Give a Little. Save Big. Glennon Card Discount Days are October 19-28, 2018

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!

Alpine Shop has been heavily involved with the Glennon Card from the beginning, including welcoming the photo shoot for the cover of Town & Style magazine in 2014!

From October 19–28, 2018, purchasing a Glennon Card from Alpine Shop gives you a 20% discount on almost everything in our stores (and a 10% discount on all regularly-priced boats, bikes, skis & snowboards) AND a 20% discount at more than 320 other retailers and restaurants throughout the Metro St. Louis area.

Glennon Cards are $50 and can be purchased at any Alpine Shop location through Sunday, Oct. 28.  Click here to see a complete list of merchants to choose from–like Alpine Shop!

Overall, since 2011, the Glennon Card Team have raised more than $1.25 million for use at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. Alpine Shop is proud to have been the top Local Merchant for Glennon Card sales in 2017 and hope to remain the same for 2018. Please come in and purchase your Card anytime between now and Sunday, Oct. 28.

2018 GLENNON CARD RULES AND EXCLUSIONS:
The card can only be utilized by one individual; not groups. Only the card bearer and his or her minor children can use the card for discounts. The card bearer’s signature must appear on the card. The card must be presented at the time of purchase. Glennon Cards cannot be replaced if lost. Discount cannot be combined with other sales or previously discounted items. Internet items are not eligible.

*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.

Ski & Snowboard Service: Protect your gear and perfect your ride

Keeping your skis and snowboards tuned is one of the two most important things* you can do to ensure you have a great time on the slopes every time you make a run. Why? Because without a tune, your gear does two things: it sticks to the snow, making it harder for you to move and it reduces your maneuverability in turns, making it harder for you to go where you want to go. Now, if this still sounds fun, proceed to your nearest slope without taking care of your ride. However, if you want to actually enjoy your time on the snow, read on.

There are two different ways to keep your skis and snowboards tuned: you can do it yourself or you can bring them in to us at Alpine Shop and let us take care of it for you.

Some repairs, though, are beyond the equipment you’ll have in your basement. And some people would just rather have an experienced technician do the work. For those jobs, Alpine Shop is proud to offer you one of the top ski and snowboard service centers in the country. Completely stocked with top-of-the-line Wintersteiger equipment and manned by certified techs, we’ll make sure your gear is perfectly tuned for your particular style.

Here’s some examples of what we do:

An example of a board needing a custom tune from Alpine Shop's service center
A perfect example of something needing a Custom Tune. If the customer does the Basic Tune, all those scratch lines will still be there, the edges won’t be perfect and the base would be dry.

Precision Ski or Snowboard Tune:

Our highest level of service in package form. Stone grind, Base beveling/flattening, base and side edge beveling/sharpening, ptex and a race/hot wax and race polish.

And just what does all this mean?

Stone grinding: This process flattens the ski base, removes damaged base material and gives skis and boards a better surface for wax to adhere to for a smoother, faster ride.

Base beveling/flattening: This means we’re shaping the bottom of your gear to work perfectly for your personal style on the slopes.

Side edge beveling/sharpening: The most important thing for maneuverability is for your ski or snowboard edges to be smooth – like a fine knife – not the serrated kind. We make sure your edges are smooth, sharp and angled precisely to match your riding style.

Ptex: We use ptex to repair gouges or other damage done to the base of your gear. Without the repairs done, your skis or board can’t perform the way they’re meant to on the slopes.

Is your base drying out? Alpine Shop's hot wax treatment can take care of that.
See the white lines in the base? That’s the base drying out. This board needs a tune with a HOT WAX.

Hot Wax: The difference between hot wax and machine wax is like deciding between an economy set of new tires or a performance rated set of tires. Both will have your car performing better, but there is a noticeable difference in the quality of the ride. The same holds true here. A hot wax treatment will be customized to the type and temperature of the conditions you’ll ski in. It will also protect your base better and be more durable than a machine wax. For this reason, if your gear’s base appears to be drying out (see pic on the right) we will recommend a hot wax treatment. A machine wax, meanwhile, is much better than nothing at all, but we can’t give you the best ride possible with it.

