Back in 2011, Alpine Shop was one of the first retailers to sign on to assist SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital with their new “Glennon Card” promotion. Little did we know then just how big this would promotion grow!
When you purchase a Glennon Card – either at Alpine Shop, on on-line at www.glennoncard.org, 100% of your money benefits the kids cared for by SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. Plus, the Glennon Card also provides you with significant discounts at over 270 retailers, restaurants and salons on-line and in the area (including Alpine Shop!) through Sunday, October 24. With unlimited use for 10 days, it’s easy to recoup the cost of the card. Best of all, 100% of card sales benefit the kids.
Here’s how it works: You can purchase a Glennon Card either in any Alpine Shop location or on-line here for $60 and use it all participating merchants. With your card, you’ll receive a 20% discount on nearly everything in our stores* with the main exception being a 10% discount on full-priced bikes, boats or snowsport hardgoods.
Alpine Shop is proud to have been one of the top Local Merchants for Glennon Card sales over the past five years. Please come in and purchase your Card anytime between now and Sunday, Oct. 24, and be sure to select Alpine Shop as how you heard about the Glennon Card if you purchase a digital card through the on-line checkout here.
2021 GLENNON CARD RULES AND EXCLUSIONS: Card sharing is strictly prohibited. Since the Glennon Card is a fundraising event to help the sick and injured children cared for at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, we encourage shoppers to buy their own Glennon Card. Participating retailers will not accept cards unless purchaser has been verified with a valid photo ID.
*20% off promotion applies to the full retail price on in-store apparel, footwear and camping gear only and is not eligible to be combined with other promotions or offers, except for clearance goods (marked with $_.97 pricing) which will be discounted from the lowest-marked price.Hardgoods such as bikes, boats and ski & snowsport hardgoods receive a 10% off discount. Used items for sale in Alpine Shop’s Winter Swap are not eligible for any discount. Select brands and items are excluded. Please see an Alpine Shop outfitter for details.
If you would like to shop on-line with us, please access our site through this link here. You will need the passcode that is either on the second page of the paper Glennon Card or from the information you received through your digital card.
Every year around April Fools’ Day, we like to relate the story of how the modern Alpine Shop came to exist. It’s not really a funny joke, it’s just that it actually happened on April 1. Here’s the story of the Mapmaker, the Vintner and the Fugitive:
One of the original signs from Mooers Alpine, Alpine Shop’s predecessor.
In 1973, Bob Mooers–a local St. Louis climber, Army Map Service employee, and author of “Finding Your Way in the Outdoors” (still available used on-line)–convinced Chouinard Equipment, a growing climbing brand at the time, to open him as a dealer. So, Mooers started a climbing shop – in a small room upstairs from the home wine-making shop he was moonlighting on the side from his Army Map Service work. It took just one month for climbing to outsell wine-making, which ended up being abandoned when Mooers moved the climbing shop to a new, larger space.
Five years later, “Mooers Alpine” was thriving, but Mooers was looking to sell and move to the Northwest.
Russell “Holly”, and Lisa Hollenbeck, co-owners of Alpine Shop, on a recent trip out West.
Enter Russell “Holly” Hollenbeck to the picture. A 45-year-old customer of Mooers’ originally from the Northwest, Hollenbeck had come to St. Louis to work in the city’s banking and finance industry. However, a change in leadership at the company he worked for had soured him on the field, and he had taken to considering himself a “fugitive” from corporate life. While skiing at Snowbird in Utah during the winter of 1977, Hollenbeck broached the subject of purchasing Mooers Alpine with his family. On April 1, 1978, “Mooers Alpine” became “Alpine Shop” with Hollenbeck as the new owner.
43 years later, climbing is still at our core, but over the years we have added gear, clothing, events and clinics for almost every type of outdoor enthusiast, from backpackers, hikers, campers, paddlers, and cyclists, to snowboarders and skiers, at four locations in Missouri and Kansas.
Alpine Shop Kirkwood’s collection of historic climbing gear, cleared from big walls in Yosemite National Park by friend-of-the-Shop Rich Copeland. Copeland died in a fall in Yosemite in 2014 and the outpouring of tributes was truly amazing.
Those 43 years have been good to us and to our vendors, as well. Recently, at the 2019 Grassroots Outdoor Alliance summer meetings, Alpine Shop was named National Retailer of the Year, an honor we are truly humbled by and continue to strive to earn in the eyes of our customers.
