Grassroots Outdoor Alliance announced that Backcountry Essentials has joined the organization as a retail member. Based in Bellingham, Wash., the outdoor specialty shop caters to climbers, backcountry skiers, hikers, campers and kayakers, in particular.
Backcountry Essentials began with the intention of being a gathering place for the local outdoor community. Its business philosophy recognizes that, while the company has to sell a certain amount of gear to remain open, its ideally strives to be a resource and meeting place where people can find out the latest information on trails, routes, and conditions, swap stories about where they have been, or learn about the pros and cons of the “latest and greatest” in gear.
“Backcountry Essentials has proudly helped sponsor events to benefit local environmental, conservation, education, and recreational groups such as Conservation Northwest, Whatcom Land Trust, the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center, and ASAP(Alpine Safety Awareness Program),” said Roanne Miller, President of Grassroots. “They have also worked with business marketing students from WWU as they applied theoretical principles to real situations.”