The Precision Tune is for the customer who wants the ultimate experience on his gear at all time. This tune makes skis and boards as close to new as possible. Guaranteed to be fast and sharp.

Sharpen & Wax Package:

Our best value: Base beveling/flattening, base and side edge beveling/sharpening, and machine wax.
For the customer who want to save bank but needs that next level of service. This tune will cleanup and polish the base while flattening it and make those edges sharp, sharp, sharp. If the base looks dry (see pic above) we will recommend you upgrade to a Hot Wax.

Alpine Shop's Service Center can handle Ptex & epoxy repairs
An example of a ptex repair. If the gouge/scratch is down to the core it will need epoxy.


Ptex/Epoxy Base or Topsheet Repair:

For those times when the snow isn’t perfect and you smoke a rock/rail or fellow skier. This service starts at $15 and goes up depending on what is needed to completely repair your ski or snowboard.

Have other questions? Give us a call at 314-962-7715. We’ll be happy to help you out however we can.

*Oh and the other most important thing you can do to ensure a good experience on the slopes: Get a good, professionally fit pair of boots.

Got Old Gear to Sell? Swap Check-In Begins Saturday!

Alpine Shop’s 25th Annual Winter Swap is a combination of a consignment sale, a Winter Pre-Season Sale and a Summer Clearance, all wrapped up into one BIG event  at our Kirkwood and Columbia locations.

What started out 25 years ago as an opportunity for our customers to outfit their entire family on a budget has turned into the Midwest’s Largest Consignment Sale for Outdoor Gear.

You can sell gear and clothing from any season of the year, provided it meets our standards. All gear will be safety checked before it is allowed in the Swap and Alpine Shop reserves the right to refuse any items for any reason we see fit. (For full information, please visit the official site here.)

Consignment sale check-in begins Saturday, October 13 at noon in both Kirkwood and Columbia, and continues through Thursday, Oct. 18.

 

Trail Run Series – Race 2! Wet Week Can’t Rain on Trail Series Parade

Note: This post originally appeared on the Off-Road Racing League site, home to Alpine Shop’s competitive but beginner-friendly race series, at www.offroadracingleague.com.

BALLWIN, MO. – Wet weather earlier in the week couldn’t knock Race 2 of the 2018 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series off of Castlewood State Park’s trails. However, a combination of the three “H’s” will make this race one that the record 248 people who finished the course will brag about for years to come – and by the three H’s we mean: hills, heat and humidity.

The course is one of the most difficult you can tackle in at Castlewood, featuring an immediate 15% grade climb out of the valley and to the top of the bluff and the River Scene Trail. Following one of the most exciting descents in the park on the Lone Wolf Trail, runners faced their second climb that grades out at 12% up the Midway/Office Connector Trail. Race officials listed the course as a total of 4 miles. Add in starting time temps still registering near 90 degrees and a valley saturated from two days of rain… yeah, the three H’s.

Benjamin Hudson running in Trail Run Series
Benjamin Hudson (St. Louis, 32) runs along the bluffs of the Meramec River in Castlewood State Park on his way to winning Race 2 of the 2018 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series on Thursday, August 16, 2018.

Benjamin Hudson (St. Louis, 32) won his second race in as many weeks, finishing the course in 27:21.6 with Jon-Paul LaVenture (Ballwin, Mo., 37), last week’s third place finisher, moving up to second place this week just 20 seconds behind. Daniel Welch (Clayton, Mo., 27), who took second last week, rounded up the top three just 16 seconds back of LaVenture.

Sunny Gilbert (Ellisville, 39) powers out of Kieffer Creek on her way to her division win in Race 2 of the 2018 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series.

Sunny Gilbert (Ellisville, Mo., 39) made her debut for 2018 in familiar fashion, winning the women’s division in a time of 30:53.7, continuing her domination in the Trail Run Series. Since the Series started in 2010, Gilbert has won every race in which she has competed. Second place went to newcomer Noa Heter (38), just 11 seconds back. Hannah Floyd (St. Louis, 32), last week’s winner, took home third place this week in a time of 34:38.6. In the Overall race standings, Gilbert and Heter finished in seventh and ninth place, respectively.

