very disciplined with what I eat and what I drink. I don't typically get caught up in all the fancy powders that are available today, although certainly I should because I bet I would be a real superstar runner. We do have a couple of really incredible runners in town and they are fanatic about Heed, an electrolyte replacement drink. They put the "hard sell" on Chad and I think Chad bought a couple of gallons of this stuff and probably stock in the company at the same time. So there we are running along with hydration packs. Mine was filled with water and Chad's was filled with Heed. Keep in mind this was the first time he had really used it, which typically isn't the best idea when you are pretty much committing to an all day run. But, oh well. Chad knows what he's doing.
We get about 18 miles into the run when we cross the Hwy 111, Jones Gap Road Crossing. This is unfortunate in some ways because you actually have to run on a bit of pavement to join the next trail segment, but in doing so you run right by a convenient store. Chad and I stopped in there to re-fuel and talk about Nascar with some of the locals.
Chad comes out of the store with a Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Water, Snickers, Cheese Crackers and a Fig Newton. I remember observing his carefully planned out purchase, and I have to admit I was a little jealous. Chad has a "go big or go home" approach to things, so I just figured he would carry what he didn't eat in his pack and eat it as we go. I was wrong. Chad dug in to what I comically refer to as "the last supper".
Off we go and off go the wheels. It took about 3 minutes of running before I heard Chad say, "I don't feel so good". I proceeded to turn around and see this bloated bellied figure start puking all over the place. I ran ahead so I didn't start puking myself. For the next 10+ miles Chad would puke occasionally and then start running again, all the while that Heed was keeping him company.
All in all I had a great run and Chad had a terrible one. It's funny now and I think he thinks so too. Just remember not to get carried away this year at the Jones Gap Road Convenience store.
Learn more about the Upchuck 50k >
Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
November 6, 2008
Chris Sharma Photos and Slideshow Report
Chris Sharma made it to Rock/Creek last night for the final stop of his southeast slideshow tour. Beginning with his early ascent into climbing at the ripe age of 14, Chris talked about his life as a full time rock climber with incredible photos and videos of his proudest and most memorable achievements. The crowd was audibly amazed while watching Chris on some of the hardest boulder problems and sport routes which Chris climbed with amazing ease and grace.
With ascents like Mandala (v12) in the Buttermilks, or a young ascent of Necessary Evil (5.14a) where he easily stops mid send to take off his sweatshirt, Chris shows us that we are far from his caliber of climbing. Chris is nothing but humble and soft spoken about his achievements, a fact which made each climb he showed us more inspiring, and even tangible. The audience was in awe of the beautiful pictures taken by some of the best photographers in the world. The photography and video clips portrayed Chris in some exceptionally beautiful places- deep water soloing in Mallorca, Spain, hard sport climbing in Ceuse, France, and the first ascent of a new route at the amazing Clark Mountain, California.
The highlight of the slideshow was towards the end. Chris showed us his new route, Jumbo Love, located in Clark Mountain, CA. This new, super long, intimidating route in the Mohave Desert is now more than likely the hardest route in the world (5.15a) and after seeing the pics, believably so. Jumbo Love is a monster of a pitch, climbing 250 feet up a sweeping, blank wall of limestone with numerous hard cruxes along the way. Sharma explained that for a number of bolts, stopping to clip was too difficult, so he would skip them while routinely taking 60-100 foot falls.
Chris finished with shots of climbing in his new home in Spain and photos of his girlfriend Dila who climbs 5.14a consistently, and is a sweet and very strong woman climber. The slideshow was great, the photos were world class, and Chris did a great job taking us through his amazing life as a sponsored climber.
Chris recently signed on with Evolv to be a part of their shoe development and to create his own series of shoes, and just signed on with Sterling Rope as a new member of their team. Chris is an absolute climbing ambassador with his quiet demeanor, humble attitude and of course his incredible talent that inspired us all while we watched the show. Rock/Creek is proud to have had Chris here and we look forward to the next time he will be back in town.
See the photos from the Chris Sharma Slideshow >
Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:18 PM | Comments (0)
October 29, 2008
The North Face Customer Appreciation Night
Everyone come check out The North Face Customer Appreciation Night on Thursday, Nov. 6th from 6-8 pm at Rock / Creek Outfitters 2 North Shore location off Manufactures Rd. in North Chattanooga.
