Weekly mountain bike races begin tonight – Thursday, June 30 – at Castlewood State Park as the Alpine Shop Short Track Dirt Crits kick off the 2011 season. This series of races, part of St. Louis’s Off-Road Racing League, runs for five weeks and features three races each night.
Mountain bike racers of all abilities are welcome! Choose your race based on your ability: A- Expert, B-Sport and C-Novice/beginners. Each category follows the same course. The difference is in how long the race lasts. The A racers lasts 45 minutes plus two laps. B race goes for 25 minutes plus two laps and the C race lasts 15 minutes plus two laps.
At the time of posting, registrations were full for the 6/30 races; but spots were still available for the following races. If you’re interested in participating, please click here for on-line registration.
Following the races, all participants are invited to partake of some fantastic food from The Wolf Public House, including beverages from New Belgium Brewery.
Alpine Shop has some drool-worthy prizes to give away all series long for both participants and spectators alike. Just stop by our tent to find out more.
If you’re thinking about grabbing a new rack this summer, now’s the time to do it. Yakima is offering up to a $50 rebate on any new rack in it’s lineup and you can take advantage of this deal at any Alpine Shop location or on-line at alpineshop.com.
The details work like this:
Buy a new Yakima rack between June 24 and July 24, 2011 and Yakima will put some cash back in your pockets. Or cash back in your purse, if that’s the way you prefer to roll.
Spend $500 or more, get $50 back.
Spend $400 to $499, get $40 back.
Spend $300 to $399, get $30 back.
Anyone wishing to grab onto this deal only needs to print out the form below, fill out the short info requested and attach a receipt or online invoice. Just make sure you mail it in by 8/8/11.
And that’s it. To recap: You get the best roof rack system on the planet with a new Yakima rack you purchase at Alpine Shop. Then, you get money back just because you bought the best roof rack system on the planet and sent in a quick rebate form. The deal starts Friday, June 24, so get racking!
Alpine Shop will host a dog adoption event at our Kirkwood location on Saturday, June 25 from 10 am to 3 pm. This isn’t just any dog adoption event, though. In keeping with our love for everything outdoors, the dogs up for adoption are all part of “Four Directions Hiking” an organization that takes stray rescue dogs and trains them to hike on trails around the St. Louis area with human companions.
These dogs are all athletic, young (but adult) and all available for adoption. (There might be a few puppies, too.)
Join us on Saturday, June 25 from 10 am to 3 pm and find a new hiking partner. And give a great dog a great new home.
Dads – Get your kids outside this Father’s Day and you could win a part of a $500 jackpot in Alpine Shop gift cards. The challenge is simple: we’re inviting all Dads to bring their families outside to play. Take a picture of you with them outside. Post it on our facebook page by midnight, Sunday, June 19, 2011. We’ll select random winners from all of our Dad photos on Monday, June 20.
Studies continue to show the need for Dads (and Moms) to bring their little ones outside, to get them back in touch with mother nature. Books have been written about it. States across our nation are actively trying to figure out ways to get kids off the couch and back outside, including Missouri. So Dads, while we encourage you to take a hike in a nearby park, to get out in canoe or kayak, or even to ride your bike; really, we just hope you’ll breathe some non-air-conditioned air for at least a little while to celebrate your Father’s Day. If you need some ideas for a Dad’s Day adventure, we’re happy to provide you a few of our favorite family-friendly escapes at the bottom of this article.
As we did for our Mother’s Day contest, we will accept photos from the past for those Dads who can not be with your family – or vice versa.
And for those of you looking for some last minute Father’s Day gifts, Alpine Shop has a huge selection of presents perfect for any outdoor-loving Dad.
As promised, here are some great kid-friendly adventures in and within 2 hours of St. Louis. Get to it, Dad!
Hiking and 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!)
Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park near Lesterville, Mo. (and the Ozark Trail that runs through it) – One of Missouri’s most popular state parks. If you come on a weekend during the summer, prepare for crowds at Mother Nature’s waterpark.