Chris Martel (at left, St. Louis, 52) makes his way into the creek before winning his sixth straight masters division win in the Alpine Shop Trail Run Series.

The Men’s Masters division standings look like a photo copy of last week’s results. Chris Martel (Webster Groves, Mo., 52) once more one his age group with his sixth straight victory going back to last year’s series with a time of 29:35. Eric Buckley (St. Louis, 55) finished second in the division at 33:11.7, and Keith Lyston (Chesterfield, Mo., 52) crossed the archway in 35:41.1.

Susan Richmond, the masters women’s division champion for the sixth straight race, makes her way through Kieffer Creek on her way to the finish line.

A similar situation played out on the Women’s Masters side, with the same three women grabbing top three finishes, but with positions flipped. Susan Richmond (Eureka, Mo., 57) , like Martel, won her sixth straight race going back to 2017 with a time of 41:18.1. Sophia Lin, (Chesterfield, Mo., 59) moved from third last week to second this time with a time of 47:05.8, and Rachel Hartmann (St. Louis, 52) rounds out the scoring with a time of 47:56.6.

Two lucky racers were treated to pairs of Altra Running Footwear as winners in the prize drawings, while everyone had the chance to grab some Urban Chestnut Brewing Company beers, food and other prizes, including hats from The North Face.

Next week, FITS Socks Co. will be at the races with 150 pairs of their terrific running socks to give away. More details to come on Monday, August 20.

Overall Results – Preliminary (Updated 08/16/18 9 pm)
Age Group Results – Preliminary (Updated 08/16/18 9 pm)
Photos- Facebook

 

Trail Run Series ’18 – Race 1 Complete… Three More to Go!

Note: This post originally appeared on the Off-Road Racing League site, home to Alpine Shop’s competitive but beginner-friendly race series, at www.offroadracingleague.com.

BALLWIN, MO – Alpine Shop’s Trail Run Series kicked off it’s ninth year of races on Thursday, August 9, 2018 at Castlewood State Park with a record 237 finishers on the course.

The approximately 4 mile race featured one main climb up Castlewood’s Grotpeter Trail and a crossing of Kieffer Creek as the racers headed into the final three-quarters of a mile to the finish line.

Benjamin Hudson crosses a creek in Trail Run
Overall winner Benjamin Hudson crosses Kieffer Creek in the first run of the 2018 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series at Castlewood State Park

Benjamin Hudson (St. Louis, 32) blazed to his first victory in his first appearance at an Off-Road Racing League event with a time of 24:32.9 over the 4.1 mile course. Another newcomer, Daniel Welch (Clayton, Mo., 27), took second just under 30 seconds behind Hudson (24:52.0) with last year’s overall third-place points finisher Jon-Paul LaVenture (Ballwin, Mo., 37). taking third in this race as well with a time of 25:02.2.

Women's division winner Hannah Floyd (at right, #59) closely pursued by second-place finisher Jaime Maher (#146), along with Dennis Martin (#156) at the creek crossing on the 4.1 mile course.
Women’s division winner Hannah Floyd (at right, #59) closely pursued by second-place finisher Jaime Maher (#146), along with Dennis Martin (#156) at the creek crossing on the 4.1 mile course.

On the women’s side, Hannah Floyd (St. Louis, 32) took home the top spot for her best finish since taking second in last year’s opening race. Her time of 30:48.7 beat out second place finisher Jaime Maher (31:07.3, St. Louis, 35) and third place runner Katherine O’Brien (31:16.1, St. Louis, 28) by just under 30 seconds.

Masters winner Chris Martel salutes the camera on his way to a first place finish in the over 50 division.
Masters winner Chris Martel salutes the camera on his way to a first place finish in the over 50 division.

For the masters competition (which for Off-Road Racing League purposes is 50 years old +), Chris Martel (Webster Groves, Mo., 52) continued his domination of the age group with his fifth straight victory (sixth place overall) in the Series after placing first in the masters category in every single race last August. Long-time participant Eric Buckley (St. Louis, 55) earned a top 10 finish overall while also finishing second in the age group at 28:20.6. Rounding out the top three was Keith Lyston (Chesterfield, Mo., 52) just under three minutes behind him.

