American Alpine Club & Jones Snowboards Present New Adventure Grants
The American Alpine Club, the country’s oldest and largest climbing and mountaineering member organization, is pleased to announce a new series of snowboard-specific mountain exploration grants in partnership with Jones Snowboards. The new grants are aimed at supporting amateur backcountry snowboarders and their dreams of mountain adventure and winter exploration.
The American Alpine Club and Jones Snowboards are proud to offer two new grants for the 2018 year: 1) Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant, and 2) the Jones ‘Live Like Liz’ Award. Both grants will provide $1500 in financial support to assist with expedition travel and logistics and provide a new Jones splitboard, skins and backpack. The Jones ‘Live Like Liz’ Award honors aspiring snowboard mountain guide Liz Daley who was killed in an avalanche accident in 2014. The award seeks to support female snowboarders who exhibit a similiar passion for wilderness exploration as Liz.
"We always strive to inspire people to get out and explore. Starting a grant program that offers expedition support to unsponsored riders has been one of our goals since starting the company," said Jeremy Jones, Jones Snowboards founder. "We’re honored to work with the American Alpine Club to finally bring this idea to life and give back to the backcountry community by encouraging motivated riders to dream big and go deep."
The American Alpine Club has offered similar “Live Your Dream” grants for years, however is especially pleased to open up these grants for backcountry snowboarders. AAC Marketing Director, Whitney Bradberry, commented: “This partnership leverages our shared passion for exploration in the mountains to embolden motivated snowboarders to push their limits and dream big. We're proud to extend our support and better serve the riders in our community, just as we have done with skiers and climbers over the years through our Live Your Dream grants.”
Applicants for the newly established grants must be American Alpine Club members and grant proposals will be considered based on objective remoteness, exploratory nature, carbon footprint, creativity and overall significance. Objectives may be a single line/peak or a tour/traverse of a wider region. Project locations must be in North America and be completed in 2018.
Applications for both grants are being accepted between December 12, 2017 and January 30th, 2018. Award winners will be announced in February 2018. Jones Snowboards company founder Jeremy Jones and Jones brand managers will review all applications and select the recipients.
For more information and to apply, please visit:
https://americanalpineclub.org/jones-splitboarding-grants
ABOUT THE JONES BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE GRANTS
1) Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant looks to support a multi-day splitboarding expedition with a strong exploratory and adventure component. The project objective may focus on a single descent/summit or a tour/traverse of a region. The 2018 Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant offers $1500 plus a Jones splitboard, skins and backpack to the grant recipient.
2) Jones ‘Live Like Liz’ Award has the same criteria as the Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant but the grant is open only to female applicants. In September 2014, Jones ambassador and aspiring mountain guide Liz Daley was killed in an avalanche accident in Argentina. This award is dedicated to Liz and the radiant passion for splitboard exploration that she was known for. The 2018 Jones Live Like Liz Award will also offer $1500 plus a Jones splitboard, skins and backpack to the grant recipient.
