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In the Field: Petzl in Hollywood

Greg Houston — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 13:42:24 +0000

In the Field: Petzl in Hollywood

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News

Product Feature

Post date

Sat, 03/05/2022

Author

Greg Houston

Today was an interesting day of learning about how some of our Petzl product get used in really cool alternative markets and applications.

Today’s adventure took me to HOLLYWOOD with our good friends at Ver Sales Inc! The job for today was to inspect, evaluate, and relocate fall protection lifelines within a Hollywood Studio set. Just to bring you up to speed; Television and Movies sets are typically constructed inside a giant warehouse (also known as a sound stage/ studio. Workers are hired by the movie and TV production folks to assemble realistic building interiors and sets within these very large, enclosed buildings. Often these sets are constructed and attached (or hung) to the buildings rafter beam system by stage rigger personnel and doing so places these folks in a potentially dangerous work at height situation. My good friends at Ver sales are contracted to maintain safety lines within the rafters of the Studio’s buildings to allow the working personnel in the rafters of a sound stage to clip themselves safely into a system that will protect them from potentially falling and getting themselves severely injured.

This was a great opportunity for me to get to use Petzl’s rope access and fall protection gear, and also use Petzl’s amazing range of headlamps; it’s somewhat dark way up there…and max light is needed! Our job today was to insure all of these safety lines visually and physically were in good operation and up to code so as to keep everyone safe.

Selling Petzl’s innovative PPE gear and lighting is super fun…but getting to use it in a real-life application is the BEST!

DIEJ and the Alta Group

Dave Allen — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 21:32:30 +0000

DIEJ and the Alta Group

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Post date

Thu, 02/17/2022

Author

Dave Allen

DIEJ
Diversity Inclusion Equity Justice

I like JEDI because we can all relate to Yoda if you know Star Wars, but I have come to believe the letters should be switched to better reflect how it affects our thoughts and practices.

Diversity should come first because that is our world. You cannot escape diversity. It is everywhere you look. Step out your door and you are enveloped in diversity. The problem is our ability at recognizing and accepting it. Too many of us accept tribal instincts and not see the beauty of diversity. Diversity in many pockets of our current society is not accepted, even though we can’t avoid accepting it. It is our reality. We are all different. We all have our quirks, religions, sexualities, politics, fetishes, beliefs. But we all share our species, earth, and neighborhoods. We can’t avoid that.

Next should be inclusion. After we realize that diversity is all around us, we need to make the move to include it in our lives. Not just personal, but professional. We have to set our biases aside and get to know that which we don’t.

And then we need to embrace equity. Equality, although not accepted by many, is inherent, equity is not. We are Homo sapiens. We all have different traits, handicaps, skills, ideals, but in the end we all have gall bladders, lungs, hearts and bleed red. As a species, we need to step up to the plate to make sure our species survives, and I think we have lost sight of that.

And then there is justice. And that becomes the holy grail. If we can’t, as a world, as a species, if we can’t reconcile the absolute need to accept diversity, include it in our daily lives and help everybody step up to the same level, we will never have true justice.

DIEJ and the Alta Group

Dave Allen — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 21:26:28 +0000

DIEJ and the Alta Group

Posted in

News

Post date

Thu, 02/17/2022

Author

Dave Allen

DIEJ
Diversity Inclusion Equity Justice

I like JEDI because we can all relate to Yoda if you know Star Wars, but I have come to believe the letters should be switched to better reflect how it affects our thoughts and practices.

Lee Vining Canyon – Rare California Ice

Scott Polk — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 21:24:28 +0000

Lee Vining Canyon – Rare California Ice

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Post date

Thu, 02/17/2022

Author

Scott Polk

Justin: Yo Scott, what did the Sierra Mountain Guide trip report say on their last update?

Me: Looks like the ice is forming and hike is filled in and packed down so no need for show shoes… but a weird warming trend coming through…

Me: As long as it keeps freezing up at night we should be good!

Finding the right conditions for ice to form on earth can be tough… trying to find those conditions in sunny California is even tougher. Luckily the Sierra Mountains poke up high into the atmosphere and create a nice shady canyon called Lee Vining. Anyone who has ventured into Yosemite National Park from the eastside Tioga Pass entrance has driven right past the only area in California to get “consistent” climbable ice each winter. Having a flexible schedule and flexible partners who can strike when the ice comes in are some keys to successful trip.

Luckily all those conditions came together the second week of January 2022. We had just gotten a HUGE dump of snow in December. I think it tied or broke a 50 year old record from 1970! And then things got dry. Which is bad for powder enthusiasts but creates a great melt-freeze cycle. This cycle benefits ice climbs by melting the fresh fallen snow sitting on top of the cliffs as daytime temps hit 40’s and sometimes 50’s. Then the flowing melt water freezes up as it flows down over the rock. The result becomes a beautiful climbable ice structure that only exists as long as mother nature allows. That could be a few weeks, few days, or even a few hours.