Women's Masters winner Susan Richmond on her way to her fifth straight Trail Run Series victory in the 50+ division
Women’s Masters winner Susan Richmond on her way to her fifth straight Trail Run Series victory in the 50+ division

Women’s masters was a similar affair to the men’s race with Susan Richmond (Eureka, Mo., 57) winning her fifth straight race after sweeping the series in 2017. Her time of 37:06.9 was more than three minutes faster than second-place Rachel Hartmann’s (St. Louis, 52) who finished the trails in 40:52.4. Sophia Lin, (Chesterfield, Mo., 59) a constant herself in the top five in 2017, rounds out the top three in 42:09.5.

After the race, participants were treated to a selection of Urban Chestnut Beer Company’s fine beer, along with tastings of WellBeing Brewery’s non-alcoholic beer. Two lucky winners also took home pairs of certificates for a free pair of Hoka One One trail runners, courtesy of the brand which was on-site providing demo shoes for participants during the run. Other vendors at the race included Off-Road Racing League sponsors The North Face and Terrain Magazine. Giveaways continue all series long throughout August!

Race 2 of the 2018 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series will take place right back at Castlewood State Park on Thursday, August 16 at 6:15 pm (weather permitting)!

Overall Results (Preliminary v2)
Age Group Results (Preliminary v2)
Point Series Totals (After Race 1)
Photos (Facebook)

2018 KT82 Race Report

 

Heading East to West from St. Louis to Hermann, Mo., on the 2018 KT82.

On Saturday, June 2, 2018, Alpine Shop employees, along with friends and family took off an an 82 mile relay run from St. Louis County to Hermann, Mo., in the Go! Missouri KT82 Trail relay.

The Leg Chart for the 2018 KT82. Runner #1 has legs 1, 7 and 13; Runner #2 has legs 2, 8 and 14, and so on.

Alpine Shop Marketing Director, Todd Oswald, Bike and Snowsports Hardgoods Buyer Mike Morin, along with outfitters Steve Worthy and Ann Mangin, and Chad Arnett and Sean Badock began the day at 4:45 am to start their journey from Parkway North High School in Creve Coeur, Mo. This is the third straight year Team Alpine Shop has participated in the KT82, which features six different runners each tackling total distances approximating a half-marathon over three separate legs on the longest Rail-to-Trail conversion in the United States – the Katy Trail.

Team Alpine Shop at the Starting Line for the 2018 KT82 Trail Relay. From left: Ann Mangin, Sean Badock, Chad Arnett, Mike Morin, Todd Oswald, Steve Worthy

Summer came quickly to the midwest in 2018. After a mid-April snowstorm kept winter holding on well into our normal spring, Mother Nature switched immediately into deep summer by early May with some of the hottest temperatures ever for the month. By the time the safety meetings for the KT82 happened at the end of May, all participants were concerned with weather reports indicating high temps in the mid-90s for the race.

The day bloomed warm and humid as the team set out from the track at Parkway North, but not overwhelming so, thankfully. By mid-morning, the humidity had reached its saturation point, however, and a race-pausing thunderstorm descended on the more than thousand runners spread out along the course.

The logjam of people at Exchange 7 as we wait for the go ahead to return to the trails.
The traffic jam that developed as the race was forced into a delay by a thunderstorm that rolled through around 10:30 am.

The storm would thankfully keep the temperatures from ever reaching into the 90s, but the cloud cover also dissipated, leaving runners to deal with the sun – and still considerable heat – for much of the afternoon.

The KT82 is a combination of hard physical effort out on the course followed by hours of downtime and socialization in between runs. Then repeat. The race becomes a favorite for many participants, not because of the runs – although the sense of accomplishment is very real – but mainly because of the fun and craziness of putting six people of varying states of exhaustion together in a vehicle for more than 12 hours together (provided you have a good team, I guess, which we’ve been lucky enough to have.)

The scene at Exchange 13 in Dutzow, Mo. At times, the crowds can make it difficult to actually make the exchange!

