Vans Global Brand President Doug Palladini sent a letter to Vans employee world wide outlining the work that Vans is currently doing to support those in need. He included the Vans ‘Foot The Bill’ initiative, product donations and partnership with Hedley & Bennett to use Vans’ shoe canvas to make and donate more than 250,000 reusable facial masks.
As a brand engrained in the belief that we aren’t a shoe and apparel company but a people company that makes shoes and apparel, looking after our people has always been and will remain our top priority. This commitment rang true in March as we made the decision to shift corporate offices to remote working and temporarily closed our stores in the U.S. and Canada to prioritize the safety and health of you and all of our store associates. I am especially humbled by the fact that in partnership with VF Corp., we’ve been able to ensure that our store associates have continued to receive full pay and benefits during closures. Additionally, I want to express my personal appreciation for our distribution center associates who continue to facilitate consumer purchases from Vans.com. Their dedication to our brand is truly inspiring and together with VF Corp., we continue to implement proactive steps to uphold the well-being of our associates.
During these rough times it’s great to see good people (and brands) rising to the challenge in such positive ways. So stoked that Vans is able to do the right thing for their employees and for people around the world. For the entire letter, please follow the jump.
Don’t say Alterra Mountain Company doesn’t listen to their customers. After sending out a completely tone-deaf email announcing the extension of their 20/21 season pass sale (and failing to mention that the IKON passes were non-refundable if the resorts didn’t open next year) they have come correct (on April 17, 2020) with an option they are calling the Adventure Assurance.
Adventure Assurance was designed to alleviate uncertainty and provide flexibility to 20/21 Ikon Pass holders by offering the choice to defer adventure to the following season for any reason with no fee. Regardless of 20/21 Ikon Pass purchase date, between September 10 and December 10, 2020, Ikon Pass holders can choose to defer the value of their 20/21 Ikon Pass toward any single Ikon Pass product available for the 21/22 winter season. For more details, please visit the Adventure Assurance page.
Which is good, because their deal as announced three days ago bordered on criminal. Nice PR pivot, Alterra. Give whoever came up with this idea a raise! We’re still not fans of giving resorts money now for services we may or may not use for two years but if you are, click the link for all the details (and there are loads of them).
Last spring when we warned snowboarders that by purchasing a super-mega pass they were assuming all risk for the coming season (The Sinister Plot Behind The Super-Mega Pass) we never could have imagined that all the resorts would close in March and that pass holders would be left holding the empty bag. What was even funnier is how quickly the super-mega pass sellers were to point out to their customers that they had no obligations related to refunds because the passes were “non-refundable and not transferable to another season.”
Now, Alterra (the uber resort conglomerate that owns Mammoth Mountain et. al.) is pressing snowboarders to buy IKON passes for the 20-21 season even though most of North America is in COVID-19 lockdown and no one knows when or if ski resorts will be able to open next year. In fact, they want your “non-refundable” money so badly that they are extending their early purchase discounts. Isn’t that kind of them?
As we look ahead, we invite you to join the Ikon Pass community for next season. For winter 20/21, we are giving you more time to take advantage of spring discounts and consider your purchase until May 27, 2020.
But what happens if you buy a 20/21 Ikon pass and the resorts don’t open for the 20/21 season? Here’s their answer:
At this time, all Ikon Pass destinations plan to be open for the 20/21 winter season. All Ikon Pass, Ikon Base Pass, and Ikon Base Plus Pass purchases paid-in-full are non-refundable.
Ha, that’s right. They keep your money and you get nothing. How you feeling about that deal now? For answers to all your IKON pass questions and to see just how tightly Alterra holds on to your money click the link.
Rene Rinnekangas is a real good street snowboarder. In fact, this video just won an award for being real good. We’re simply posting it as a reminder of what real good snowboarding looks like. You know what else looks good on Rene? That helmet.
We’ve collected a monster page full of all the news that is news. We’d like to apologize in advance for all the COVID-19 stories. Personally, we been skipping the news lately as an act of self preservation, but please feel free to dive in. Hope you’re all safe and well. Really.
Snowboarder Trace Jordan Carrillo, 28, from Dubois, Wyoming died Wednesday, April 1, 2020 in a slide on Taylor Mountain near Teton Pass, in Wyoming, according to a story in the Jackson Hole News and Guide.
The man started to ski the slope just before 3 p.m. when the slide broke, Lockhart said. . . After an unsuccessful search his female ski partner went to the Coal Creek parking area west of Teton Pass and borrowed a cell phone to call for help. . .”We sent rescuers up and down Taylor and couldn’t get a beacon signal,” Lockhart said. . . A helicopter search wasn’t an option because of low visibility. . . Rescuers called off the search at dark Wednesday night but will resume looking for the man Thursday morning, Lockhart said.
Carrillo’s body was found Thursday morning reportedly under two feet of snow. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and especially the girl who was riding with him at the time of the slide.
While we’re blown away (with the rest of you) by how fast our world can change, and have little wisdom and no panacea for the current time, here is a short collection of news stories that have caught our attention over the past month or so. Follow the jump for the full list.
You really shouldn’t let any of the free time you have these days get gobbled up by your electronic devices. No, now more than ever analog is the solution. The Snowboarder’s Journal is sliding out their back issues (by volume) so you can checkout the ones you missed, and replace the issues that got worn out or lost. For a limited time you can pick up an entire back volumes of The Snowboarders Journal for only $40. Also makes a perfect gift.
To purchase back issues (or to buy a subscription) click the link. It’s that easy.
A little reminder to everyone who believes that total Coronavirus lockdown is the perfect time to travel to hike your favorite resort, skate a distant park, or surf a break that’s not in your front yard. Don’t do it. Stay home.
Mammoth Lakes Tourism speaks for almost every place on the planet right now with the following message:
We’re asking anyone who is not a primary resident of Mammoth Lakes or providing essential services to our residents NOT to visit Mammoth Lakes for the time being. The reason is simple: as a small, remote mountain community our healthcare facilities lack the capacity to handle a widespread outbreak of COVID-19. Additionally, services in Mammoth Lakes are currently extremely limited. Mammoth Mountain and restaurants (excluding takeout services), bars and other public spaces are temporarily closed due to county-mandated health orders. Public gatherings have also been prohibited by the Mono County Public Health Officer.
In other words, stay home kooks! And, if you do live where it’s epic, and you’re able to get out ALONE then please, by all means, share your content with the rest of us who are hunkered down, indoors, for the foreseeable future, doing whatever it is we’re do. We’re all in this together.
Vans Global Brand President Doug Palladini sent a letter to Vans employee world wide outlining the work that Vans is currently doing to support those in need. He included the Vans ‘Foot The Bill’ initiative, product donations and partnership with Hedley & Bennett to use Vans’ shoe canvas to make and donate more than 250,000 reusable facial masks.
Don’t say Alterra Mountain Company doesn’t listen to their customers. After sending out a completely tone-deaf email announcing the extension of their 20/21 season pass sale (and failing to mention that the IKON passes were non-refundable if the resorts didn’t open next year) they have come correct (on April 17, 2020) with an option they are calling the Adventure Assurance.