The 1st 30 people thru the door will receive a FREE The North Face beanie! Plus, The North Face will be raffling off FREE Jester daypacks and a Rock 22 tent! To top it off, there will be FREE organic finger foods and drinks provided by your local GreenLife grocery.
The North Face factory reps will also be onsite to chat about The North Face gear and swap stories from your latest adventures. Rock / Creek Outfitters will be fully stocked in a wide selection of The North Face apparel, footwear, and equipment to prepare you for your next great outdoor adventure! Don't miss this incredible event!
Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:42 AM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2008
Chris Sharma Coming to Rock/Creek November 5th
Rock/Creek Presents World Class Rock Climber Chris Sharma's Signature Slide Show Tour, Sponsored by Evolv and Sterling Rope
Free admission; tickets available now at any Rock/Creek location
Date/Time:
Wednesday November 5, 2008
Poster signing 6:30pm EST
Show starts 7:30pm EST
Location:
Rock/Creek at Two North Shore
301 Manufacturers Road,
Chattanooga, TN 37405
You need to meet Chris Sharma! And why not? He is the most recognized, skilled, inviting and friendly figure in rock climbing. Chris's life has allowed him countless experiences during his travels from one edge of the globe to the other and on Wednesday November 5th you can experience them with him as he recounts these moments LIVE at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location! Admission is free, tickets are available at any Rock/Creek location.
Sharma's recognition comes not only from his groundbreaking ascents but also from being such a character and genuine athlete. Chris is involved with his community wherever he is, whether he's in his new home in Spain or his old stomping grounds of Northern California.
Join Chris on November 5th as he shares recollections and photos from trips such as recent climbing expeditions off the Spanish island of Mallorca, where Corey Rich took iconic photographs of Sharma hanging precipitously over the ocean as blue waves crash against the shore below.
Chris started rock climbing at age 12 and by the time he reached 14 he won the Bouldering Nationals and completed Necessary Evil (14c). Also on Chris' resume: his groundbreaking ascent of the Mandala, solidifying the first ascent of a 5.15 with Realization, the first ascent of Dreamcatcher, and the monumental send Pontas Arch!
Since the show is LIVE it will not only be better than any other show you have attended before but also different every time he gives it. This is not only the first Tour Chris has ever given in the South but also is exclusively presented by Evolv dealers. With this show, Chris is going to be showcasing his Sharma Signature Series, his personal line of shoes developed in coordination with Evolv Footwear. Rock/Creek and Evolv will also have a raffle for a free pair of Chris' new Signature Series rock climbing shoes. Check out the Optimus Prime, Optimus Slipper, Pontas, and Pontas Lace-up.
So be sure to load up the van with all your climbing amigos and show up for a romping, stomping good time with Chris Sharma.
Photography available on request
Contact:
Rock/Creek
423-265-5969
www.rockcreek.com/sharma/
About Rock/Creek:
Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including rock climbing, kayaking, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. With a dedicated staff of outdoor enthusiasts and gear experts, Rock/Creek offers only the very best outdoor apparel and equipment from top brands like Evolv, Sterling Rope, Mammut, Patagonia and others to ensure that customers are comfortable and safe in the outdoors.
Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:06 PM | Comments (0)
October 15, 2008
AAC's "Chattanooga on the Rocks" Event Oct. 18th
Come join the American Alpine Club for a gathering that will include climbing, beer and prizes. Chattanooga on the Rocks: Strikes Back will be happening in Chattanooga on Saturday, October 18th. The event will be a day of climbing at The Stone Fort (formerly Little Rock City) and an evening hanging out at the Market Street Tavern. Come on down to socialize with current AAC members as well as the local climbing community at large. If that's not incentive enough, there will be drink specials, discounted memberships, climbing movies playing in the background, and tons of prizes (both a cheap raffle and a silent auction, all with tons of great gear and tchotchkis). To participate in the climbing portion, please show up to Rock/Creek for a 10:00AM departure. To participate in the after-party, please show up at the Market Street Tavern at 7:00PM. See the attached poster for more details. If you have any questions regarding the event, please email me at max.poppel@gmail.com.
(Click on the image to the left for a larger version of the poster)
Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:31 PM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2008
$9,000 Raised for Trails at 2008 Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k
Locally-owned outdoor retailer Rock/Creek makes $9,000 donation for trails from the 8th Annual Rock/Creek StumpJump, a 50k and 11 mile trail running race that took place on the Cumberland Trail in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.