Our first supplier, Chouinard Equipment, ended up morphing into Great Pacific Iron Works, which went on to become Black Diamond and Patagonia. They remain our largest and one of our most admired vendor partners.
After 49 years in the business, it is Alpine Shop’s Vision to see Generations Transformed by Discovery Outdoors.
Back in 2011, Alpine Shop was one of the first retailers to sign on to assist SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital with their new “Glennon Card” promotion. Little did we know then just how big this would promotion grow!
When you purchase a Glennon Card – either at Alpine Shop, on on-line at www.glennoncard.org, 100% of your money benefits the kids cared for by SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. Plus, the Glennon Card also provides you with significant discounts at over 250 retailers, restaurants and salons on-line and in the area (including Alpine Shop!) through Sunday, October 25. With unlimited use for 10 days, it’s easy to recoup the cost of the card. Best of all, 100% of card sales benefit the kids.
Here’s how it works: You can purchase a Glennon Card either in any Alpine Shop location or on-line here for $60 and use it all participating merchants. With your card, you’ll receive a 20% discount on nearly everything in our stores* with the main exception being a 10% discount on full-priced bikes, boats or snowsport hardgoods.
Alpine Shop is proud to have been the top Local Merchant for Glennon Card sales in 2017 & 2018 and in the top five for 2019. We’d like to reclaim the top spot in 2020 with your help! Please come in and purchase your Card anytime between now and Sunday, Oct. 25, and be sure to select Alpine Shop as how you heard about the Glennon Card if you purchase a digital card through the on-line checkout here.
2020 GLENNON CARD RULES AND EXCLUSIONS: Card sharing is strictly prohibited. Since the Glennon Card is a fundraising event to help the sick and injured children cared for at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, we encourage shoppers to buy their own Glennon Card! Participating retailers will not accept cards unless purchaser has been verified with a valid photo ID.
*20% off promotion applies to the full retail price on in-store apparel, footwear and camping gear only and is not eligible to be combined with other promotions or offers, except for clearance goods (marked with $_.97 pricing) which will be discounted from the lowest-marked price. Hardgoods such as bikes, boats and ski & snowsport hardgoods receive a 10% off discount.
If you would like to shop on-line with us, please access our site through this link here. You will need the passcode that is either on the second page of the paper Glennon Card or from the information you received through your digital card.
Select brands and items are excluded. Please see an Alpine Shop outfitter for details.
One of the original signs from Mooers Alpine, Alpine Shop’s predecessor.
In 1973, a local St. Louis climber and Army Map Service employee, Bob Mooers, author of “Finding Your Way in the Outdoors” (still available used at Alibris, 99¢ and up), convinced Chouinard Equipment, a growing climbing brand at the time, to open him as a dealer. So, Mooers started a climbing shop – in a small room upstairs from the home wine-making shop he was moonlighting on the side. It took one month for climbing to outsell wine-making, which was then abandoned in a move to a new, larger space.
Five years later, “Mooers Alpine” was thriving, but Mooers was looking to sell and move to the Northwest.
Russell “Holly”, and Lisa Hollenbeck, co-owners of Alpine Shop, on a recent trip out West.
A 45-year-old customer of his from that exact same area of the country had come to St. Louis to work in the city’s banking and finance industry. A change-in-leadership at the company he worked for had soured Russell “Holly” Hollenbeck on that field though, and he considered himself a “fugitive” from corporate life. While skiing at Snowbird in Utah during the winter of 1977, Hollenbeck broached the subject of purchasing Mooers Alpine with his family. On April 1, 1978, “Mooers Alpine” became “Alpine Shop” with Hollenbeck as the new owner.
42 years later, climbing is still at our core, but over the years we have added gear, clothing, events and clinics for almost every type of outdoor enthusiast, from backpackers, hikers, campers, paddlers, and cyclists, to snowboarders and skiers, at four locations in Missouri and Kansas.
Alpine Shop Kirkwood’s collection of historic climbing gear, cleared from big walls in Yosemite National Park by friend-of-the-Shop Rich Copeland. Copeland died in a fall in Yosemite in 2014 and the outpouring of tributes was truly amazing.
