Outdoor News June 8, 2018

National Get Outdoors Day

Tomorrow is National Get Outdoors Day, also known as GO Day. Some encouragement to get
outdoors:

• Free admission at Minnesota State Parks
• Free admission at Washington State Parks
• Free Admission to Michigan State Parks
• Special free activities at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
• Free outdoor exploration at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
• Free Day Use at National Forests in Oregon and Washington
• Free Use Day at Coronodo National Forest in Arizona.
• And More!

Get the details on lots of special events at www.nationalgetoutdoorsday.org

 

Kilkenny Outdoor Festival

If you happen to be in Kilkenny County, Ireland between July 2 and July 16, you might want to participate in the Trail Kilkenny Outdoor Festival.  The festival is designed to spur you to get your friends and family together and get outdoors! This year’s Festival features two weeks of bustling adventures and action-packed activities. Get active and explore the stunning and world renowned Kilkenny countryside, and its rivers, hills, treks and trails, with the help of some of Kilkenny’s most experienced outdoor activity providers.

Why not try an activity you have never tried before? Be adventurous, but most importantly, enjoy it! So connect with like-minded adventurers and be inspired! There is something for everyone! 

Get all the details at the Trail Kilkenny Outdoor Festival website  and checkout the video:

Bison Gores Woman

On Wednesday morning, 59-year-old Kim Hancock of Santa Rosa, California, was gored by a bull bison at Fountain Paint Pot in the Lower Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park. Hancock and a crowd of people approached within ten yards of the bison while walking along a boardwalk. At one point, people were closer than 15 feet from the bison. When it crossed the boardwalk, the bison became agitated and charged the crowd, goring Hancock. The bison immediately left the area.

Rangers responded to the incident and treated Hancock for a hip injury: she was transported by paramedic ambulance to the Big Sky Medical Center in Big Sky, Montana, in good condition. This is the second incident of a bison injuring a visitor in 2018. There was one incident in 2017 and five in 2015. In a little over a month, four people have been injured by wildlife in Yellowstone, including two different women injured by a female elk near Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel earlier this week.

Wild animals in Yellowstone and elsewhere are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be. Give animals space when they’re near trails, boardwalks, parking lots, or in developed areas. Always stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards (23 m) away from all other animals, including bison and elk. If you can’t maintain these distances, turn around and find an alternate route. 

RockyMounts Moves to Grand Junction

At Wednesday's Western Colorado Economic Summit, bicycle rack systems and security specialist, RockyMounts, Inc. announced plans to relocate the company’s headquarters to Riverfront at Las Colonias Park, a new business and recreational development on the banks of the Colorado River in Grand Junction, Colorado. The relocation of RockyMounts to the Grand Junction business community represents a move that further bolsters the area as a destination for the outdoor industry, which already includes companies such as Bonsai Design, DT Swiss, MRP and many others. 

“I started the business in Boulder (Colorado) in the mid 90’s; it flourished here and I will always be grateful to Boulder for the opportunity.” said RockyMounts president Bobby Noyes. “Meeting with the GJEP (Grand Junction Economic Partnership) earlier this year, there was a dynamic energy that was reminiscent of my early years launching this business. I saw an opportunity to be a part of a growing and vibrant community here in Grand Junction, build the headquarters I had always dreamed of, and to contribute to the improved quality of life for myself, my employees, and the like-minded souls that call the Western Slope home.”

“We are seeing more and more interest from businesses like RockyMounts,” added Robin Brown, GJEP executive director. “Companies are growing tired of metropolitan areas and their long commutes, high real estate costs and congested neighborhoods. They want good business conditions without compromising on quality of life. We believe we can offer that here in Colorado’s Grand Valley.”

Both the City of Grand Junction and RockyMounts are striving to create a dynamic environment at Riverfront at Las Colonias Park that focuses on community building, business development and outdoor recreation. With combined synergistic talents, energy and expertise, all involved parties hope to facilitate developments that welcome new businesses and visitors to the area.

“We are thrilled to welcome RockyMounts to Grand Junction and Riverfront at Las Colonias Park,” said Mayor Barbara Traylor Smith, City of Grand Junction. “This is exactly the type of business that we are working to attract to the business park – innovative, passionate about the outdoors and engaged in our community.”

Additionally, RockyMounts plans to allocate $30,000 towards the benefit of Riverfront at Las Colonias Park to construct a park amenity that will serve as a shared recreation opportunity for the community, park users and staffs of local businesses. A RockyMounts grand opening event is planned for the Fall of 2019 to gather the local community, outdoor industry and media to unveil the newly constructed headquarters and represent Grand Junction with pride.

Pacific NW Trail Maps

The 2018 edition of the Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA) mapset is now available. If you're planning a trip on the Pacific Northwest Trail this year, you will need these maps.  This update includes a large volume of new data and represents the most accurate and definitive maps of the Pacific Northwest Trail ever created.

For a limited time, you can take advantage of a bulk print run by becoming a PNTA Member. PNTA fulfills orders of these high-quality, printed mapsets at the cost of production as a way of saying "thanks" for supporting their work. Members and non-members alike can download the 2018 mapset for free at pnt.org.  Pre-ordering for the printed maps ends Sunday!

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Video of the Week

Liz Clark went sailing . . . "My voyage was born out of passion to surf the world and find a way to live lighter on the planet. And this film was created thanks to collaboration and support from loving friends and companies. I hope it inspires you to hear the callings of your heart." –Captain Lizzy  Enjoy!

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