October 9, 2008 (Chattanooga, TN) - Rock/Creek today announces a $9,000 donation for trails. The Chattanooga-based retailer raised the money at the 8th Annual Rock/Creek StumpJump this past weekend. $3,500 will go to the Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC) for their ongoing work on the 300-plus-mile long Cumberland Trail. The Trail, still under construction, stretches across the state of Tennessee from Chattanooga to Cumberland Gap.
Another $3,500 will go to The Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies). Their mission is to promote trail running as a cornerstone to optimum health and as an avenue to adventure by focusing on expanding trail access, building new trails, maintaining existing trails, and organizing great trail races. The remaining $2,000 will go to the new Signal Mountain High School Cross Country team for work on their cross country course, which Boonies members will help construct.
The Rock/Creek StumpJump has become one of the largest ultramarathon-distance races in the country. This year's race took place on Saturday, October 4, 2008. Over 200 runners finished the 50k and 170 finished the 11 mile race. Runners came from across the country and the world, with runners representing 25 of the 50 states as well as Micronesia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Canada.
"Once again we had a great race" said Dawson Wheeler, Signal Mountain resident and co-owner of Rock/Creek: "We were able to raise significant funds this year and we look forward to building many miles of new trails. We could not have had this level of success without generous donations from our sponsors and the hundreds of volunteer hours contributed to the race."
Rock/Creek Race Team members fared well in the 50k race, with team members taking several top spots: John Anderson from Boulder, CO (originally of Signal Mountain) won first place in the 50k. Michael Green came in second. Jaclyn Greenhill won the women's division.
Other top finishers: Kevin Johnson of Ogden, UT finished third; Ryan Mittwede from Ridgeland, MS finished fourth. In the women's division, Abby Zeveloff from Carrboro, NC came in second, Lisa Purul from Panama City Beach, FL took third. Liz Lee of Knoxville, TN took fourth. Masters winners were: Phil Canning of Atlanta, GA; John Cobbs of Birmingham, AL; Tom Remaley of Cosby, TN; Marty Coleman of Marietta, GA.
Rock/Creek employee Deb Jones took first in the female division of the 11 mile race. Race team member Cathi Cannon took fourth.
Other 11 mile finishers included: Mark Lundblad of Swannanoa, NC (Team Inov8) took first. Tom Borschel from Idaho Falls, ID (Team LaSportiva) took second. Third went to local Sam Linhoss. Fourth, Jim Wueste from Atlanta, GA. Casey Malone of Memphis, TN came in as second place female. Lucie Becus from Cincinnati, OH took third.
Before the race, on Friday, October 3, Rock/Creek hosted the general public for a Vendor Fair and served 400 racers and family members for a catered carbo supper at their new store at Two North Shore on Manufacturers' Road. This family-friendly event showcased the race's sponsors and also served as a packet pick-up for racers. In addition, Dr. Charley Cropley from Boulder, Colorado gave a talk on natural foods and healthy nutrition for endurance activities.
Also on Friday live seamstresses worked to turn customers' old cotton t-shirts into sustainable shopping bags through the Icebreaker and Rock/Creek Bagging Cotton program. The promotion continues through the end of the month. Customers are invited to bring their old cotton t-shirts into Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location now through October 31st. Rock/Creek will transform the tee into a reusable shopping bag and customers will receive $10 off an Icebreaker pure merino top of their choice. For more details visit http://www.rockcreek.com/icebreaker/baggingcotton.asp
Sponsors of the race include SmartWool, Mountain Hardwear, Salomon, Hammer Nutrition, La Sportiva, The North Face, Greenlife Grocery, Vasque, Deuter, KEEN, CamelBak, Southern Spring Water, Inov8 and Trail Runner Magazine. Next year's event will take place on October 3, 2009.
Photography available to the media by request.
For registration information, results and photography, please visit http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump/
About Rock/Creek:
Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek 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 enacting positive change in the community and for our 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. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.
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Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:59 AM | Comments (0)
September 26, 2008
We're Bagging Cotton!
Transform Your Old Cotton T-shirts into Reusable Shopping Bags!