Less than a year ago, at the 2019 Grassroots Outdoor Alliance summer meetings, Alpine Shop was named Retailer of the Year.
Chouinard Equipment morphed into Great Pacific Iron Works which went on to become Black Diamond and Patagonia. Our first supplier remains our largest and one of our most admired.
After 48 years in the business, it is Alpine Shop’s Vision to see Generations Transformed by Discovery Outdoors.
Back in 2011, Alpine Shop was one of the first retailers to sign on to assist SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital with their new “Glennon Card” promotion. Little did we know then just how big this would promotion grow!
When you purchase a Glennon Card – either at Alpine Shop, on on-line at www.glennoncard.org, 100% of your money benefits the kids cared for by SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. Plus, the Glennon Card also provides you with significant discounts at over 345 retailers, restaurants and salons in the area (including Alpine Shop!) through this Sunday, October 27. With unlimited use for 10 days, it’s easy to recoup the cost of the card. Best of all, 100% of card sales benefit the kids.
Here’s how it works: You can purchase a Digital Glennon Card on-line here for $50 and use it all participating merchants, or if you would prefer a paper version, you can grab one for $60 at any Alpine Shop retail location now through Oct. 27. Either way, you’ll receive a 20% discount on nearly everything in our stores* with the main exception being a 10% discount on full-priced bikes, boats or snowsport hardgoods.
Alpine Shop is proud to have been the top Local Merchant for Glennon Card sales in 2017 & 2018 and hope to remain the same for 2019. Please come in and purchase your Card anytime between now and Sunday, Oct. 27, or be sure to select Alpine Shop as how you heard about the Glennon Card at the on-line checkout here.
2019 GLENNON CARD RULES AND EXCLUSIONS:
Card sharing is strictly prohibited. Since the Glennon Card is a fundraising event to help the sick and injured children cared for at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, we encourage shoppers to buy their own Glennon Card! Participating retailers will not accept cards unless purchaser has been verified with a valid photo ID.
*20% off promotion applies to the retail price on in-store apparel, footwear and camping gear only and is not eligible to be combined with other promotions or offers, except for clearance goods (marked with $_.97 pricing) which will be discounted from the lowest-marked price. Hardgoods such as bikes, boats and ski & snowsport hardgoods receive a 10% off discount. Online and Special Order items are not eligible.
Select brands and items are excluded. Please see an Alpine Shop outfitter for details.
The majestic beauty of Mt. Rainier, located southeast of Seattle, Washington.
Article written by: Will Nagengast
Edited by: Chloe Tennant
“If we can make it work, I am so down for a suffer-fest!”
That’s the sentiment my good friend Robbie expressed when I talked to him last. We were talking about a tentative schedule for climbing Mt. Rainier in Washington. Robbie lives in Olympia, Washington, which is about an hour away from Seattle and Rainier. When he’s not at school in Olympia, he’s been working as a climbing ranger on Rainier. It’s a job he loves enough to volunteer for. When he does get paid, it is just a nice bonus.
Robbie is the one who introduced me to climbing during my sophomore year of college, near Wichita, Kansas. It immediately felt right, and I’ve been rock climbing religiously for the past five or so years. Rob, however, wasn’t content to just stay on the rock. He loves snow, mountains, ice and cold. This led him to move to Washington. I’ve never really gotten to experience the mountaineering side of the vertical world, and I’ve always been curious. I recently decided that there’s never been a better time to start than now!
With that in mind, Rob and I began tossing around ideas about me flying out to Seattle, gearing up, and bagging Rainier. It’s a mountain that sees approximately 5,000 summits every year. Most of these occur during the summer months, however, when the weather is more predictable. During the rest of the year, Rainier’s weather typically consists of either snow, or lots of snow. The average snowfall for Rainier is 635 inches, or over 53 feet, per year. This is what Robbie was talking about when he mentioned a suffer-fest. Sure, we could try for the top in the summer. But it’d be so much more impressive, difficult, and straining to do it in the winter! To be quite honest, a suffer-fest seems like it’s exactly what I need.