It’s also a combination of the most social run you’ll ever be a part of as well as the most isolated run you’ll ever do. The Exchange Zones are jam packed with people all day long. On this day, because of the storm, even more teams than usual were at the same exchange zones throughout the day. You become with friends with teams you’re leapfrogging with all day long as certain runners finish faster followed by a slower runner on the next leg. But when you get out on the course, it’s not unusual to have more than a half mile between participants. For runners who thrive on sticking with a pack, it can be an extremely lonely race.

A van full of food and drink for six runners.

The hardest part of the race for many is figuring out what, and how much, to eat and drink throughout the day to keep your energy levels as high as possible for your runs. Unlike a standard marathon where, for many runners, we can cruise on auto-pilot for the middle five to six miles after a three or four mile warm-up, and then just try and hold on for the final 5k; in the KT82, your first leg may be three miles, followed by a two and a half hour wait. Then seven miles. Stretch. Rest for two more hours. Run another five miles.

But as the team makes the final climb up over the Highway 19 bridge over the Missouri River into Hermann and all six runners meet up for the final quarter mile together, the struggles of the day quickly fade in the glow of the celebration at Hermann City Park.

Gear used that is available at Alpine Shop:
Yeti CoolersRoadie 20 Cooler, Tundra 65 Cooler, Hopper 30 Soft Cooler
Altra Lone Peak 3.5 Trail Runners – for single track trail
FITS SocksPerformance Trail Quarter Socks
Chaco Z1 Sandals – for in between runs
The North Face – Better than Naked Running T-Shirts
Alpine Shop Off-Road Racing League Race Shirts
Salomon Speedcross Trail Runners
Hoka One OneChallenger ATR 4
Saxx 2N1 Kinetic Run Shorts (not yet available at Alpine Shop, but check back soon – they’re awesome!)

Used Gear Check-In Begins Today at Noon

For 25 years now, we’ve been giving outdoor lovers in the Midwest a chance to give their old and sometimes underused gear and apparel a second chance at life through our Swap. And that time is upon us once again!

The 25th Annual Spring Swap starts this Friday, April 27 – and that means it’s time for you to bring your old gear and clothing to our Kirkwood and Columbia locations to sell on a consignment basis with us.

Starting today—Monday, April 23—and going through Thursday, April 26, you can check in your USED GEAR and clothing. Gear needs to be in good working condition. Clothes need to be clean and in good shape, and must match guidelines according to brands we carry. You can find more details on what we accept here.

CHECK-IN HOURS:
Kirkwood: April 23-26, Noon–8 pm
Columbia: April 23-26: Noon–6 pm

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
You can grab a copy of the consignment contract here, so you can have it filled out when you come to the store. (It will save you time!) The second page of that PDF will also include a planning sheet where you can put all of the information needed for us to get your gear into the Swap.

If you have questions about what price you should set your items, we’re happy to offer suggestions. Please remember this is a Swap sale and most items will do best at about 50% of retail cost.

Bring in the filled out contract and planning sheets along with the items you would like to sell to either our Kirkwood location or our Columbia, Mo., location to complete your check-in procedure. (Hours are listed above.)

 

And Then There Were Four (Days Left)

We’re down to the last four days in in O’Fallon, Illinois.

Like we’ve said before, our O’Fallon, Ill., store will close for good on Sunday, April 22. That mean’s you’ve got four final opportunities to take advantage of huge discounts on anything we have left in the store – including many of the fixtures we still have left.

And now we’ve dropped the prices on gear and apparel even more!

You’ll find even deeper discounts on previous year’s products – up to 75% off.

These deals are only good at our O’Fallon, Illinois location while supplies last and while the store remains open.

25th Annual Spring Swap – Used Gear Check-In Starts Monday!

Turn Your Old Gear Into Sold Gear at the Swap!

Alpine Shop’s 25th Annual Spring Swap is a combination of a consignment sale, our Summer Pre-Season Sale and our Winter Clearance, all wrapped up into one BIG event.

What started out 25 years ago as an opportunity for our customers to outfit their entire family on a budget has turned into the Midwest’s Largest Consignment Sale for Outdoor Gear. There are two locations for the Swap: Alpine Shop Kirkwood & Columbia.

Our Chesterfield, Mo. store and “The Pathfinder” in Manhattan, Kan., feature impressive sale prices on brand new gear during the same time period, but do not have used gear available.