Pickle Springs Natural Area near Farmington, Mo. – Short length, incredible rock formations, fun for everybody!
Camping Adventures:
Meramec State Park, Sullivan, Mo. – The absolute gem for camping and outdoor adventures for families. 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.
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 put-ins 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..
Biking
Grant’s Trail in South County, St. Louis – Flat, easy, and even at its most crowded is still enjoyable.
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.
Happy Father’s Day to all of our adventure-loving Dads!
Over a million people a year visit the Current and Jack’s Fork Rivers – otherwise known as the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, part of the National Park system – to partake of the amazing natural beauty of the area. The vast majority of those visitors float the streams in canoes, kayaks and rafts. However, paddling is far from the only attraction this park offers to outdoor types. It also offers caves and springs, trails for hiking and horseback riding, camping and even some cycling. In fact, it is quite possible to have a week-long trip in this beautiful national park and never take to the water.
Below are Alpine Shop‘s five best non-paddling destinations to round out your visit to the ONSR.
1. Round Spring & Cave
Located on the upper section of the Current River, Round Spring is a delightful place to visit. The surrounding terrain and mineral content of the water makes the flat surface appear to be curved and the spring opening is almost perfectly circular, thus the name Round Spring. Round Spring adds an average of 33 million gallons of water to the Current River each day. The beautiful spring branch flows under a short tunnel while making its way to the river. This area was one of Missouri’s first State Parks (1932) prior to its inclusion into the national park in 1964. (Note: people are not allowed to swim or wade in Round Spring.)
Nearby is the extremely beautiful Round Spring Cave. The National Park Service offers guided tours by lantern from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There is a small charge for the tour ($5 for adults and $2 for kids) and participation is limited to the first 15 people to buy tickets. These tours are offered daily at 10 am and 2 pm. Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before each tour. While there are over 300 known caves in the park, Round Spring Cave is the only one open to public tours.
2. Rocky Falls
This 40 foot wide cascade is one of the best waterfalls in the Ozarks. Some water flows year-round, but in the spring and after heavy rains will give you the best view of this amazing geologic formation. The falls are located about 22 miles east of Eminence, Mo. off Hwy H. The area includes pit latrines and a small picnic area. The plunge pool below the falls offers a great place for a swim during the hotter months.
3. Blue Spring
Blue Spring, called “Spring of the Summer Sky” by native Americans, is over 300 feet deep. This amazing depth gives the spring its brilliant sky-blue coloration. The area is reached by a gravel road off Hwy 106 east of Eminence, MO and features a picnic area and restrooms. This spring is best visited before the afternoon sun casts its shadow on the spring pool.
4. Big Spring
Big Spring is the one of the largest single outlet springs in the world pumping out over 246 million gallons of water on an average day. This amazing site offers picnic grounds, cabins, a dining lodge, and campground. The beautiful spring branch flows about a half mile to the Current River. Big Spring is located just outside of Van Buren, MO.
5. Klepzig Mill and Shut-ins
Located downstream from Rocky Falls, Klepzig Mill and Shut-Ins is one of the hidden gems of this National Park. You can find this seldom-visited place by following a somewhat rough gravel road (County Road #522) that heads to the left where the pavement ends on Highway NN. The old mill sits along the creek with a fascinating shut-in below. There are no facilities here, just a couple of pull outs for cars. The shut-ins provide a great place for a picnic.
Who goes backpacking for their honeymoon!? What is romantic about hiking 280 miles in three weeks, 30 lb. packs, sleeping on the ground, a lack of showers, freeze-dried meals, bugs, and all other not-so-glamorous aspects of spending days on end in the woods? Honestly, I’m not sure what is so romantic about it; ask me in a month when I get back, but my husband and I are confident it’s how we want to celebrate our marriage. That’s why we are spending the next three weeks backpacking on the Appalachian Trail for our honeymoon.
