The North Face, REI Support Expedition Denali

LANDER, WYO — The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) announced this week that The North Face andREI are joining the school’s Expedition Denali team as technical gear sponsor and retail sponsor, respectively.

Expedition Denali is a historical undertaking by the first predominantly African American team to attempt to summit Denali, North America’s tallest mountain, in June 2013—the 100^th anniversary of the peak’s first ascent.

“The dedication shown by the NOLS’ Expedition Denali team will serve as a motivation to others to lead active lifestyles and to find their own version of Denali,” said Laura Swapp, REI’s director of Diversity and Inclusion. “Their journey perfectly aligns with our commitment to inspire others and to be inspired by them.”

Through the expedition, the grassroots events during the expedition, and the two-year outreach initiative to follow, Expedition Denali will give these role models a platform from which to inspire youth of color, particularly African-American youth, to get outside and active and connect with nature.

“This diverse team of inspiring individuals has the opportunity to ignite a passion for the outdoors in the next generation of outdoor explorers,” said Ann Krcik, director of Outdoor Exploration at The North Face. “We’re are proud to be able to offer the team the best outdoor gear and equipment from The North Face to help make this expedition a success.”

REI and The North Face join partners such as the Foundation for Youth Investment, the Sierra Club, and The White House’s Let’s Move Outside! Campaign to help NOLS, a nonprofit school, launch the expedition. As retail sponsor, REI will provide funding to help underwrite the costs of Expedition Denali. The North Face will outfit the team for the climb as technical gear sponsor.

“The North Face is the premier supplier of innovative equipment and apparel, and REI is one of outdoor recreation’s best known brands, said NOLS Diversity and Inclusion Manager Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin. “We are delighted to have both of them backing this historic project, which will help narrow the gap between people of color and the world of adventure and inspire more Americans to connect with our outdoor spaces.”

NOLS is still seeking partners to make Expedition Denali possible. To learn more about Expedition Denali or become a partner, contact Rajagopal-Durbin at (800) 710-6657 extension 2328, visithttp://expeditiondenali.nols.edu/, or e-mail [email protected].

About NOLS

Founded in 1965 by legendary mountaineer Paul Petzoldt, NOLS is the leader in wilderness education, providing awe-inspiring, transformative experiences to 16,000 students each year. These students, ages 14 to over 80, learn in the wildest and most remote classrooms worldwide—from the Amazon rain forest, to rugged peaks in the Himalaya, to Alaskan glaciers and Arctic tundra. Graduates are active leaders with lifelong environmental ethics and outdoor skills. NOLS also offers customized courses through NOLS Professional Training, and the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute is the leading teacher of wilderness medicine worldwide. For more information, call (800) 710-NOLS (6657) or visit www.nols.edu.

About REI

REI is a national outdoor retail co-op dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Founded in 1938 by a group of Pacific Northwest mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions.

About The North Face

The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, In., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company’s products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting good retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.