You can sell gear from any season of the year, provided it meets our standards below. All gear will be safety checked before it is allowed in the Swap and Alpine Shop reserves the right to refuse any items for any reason we see fit.

What Can I Sell?

By CATEGORY, the listing below indicates the gear and clothing we will accept in this year’s Swap: (if you don’t see it below, we won’t accept it. Sorry!)

CAMPING: Tents, Backpacks, Sleeping Bags, Camp Furniture, Camp Stoves, Camp Lanterns & Cooking Kits.

CLOTHING: We will accept all clothing for men, women and children from manufacturers that Alpine Shop has carried in our stores during the last three years (excluding underwear, gloves and socks). For brands other than those that Alpine Shop has carried, we will ONLY accept technical outerwear pieces. This includes: Winter Coats, Ski/Board Pants, Rain Jackets, Rain Pants, Fleece Jackets & Fleece Pullovers. No exceptions.

CYCLING: Complete Bikes, Cycling Apparel, Bike Trailers. (No separate bike components. No shoes. No helmets.)

PADDLE: Canoes, Kayaks, Stand-Up Paddle Boards, Paddles, PFDs, Dry Suits/Dry Tops or Bottoms, Wet Suits.

RACKS: Trailer Hitch & Trunk Mount Racks, All Rack Accessories. (We will not accept components for attaching a rack to the roof of a vehicle.)

SNOWSPORTS: Alpine Skis or Snowboards (less than seven (7) years old), Ski boots, Snowboard Boots and Bindings. (No cross country skis or boots.)

STROLLERS: Jog strollers only.

Limits: Each customer is limited to selling a total of 10 items that are individually priced under $200. Additional items will be charged $1 each. No limit on items over $200.

How Do I Sell My Used Gear and Clothing?

1. Download and print this two-page form. Fill it out as best you can before you come to Alpine Shop Kirkwood, Columbia or O’Fallon. This will save everyone a whole lot of time!

2: Bring the items you’re looking to sell and your completed paperwork to the shop you plan on selling starting Monday, April 23 through Thursday, April 26. Check-in times are Noon to 8 pm at our Kirkwood location. Our Columbia location wil accept goods between Noon and 5 pm.

3. Complete any remaining information on the contract. Don’t know what to price an item? We will assist you as best we can. Please remember, this is a swap event. Most sales occur on items priced around or below 50% of general retail prices.

4: Sit back and wait for your product to sell. (Or shop for some great stuff, yourself!)

How Much Do I Get Paid?

Depending on the price you set for your goods, you can earn a certain percentage of the sales price back in either Alpine Shop store credit or a check:

1. Swap Goods with a final sale price of under $199.99 earn either 70% of the final sales price in store credit or 50% of the sales price in a check.

2. Swap Goods with a final sale price of $200 or higher earn 80% of the final sales price in store credit or 60% in check.

We will begin writing checks and issuing credits at 10 am on Tuesday, May 1. Please do not request payment before then. You have until close of business on Wednesday, May 2 to claim your payment (and any unsold items) in the store. Any unclaimed payments after that date will be mailed in the form of either store-credit or check (depending on which you indicate at registration) to the address you provided us during check-in. You can expect to receive payment in the mail by Friday, May 18.

What if my stuff doesn’t sell?

We ask you to please pick up any items that fail to sell by store-close on Wed. May 2. Items not picked up by that time will be donated to a charity of our choosing. Please understand, we do not have room to store your gear once the tent is down.

Alpine Shop Announces O’Fallon Location’s Final Day

Following a four-store stock consolidation sale, Alpine Shop announced today that it will close it’s O’Fallon, Illinois location at the end of the business day on Sunday, April 22.

Everything left inside that store will be discounted at least 30% off of the original retail price on the tag. This applies to all newly arrived merchandise including all remaining Spring 2018 apparel, footwear and camping gear from all of our brands.

Last year’s products are at even bigger discounts. Simply look for colored dots on the price tag. The colors equal the discount taken at the register off of the original price.

But the final day is just 11 days away.

All sales are final and all offers are only good at our O’Fallon location.