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The Outdoor Recreation Archive includes collections of business and professional papers created by pioneering industry figures and product designers. You can view any of these materials by visiting the Special Collections Reading Room. If you are unable to visit our Reading Room, many materials can be digitized for a fee. The fee schedule can be viewed here.
Click on the collection title to view an inventory of the collection.
Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian outdoor industry collection
This collection includes outdoor industry and recreation material, including Outdoor Recreation Coalition of America (ORCA), Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), and Outdoor Retailer records dating from 1991 to 2015.
Robert E. Gillis papers and photographs
This collection contains patent documents related to Robert (Bob) E. Gillis and his inventions, including the Oval Intention, the Grip Clip™ tarp and Grip Clip™ tent fasteners, dating from 1975 to 2010.
This collection contains business records and promotional materials from Wilderness Experience co-founder Jim Thomsen, dating from 1971 to 1983.
This collection contains materials dating from 1979 to 1988 that Whitted collected while working at Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI).
This collection dating from 1996 to 2004 contains largely promotional materials from prAna, a brand created in 1992 by Beaver and Pam Theodosakis.
This collection contains papers related to finance, design, and production at The North Face, where Mark Erickson was an early employee. The materials, which date from 1968 to 1978, provide insight into early operations at the company, particularly in the realm of tent design.
This collection contains materials related to Frostline Kits and Stephenson’s Warmlite dating from 1958 to 2019 that were created and collected by Bruce Johnson, a writer and compiler of outdoor gear history.
This collection contains documents pertaining to The North Face from the late 1960s to the 1990s, including information about the Oval Intention, Buckminster Fuller, the 1990 International Trans-Antarctica Expedition, as well as The North Face financial records, media articles, and product planning documents.
Outdoor Sewing Patterns and Kits Collection
This collection contains patterns, textiles, sewing materials, and sewing instructions from do-it-yourself outdoor gear companies such as Altra Kits, Frostline Kits, and Green Pepper Inc.
The collection consists of materials related to JanSport created and collected by the brand's designer Murray Pletz from 1968 to 1991. The materials include original design sketches of clothing and bags, textile swatches, early JanSport logo designs, magazine clippings related to JanSport, and other materials.
Moss Tent Works records and photographs
Bill Moss was a fabric artist and designer who founded Moss Tent Works with his former wife and business partner, Marilyn, in 1975. The Bill and Marilyn Moss collection includes business records, photographs, videos, publicity materials, catalogs, patents, correspondence, original artwork, and legal papers related to Moss Tents and other business interests.
Ann and Gerry Cunningham papers
Gerry and Ann Cunningham founded Gerry Mountaineering Equipment in 1946. This collection contains early writings and promotional materials produced by the company, as well as a folder of material about Gerry's sale to Outdoor Sports Industries, Inc. Also included are material from Gerry's later interest in sailing, including Blockits materials and guides to the Sea of Cortez.
Scott Datwyler was an outdoor enthusiast and owner of The Trailhead, an outdoor store in Logan, Utah. His collection dates from 1965 to 2015 and includes business records as well as materials from various local outdoor activities.
Jeff Lowe was an alpinist from Ogden, Utah known for popularizing ice climbing in the United States. His collection contains materials from his companies Latok and Cloudwalker, as well as various climbing festivals and his ascent of Pakistan's Nameless Tower. They date from roughly 1980 to 2010.
The Laura Miera Papers contain records from 1975 to 2017 pertaining to the early history and production of the outdoor company Marmot. Laura served as Marmot's Vice President of Technical Product Development from 2007 until her retirement in 2016.
Road Runners Club of America records and photographs
Founded in 1958, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is the oldest and largest distance running organization in the United States, with over 1,500 running club and event members representing 200,000 individual runners active in their running communities. This collection is composed of Road Runners Club of America papers and records, providing a sampling of administrative records and resources for runners.
Mike Valvano outdoor catalogs and product guides
Mike Valvano is a brand strategy consultant, who helped with branding and marketing for multiple outdoor brands. This collection is composed of outdoor catalogs and product guides from a variety of companies, dating from 1991 to 2007.
William H. "Bill" Edwards designed a number of innovative products, most notably as employee number three at the iconic outdoor brand, Early Winters. This collection contains correspondence, ads, and articles about the Early Winters company dating from 1975 to 1986.
This collection includes annual reports, planning documents, newspaper and magazine clippings, financial records, board of directors packets, advertisements, and catalogs primarily from The North Face, Mountain Hardwear, and Simms Fishing Products, but also include materials from other companies with which Jack Gilbert was involved. Materials date from 1968 to 2023.
The North Face Stag Party invitation, circa 1967
Invitation to a pre-Christmas stag party hosted by The North Face outdoor clothing and gear company.
A collection dating from 1991 to 2005 that includes outdoor gear catalogs, product designs, material tests, and reports on business and production from multiple brands, including Ariat, IBEX Wear, and The North Face.
This collection contains documents related to Dan Castner's years at North Face including information on production and quality control dating from 1975 to 1988. These materials include memoranda, reports, letters of appreciation, and magazine articles about the industry or North Face specifically.
This collection represents the "big wall" rock climbing research gathered by professional rock climber John Middendorf. Types of materials include historical accounts, climbing questionnaires (post-climb reports), hand drawn and printed route maps, articles, and photographs related to rock climbing routes in and around the Zion National Park area, mainly dating from the 1970s to the 1990s.
David Ingemie had a 40-year career with SnowSports Industries America (SIA), including serving as the organization's president, before retiring in 2016. His papers are comprised of SIA business materials, including programs, publications, publicity materials, and other items.
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