The activity of Mountaineering and Alpine Climbing can be as grueling as it is rewarding! Cold and wet conditions coins the term “suffer-fest”
Single pitch sport climbing in the South is SO easy. There are incredibly difficult routes, yes, and I am frequently giving 100% of what I have at that moment that I’m on the wall, but in the end the car is 15 minutes away. I’ll have brats over the fire in the evening, maybe sip a warm beer, and get a nice shower in a couple of days when I’m home again. That wouldn’t be the case with a winter ascent of Rainier. We’d be hiking uphill for miles, for several days, with heavy packs, in potentially sub-zero weather, with LOTS of snow. It would be exhausting, draining, probably one of the harder things I’ve done in my life so far. And that sounds great to me right now. I think I need to push my comfort zone, in a way I haven’t done before.
Rob and I are still trying to figure out when might work for both of us to meet up for Rainier. We’ll probably need a week or longer, so that he can give me some tutoring on glacier and snow travel, avalanche conditions, the technical aspects of executing a multi-day ascent of a big mountain, and of course, maybe a week to do the actual climb. Rob’s schedule is always subject to change. He might be in Panama, or somewhere in South America, or in school. But if we can swing it, we’ll try and meet up, perhaps in February, and give it a shot. Hopefully the weather cooperates and allows us on the mountain, but if not, there are plenty of other things to climb in that corner of the world.
While planning ahead, I started picking up pieces of gear that I’ll need on Rainier. My first piece was the Arc’teryx Beta LT; it’s a nice, lightweight but durable, hardshell. It has pockets that are accessible even with a climbing harness on, which lends to its utility in the mountains. It’s a Gore-Tex Pro shell, so I’m not worried about getting wet or wind-blown. Last but not least, it looks pretty awesome too.
My next target is the Black Diamond CoEfficient Hoody. It’s a lightweight fleece that has a great hood meant to fit under a helmet. I’d use this as a layering piece, with some much heavier insulating pieces, on Rainier, but I think it’ll really shine on multi-pitch alpine climbing, where the intense cold isn’t quite as much of an issue, and when I’ll really want to be wearing a helmet. The hood is the best I’ve ever seen as far as fitting snugly underneath a climbing helmet.
I’ve got many more things to look for as well. Pants are an under-appreciated part of the whole “keeping warm” system. Everyone has tons of jackets, but how many pairs of cold weather pants do you have? Poor pants just got the short stick for not being as sexy as a new, awesome jacket.One pair of pants that is on my radar is the Arc’teryx Stingray Pant; Recco Reflector, Gore-Tex hardshell pant can do it all.The waterproof and breathable fabric will help keep you warm, dry, and comfortable. The Recco Reflector is an awesome spec that is important while in the mountains. In the event of an avalanche the Recco Reflector within the garment becomes visible to the Recco Detector (which are used by resorts and rescue teams) making it one of the best safety features aboard a trip of this nature.Underneath the Stingray Pants I’ll layer starting with a 260 weight Icebreaker Baselayer Legging and a pair of Patagonia Piton Pants. Both will be highly useful in staying super warm and comfortable!
I’ll also end up borrowing and renting some of the more specialized equipment, to save on some money. Eventually though, if I discover I like mountaineering and alpine climbing, I’ll save up and get everything I need in a piecemeal fashion.I really hope that Rob and I are able to work out a time to meet up and do something awesome. Nothing makes for better stories than the times that you were the most miserable. A suffer-fest is just what I need, and I have zero doubt that the experience of pushing my limits in that manner will be something I’ll be able to reminisce fondly of for many years to come.
Assistant Manager for the Columbia store and avid climber, Ryan Gajewski, dishes out some pretty awesome hands on experience for the new MadRock Shark 2.0 climbing shoe!
Over the past four months I have been testing the new MadRock Shark 2.0 climbing shoe. What is new this year is the split sole technology. The idea is to make the shoe more aggressive which aids in over hangs. I have found this to be the first time Mad Rock has put this technology in their shoes.
First things first, where were they tested? I tried to climb in multiple areas with different rock quality in order to get a real idea of how good the new style worked under different conditions.
I started in three gyms such as Boulder Gardens (Columbia, Mo), Upper Limits (St. Louis) and So Ill (St. Louis).
Outside locations included:
-Sandstone: Sam’s Throne, AR, Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, AR, Obed/Clear Creek, TN and Eldorado Canyon, CO
-Granite: Leavenworth, WA
-Limestone: Providence, Warsaw , Wilton, and Columbia, MO
Types of routes that were climbed: Gyms:
-Sport climbing & Bouldering Outside:
-Bouldering, Sport and Trad
Here is what I found.