The idea of backpacking for one’s honeymoon is the antithesis of what a honeymoon is typically all about: pampering yourselves, spending money lavishly, enjoying superfluous comforts of five-star hotels, etc., but it is of no surprise to me that we are choosing a tent and Therm-a-Rests over pillow-topped beds and beaches. After all, the Appalachian Trail is how we met.
I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, known as “thru-hiking” in 2009. It is 2,178.3 miles long and runs from Georgia to Maine. It took me five and a half months. As I was hiking through Pennsylvania, a stranger, my now-husband, Will, offered “trail magic” to me and my hiking buddies. Trail magic can be described as random acts of kindness by strangers to help hikers on their journey. Examples of common forms of trail magic seen on the AT are: rides to town, a bed to sleep in, a home-cooked meal, or a random cooler in the middle of nowhere filled with soda. Thru-hikers rely on the kindness of strangers throughout their journey. Will had a love of the AT, too, but being a teacher during the school year, he knew that a thru-hike was likely not in the cards for him since it’s takes about six months. So, instead, he read books and blogs about the trail and provided trail magic to thru-hikers on his days off during the summer (he worked at a summer camp in Pennsylvania).
I kept a blog throughout my hike which I updated in towns when I had the chance. Through this, Will was able to follow my progress northbound. When he checked in on my blog in early Fall and saw I had completed the trail, he emailed me a note of congratulations. I wrote him back and a couple visits and a few months later, I moved to St. Louis so we could be together. I found a wonderful place of employment at Alpine Shop, which allows me the opportunity to share my passion for the outdoors with customers, as well as the flexibility to pursue my own outdoor adventures, such as three weeks of time off to go backpacking for my honeymoon! And of course, we have been able to completely outfit ourselves with everything we could possibly need for this adventure from the shop! I will be promoting Alpine Shop everywhere I hike on the trail with my new hot pink Alpine Shop Nalgene, too! Gotta represent!
We organically came up with the dream of hiking the entire trail together, in small pieces (known as section-hiking) over our life-time. When thinking about what we should do for our honeymoon, it just felt right to begin our marriage with our first official section hike of the Appalachian Trail. And, as symbolism would suggest, we are beginning at the southern-terminus, Springer Mt., Georgia, and doing the first 280 miles northbound.
There is something special about backpacking with the one you love. There are no distractions. The only worries are food, water, shelter, and physical well-being. It is life and love in its simplest form. There will be sunsets and sunrises, shooting stars and campfires. But let’s not forget the bugs, bears, blisters, and torrential downpours. You need to rely on each other to help make it through the tough times and you get to share in the beauty and magnificence of nature during the good times. Both types of experiences bring you closer to each other and make your relationship stronger – just like real life.
We can’t wait. Who knows when the next opportunity we will have to spend three weeks alone together in the woods will be? Probably retirement.
While Wigwam has supplies to do it, they are offering a special promotion to help out Missouri’s tornado victims. All you have to do is purchase two pair of any Wigwam socks at any Alpine Shop. Wigwam will take care of donating a third pair directly to those in need. This promotion is not being run with any other merchants.
Drop by your local Alpine Shop and help us help them this weekend.
As outdoor recreation lovers, Alpine Shop employees are naturally drawn to our national parks. As a company, we celebrate their existence, their protection and their continued preservation for our use and our children’s use and our children’s children.
The National Park Service consists of over 375 parks and historic sites covering an amazing range of landscapes, wildlife and history. Below are just a few of the most interesting facts on this expansive park system.
More than 300 million people visited our national park areas in 2010.
The first national park, Yellowstone, was created in 1872 through a law signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. The cavalry was the first caretaker.
The first nationally-proclaimed protected area of public land in the United States, Yosemite, was created in 1864 by the passage of the Yosemite Grant.
The largest living things in the world live in national parks; Sequoia Trees, and the world’s largest carnivore; the Alaska Brown Bear.