We’re bagging cotton at Rock/Creek! Rock/Creek has teamed with Icebreaker, the New Zealand-based edgy, environmentally-driven leader in outdoor apparel made from pure merino wool to transform old cotton t-shirts into sustainable shopping bags. We’re inviting you to bring old cotton t-shirts into Rock/Creek’s Two North Shore location now through October 31st. Rock/Creek will transform the tee into a reusable shopping bag and you’ll receive $10 off an Icebreaker pure merino top of their choice.
“Who would have thought that soggy, shapeless cotton t-shirts would make such perfect nature-friendly reusable bags?” says Deb Boswell, marketing manager of Icebreaker. She added, “Similarly, many people don’t realize how perfect Icebreaker’s merino wool is in all types of weather. We hope Chattanoogans come in to ‘bag cotton’ and try on one of our ultra-fine merino t-shirts. They’ll feel for themselves why merino wool is a magic, all-season fiber.”
Come see a live seamstress transforming t-shirts into bags, and browse our beautiful collections of clothing made from merino wool.
The promotion runs now through October 31, 2008. Customers dropping t-shirts off at the store before Oct. 1st can pick them up on Oct 3rd. After the Oct 3rd the sewing will be done once a week and will be available for pickup the Friday after drop off.
Live seamstress in the store: Saturday, Oct 3, Noon-6PM
Rock/Creek at Two North Shore 301 Manufacturers Road Chattanooga, TN 37405
CONTACT Rock/Creek (423)-265-5969
About Icebreaker
Founded in 1994 and based in Wellington, New Zealand, Icebreaker created an entirely new clothing category: merino outdoor clothing. The hand-picked merino wool, procured directly from the country’s Southern Alps, is transformed through the best technology, ethical manufacturing and environmentally sound practices into every Icebreaker garment. The Travel, Outdoor and Underwear apparel collections use ten distinct pure merino fabrics that silky soft, insulate beautifully, breath effectively, and don’t itch or hold odor. Now the largest merino apparel company in the world, Icebreaker is currently available at nearly 2000 stores in 24 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Australasia, and North America. For access to our online pressroom where you’ll find images and press releases contact onlinepress@icebreaker.com.
About Rock/Creek Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. With a dedicated staff of outdoor enthusiasts and gear experts, Rock/Creek offers only the very best outdoor apparel and equipment from top brands like Icebreaker and others to ensure that customers are comfortable and safe in the outdoors.
Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:45 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2008
Urban Rocks Gym Under Construction
Indoor climbing is coming to Chattanooga with the construction of Urban Rocks Gym. About a month ago, ground was broken for Chattanooga's first full service rock climbing facility. The gym, designed by Rockwerx Inc., will have 35 ft heights and 10,000 square feet of varying climbing terrain. With close attention to customer service, ever changing routes and a helpful staff, Urban Rocks hopes to become a great tool for bringing the Chattanooga climbing scene together.
For the last two years Chris Gibson and Rebecca Robran have been steadily working on bringing indoor climbing to the city. "It's been a long, tiring process with raising our own capitol, planning, and finding the right bank for financing, but we're very excited to see this project finally break ground" Gibson explains.
The facility will be located off of Amnicola Hwy. and will house over 10,000 sq. feet of climbing wall surface, which will include lead climbing, top ropes, top out bouldering, a teaching/kids wall, and a training area. The gym will cater to all abilities, from the professional climber to the complete novice. "We really hope to help bring the climbing community together, and to aid in fostering a really positive scene in the community of climbers and non climbers alike" Robran explains.
Climbing is among the fastest growing sports in the country. Anyone who has been climbing for the last ten years can attest to the remarkable surge in popularity and one of the fundamental focuses of the facility will be education. A wide variety of specialized classes ranging from Intro to climbing, to Leading, to Self Rescue, will be offered. Gibson hopes for the gym to contribute to the overall safety and experience level of the Chattanooga climbing community: "One of our goals is to provide ample opportunity for beginners to learn how to climb safely and smartly with others"
The gym has a projected opening date of mid-December with a grand opening scheduled for the beginning of the New Year. It's shaping up to be a great event with vendors, slide shows and raffles. Check out the website Urbanrocksgym.com for updates as the gym progresses.
The diagram at the top of this page shows the overview of the gym plan created by Rockwerx. The photo shows another Rockwerx-designed gym in Boston. We'll post more details here as they come, so stay tuned.
Shop at Rock/Creek for climbing gear, outdoor clothing, and travel gear >
Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:19 AM | Comments (1)