Pros:
-Price point. Every other split sole shoe retails around +$180.00 making the modest $119.00 very attractive.
-Fit. They are a very true fit, meaning you don’t have to guess and go down two shoe sizes like a lot of other bands. This makes finding your fit a lot easier and less frustrating. I found I only downsized 1/2 my street shoe.
-Comfort. Most split soles are very aggressive, this means you usually have to sacrifice comfort. The mad rocks fit very well with a super comfortable heel, and even though your toe are curled there are no pressure spots.
-Aggressive. These shoes even feel confident before you leave the ground, especially on overhanging boulders, I found they were very helpful when powering through thin lip turns and wild heel hooks.
Cons:
-Heel “mowhawk” is a neat concept but it only works well on specific types of heel hooks. I found that it sometimes would pop my heel off the rock when doing very small, smearing heel hooks.
-The rubber is not as sticky as La Sportiva’s Vibram or 5.10’s stealth rubber.
-It’s pretty specialized, this is not necessarily a bad thing, but a new climber would not enjoy these because of their aggressiveness.
These shoes are the perfect buy for the climber who is ready to jump to a more aggressive shoe, but doesn’t want to blow their entire paycheck. I feel this shoe really comes alive on the boulder wall in the gym. The rubber is not as good as others, therefore I found myself reaching for my higher end Sportiva’s and Evolve’s while outside.
The Sharks are a must for the aspiring climber who wants a second more aggressive shoe but doesn’t want to break the bank. These shoes can cruise you up your 5.7 and V0 warmup and then take you to your 5.13 roof or V8 problem without a hitch. And, on a closing note, they also won editor’s choice in Climbing magazine!
St. Louis and Columbia are amazing locations for outdoor adventures with your children. With our two cities as your base camp, you have access to miles upon miles of wilderness featuring trails, rivers, springs, caves, forests, bluffs, rock formations, waterfalls and more. Set your sights within just two hours of our metro areas and we have more opportunities than we can possibly tell you here. Best of all, many of these locations are absolutely free for your family for a day visit. A camping trip may cost you as little as $10 for the night.
Each of the areas we have listed below have the potential to provide your children (and you) with experiences that will last a lifetime. We may not have the dramatic mountain silhouettes of the Rockies or the crashing waves of the ocean; but we do have the beauty of the Ozark Mountains, spring-fed rivers that run stunningly, perfectly clear and a vast system of caves that appeal to every child. Best of all, because of our Midwestern geography, most of our outdoor destinations are surprisingly kid-friendly.
So if you’re looking for some ideas for a new adventure for you and your kids, we’ve included a list of our top choices below. Some are nearby. Some are further away. But all of them offer families a chance to have fun and experience the great outdoors.
Camping Adventures
Meramec State Park, Sullivan, MO – The absolute gem for camping and outdoor adventures for kids. Trails, beaches on the river, and over 75 caves and numerous springs. Onondaga Cave State Park, Leasburg, MO – Camping, cave tours, canoeing. Great place for a long weekend. Silver Mines Recreation Area, Fredericktown, MO – One of Missouri’s unknown wonders. Explore an old dam. Watch whitewater kayakers make their way through the St. Francis River rapids. The Missouri Whitewater Championships are held upstream of this location each March.
Hiking & Exploring Adventures
Rockwoods Reservation, Eureka, MO – Trails for hikers of all ages and skill levels as well as wildlife exhibits. Plenty of picnic grounds and fields for group meals. Powder Valley Nature Center, Kirkwood, MO – Easy to get to, incredible nature center, easy trails. Great local asset. Amidon Conservation Area near Fredericktown, MO – The Castor River Shut-ins here is one of Missouri’s best play spots for kids both young and old. (Shhhh! It’s a secret!) Pickle Springs Natural Area near Farmington, MO – Short length, incredible rock formations, fun for everybody! Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Columbia, MO – Diverse trail network for hiking or mountain biking, or plenty of space for a nice weather picnic as well. And for a true adventure, explore Devil’s Icebox on a park-led tour.