National park areas have volcanos, glaciers, white sand beaches, and dinosaur fossils.
Starting in 1910 with “The Immortal Alamo”, filmmakers have been coming to national parks year after year to capture majestic scenery for their productions.
While all of these parks are worthy of protection some hold a special place in the American experience. While there will never be a consensus on which parks are the best we have listed below the ones that have become part of our staff’s hearts and souls.
The 2,221,766 acres of this astounding land make up the world’s first national park. Created in 1872 the park features nearly a thousand miles of trails, over 280 backcountry campsites and 466 miles of roadways.
Within it’s boundaries you will find over 10,000 hot springs, geysers, and other thermal features, dramatic mountain ranges, beautiful rivers, hundreds of waterfalls and some of the best wildlife viewing this side of the Serengeti.
Much of the park sits in an ancient caldera of a super volcano resulting in over 2000 earthquakes in an average year.
This crown jewel of the National Park system in California was the first park to be protected by the American Government in 1864 with the passage of the Yosemite Grant.
Yosemite Valley is famous throughout the world for its waterfalls and the dramatic granite cliffs rising up, in some cases, 5000 feet above the valley floor. The iconic face of Half Dome in the southeast corner of the Valley can be seen on everything from the California quarter, the logos of such respected outdoor companies as The North Face and Sierra Designs and on countless tourist photographs throughout the world.
The park extends for 1169 square miles, 94% of which is wilderness.
This park in NW Montana is dubbed “The Crown of the Continent”. This mountain park lives up to it nick name featuring stark mountain landscapes, dozens of glaciers, and amazing wildlife.
The park has about 700 miles of trails with each one more beautiful than the last. It is a hiker’s paradise with many backcountry campsites to choose from. The Going to the Sun Road is one of the most beautiful drives to be had anywhere. This 52 mile long roadway was constructed in the 1920’s. There are many sheer drops sans guardrails to keep you holding tightly to the steering wheel.
The park is one of he last refuges of the great Grizzly Bear. Other wildlife includes Mountain Goats, Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Lion, Black Bear and deer.
While tiny in comparison to Yellowstone, Yosemite and Glacier National Parks, Arches packs a tremendous amount of things into its borders. Crammed into it’s 76,000 plus acres are over 2000 sandstone arches. Many of these outstanding geologic formations are easily accessible by car and short hikes. A couple of the more impressive arches include Landscape, Double and the states symbol Delicate Arch. The park is just a couple of miles north of Moab, Utah and features a small campground and picnic areas.
Another “can’t miss” Utah park is Zion. This fantastic park offers canyoneering, waterfalls, great rock climbing, and unusual geologic formations. One of the most popular activities is a walk up the Virgin River into the Narrows. On this walk the canyon walls will tower over you rising up to 1500 feet from the canyon floor A convenient shuttle bus system takes you into and out of the canyon proper. There are two campgrounds, lots of trails as well as excellent opportunities for cross county travel.
The old story goes that if you cannot take a great photo in Bryce Canyon you may as well throw your camera away. The park is a series of horseshoe canyons carved out of the top of the Grand Staircase geologic formation. Trails will lead you though a fairyland conglomeration of brightly colored spires, walls, hoodoo’s, and fins.
Ready to Explore on Your Own
Alpine Shop offers a continuous series of programs on these and other of America’s incredible national parks. If you would like to learn all about these parks from people who know them intimately visit our Great American National Parks Programs by clicking here.
On Tuesday, May 17, Alpine Shop Kirkwood hosted a press conference organized by American Rivers, Friends of Ozark Riverways and Ozark Fly Fishers. The purpose of this publicity event was to announce that American Rivers – a national organization that protects and restores the nation’s rivers and the clean water that sustains people, wildlife, and nature – had named Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways one of the 10 Most Endangered Rivers in America.
Below is the press conference in its entirety broken up into four parts. Get informed and visit American Rivers’ Most Endangered List for information on how you can help the cause.