Paddling Adventures
Simpson Lake County Park, Valley Park, MO – A local, hidden gem just off Highway 141. Bring a bird guidebook, a canoe and fishing poles. Meramec River, Consider launching your boat near Steelville, Leasburg or Sullivan for best water quality and natural beauty. Besides the Missouri and the Mississippi, probably the most recognized river in the area – and the easiest to access. Huzzah Creek, Leasburg, MO – (Hoo-za) More advanced young paddlers can take off on their own sit-on-top kayaks (rented through numerous outfitters) on this gorgeous clearwater gem which drains into the Meramec near Leasburg, MO Missouri River, West and South of Columbia, MO – Experience the same river Lewis and Clark explored; offers great opportunities for experienced paddlers.
Rock Climbing Adventures
Okay, we’re cheating on some of these here. Some aren’t really outdoors. They’re climbing gyms. But, the skills learned here could very well lead to the ability to tackle the real rock walls of the area. Center of Clayton Climbing Gym – Clatyon, MO – Geared towards kids more than any other gym in St. Louis. Upper Limits Climbing Gym – St. Louis, MO – Best overall climbing gym in the area. Capen Park – Columbia, MO – Close to campus and featuring some good top roping and sport routes. University of Missouri – Columbia Climbing Wall – Columbia, MO – Open to University Students and Staff
Biking Adventures
Grant’s Trailin South County, St. Louis – Flat, easy, and even at its most crowded is still enjoyable. And now the trail starts almost in our Kirkwood store’s backyard! Katy Trail, beginning in St. Charles, MO – One-day trips to week-long adventures on 235 miles of bike trail between St. Charles and Clinton, MO. Lost Valley Trail in the Weldon Springs Conservation Area in St. Charles – Fabulous for both hiking and biking with clear creeks and miles of wooded, flat trails. Forest Park, St. Louis, MO – Local, with a myriad of opportunities for other activities. MKT Trail, Columbia, MO – Another rails to trails project, but runs right through Columbia for some easy, family-friendly riding.
For 17 years, Alpine Shop has always had two distinct Swap Celebrations: a Spring Swap dedicated to bikes, boats, camping gear and all warm-weather pursuits, and the Winter Swap devoted to all things done outside in the cold including skiing, snowboarding and playing in the snow. So for the 18th year, of course, we threw all of that out the window.
As of Monday, October 17 at 10 am, Alpine Shop Kirkwood and Columbia are ready to accept your used items into the Swap. Bring them in early to avoid the line. If you prefer to leave things until the last minute, please note that ALL used gear registration needs to be finished by 5 pm on Friday, Oct. 21. More than likely, this means you need to be in line at 4 pm at the latest to check-in your gear. As we continue to improve the Swap to make sure our lines don’t stretch back for hours on Friday night, that same technology has forced us to make some changes in how we do some things. Check-in is one of those things.
We’ll still open the tent at 7 pm on Friday night. We’ll still have people tailgating for the tent opening hours before then. You’ll still find the tent filled with great prices on used and clearance items. (Or, you’ll still see the money coming in from the items you’re selling!)
You will find a few changes inside our stores, however. All of our new-gear sales will begin when we open our doors first thing in the morning in Kirkwood, Chesterfield and Columbia (or on-line at alpineshop.com). If you’re just interested in new gear deals, you no longer have to wait until the 7 pm starting time anymore. Also, we’ll have Early Bird and Night Owl deals on new gear on both Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22-23 and Sat. and Sun., Oct. 29-30. You can find those limited time specials on page 3 of our on-line new-gear sale catalog here.
Used gear sales are open in Kirkwood and Columbia on Friday, Oct. 21 from 7 pm–11 pm; Sat., Oct. 22 from 9 am—9 pm and Sun., Oct. 23 from 11 am—6 pm.
Ambre Tiggs of Ginkgo Adventures recommends her favorite gear to anyone interested in camping, hiking, backpacking, climbing, and paddling. Ambre’s Picks include basic gear that is essential for most outdoor adventures.
Ambre founded Ginkgo Adventures, an outdoor adventure company based in St Louis in 2006. In addition to running Ginkgo Adventures she is also an adjunct instructor at Meramec, Wildwood, and St. Charles Community Colleges teaching Backpacking/Hiking and Camping/Paddling. Ambre is a Wilderness EMT and American Red Cross instructor in CPR, Standard First Aid, and Wilderness First Aid. She backpacks, rock climbs, canoes, kayaks (whitewater, sea, and flat water), mountain bikes and snowboards.