Justin and I had been planning to go toward the end of January but with the melt-freeze cycle in full force we moved it up a couple of weeks to get it while the getting’ is good. And it sure was good! We had only a week-old SMG trip report to go on and a few people posting about less than ideal conditions, but we decided to risk it. It was going to be his first-time ice climbing and the possibility to climb any ice was worth the risk of taking our tools for a walk.

I left Reno, NV at 5:30am and picked him up at 6:00am from Carson City, NV. We parked at Poole Powerplant around 8:40am and hiked up along the snow-covered Lee Vining creek. The big December snow filled in the boulder field and made the hike a simple compact snow ramp instead of boulder hopping. After about 30 minutes we made it to the base of the ice crag. We were pleasantly surprised to find the ice looked even fatter and bluer than the photos we had seen over the past week. I think the previous couple days had temps the 50’s but then a cold spell came in when we got there, which improved conditions.

I have lead ice climbs before in Utah and Colorado but since this my first experience with California ice we elected to rig up a top-rope and enjoy the day swinging and kicking without consequence. The ice was close to perfect and in some cases plastic to where you felt like your tools and crampons would stick to anywhere on the ice!

We had a great day trading turns on the rope climbing tons of different lines up the ice. Justin picked up ice climbing fast with a background in rock and tree climbing. There were only 2 other climbers that came up for the day besides us. They were super cool, and we traded ropes to gain access to even more of the crag without the extra work of re-rigging. Love when climbers collaborate! The ice stayed in the shade all day and we climbed until we hiked out at sunset around 4:45pm.
In conclusion, its best to follow your own intuitions and take a chance if you think it could be possible. Also having really low expectations and being thankful for anything you do get!

“Taking your tools for a walk”: Ice climbers adage, meaning one hiked all the way into an ice climbing crag to learn none of the ice is climbable or the conditions are dangerous .

“Plastic Ice”: Ice that is so sticky and nice that it only takes one swing of the axe and it sticks like it was plastic. Fun climbing conditions!

Lee Vining Canyon – Rare California Ice

Scott Polk — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 22:28:51 +0000

Lee Vining Canyon – Rare California Ice

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Post date

Mon, 01/24/2022

Author

Scott Polk

“Taking your tools for a walk”: Ice climbers adage, meaning one hiked all the way into an ice climbing crag to learn none of the ice is climbable or the conditions are dangerous .

“Plastic Ice”: Ice that is so sticky and nice that it only takes one swing of the axe and it sticks like it was plastic. Fun climbing conditions!

Alta Group, Inc. – Sustainability

Dave Haavik — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 19:29:17 +0000

Alta Group, Inc. – Sustainability

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Industry

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Post date

Tue, 10/05/2021

Author

Dave Haavik

For the first time in almost two years everybody in the Alta Group, Inc. got together for what is normally our annual sales/planning meeting. Oh, how we missed being in person together. Two years of meeting as a group via Zoom has been rough, as you all know…

During these meetings we discussed many topics including our budget, brand planning, SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), travel planning, goals, Mission Statement, Strategic Plan, and a whole lot more.

There was one topic of discussion that we all got passionate about, sustainability. This discussion morphed out of the discussion we were having around our Mission Statement. Our Mission Statement has a fair bit of language around holding the brands we represent accountable for environmental sustainability and JDEI (Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). How can we try to hold others accountable when we can’t even hold ourselves accountable?

We, as a group have decided to use “sustainability” in a way to also include JDEI. Sustainability for us is, People, Planet, Product and Profit, in that order.

Shortly after our meeting we were able to engage with a consultant (happens to be Dave Allan’s brother-in-law) to help us learn more about JDEI. This is a learning/education process, not training. Our first meeting with him is in November with quarterly meetings going forward. We have pressed him to make sure there is ongoing work in between each meeting.

Matt Lewis has been taking an online course on Sustainable Business Practices (SBP) over the past few months. There are 4 Pillars of SBP.

Social and Culture
Safety and Security, Wellness, Equity, Diversity and Cultural Inclusion
Economic
Measuring the financial impact of sustainability, communication, performance, stakeholder, corporate education, and training.
Planet
Impact of CO2 and other pollutants by mode of transportation and accommodation, methodologies, creating a carbon footprint.
Management
Manage the business of Sustainability and maintain a healthy balance between the 3 main Pillars

I know we have all been cognizant of sustainability (all encompassing) over the years, but we have never had a plan to hold ourselves accountable. Accountability starts with setting a baseline and growing from there. Clearly there is a lot more depth to this than what is outlined in a short blog post.

This will be a never-ending journey. We are committed in perpetuity.

Alta Group, Inc. – Sustainability

Dave Haavik — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 19:22:39 +0000

Alta Group, Inc. – Sustainability

Posted in

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Post date

Tue, 10/05/2021

Author

Dave Haavik

We, as a group have decided to use “sustainability” in a way to also include JDEI. Sustainability for us is, People, Planet, Product and Profit, in that order.

Matt Lewis has been taking an online course on Sustainable Business Practices (SBP) over the past few months. There are 4 Pillars of SBP.

Social and Culture
Safety and Security, Wellness, Equity, Diversity and Cultural Inclusion
Economic
Measuring the financial impact of sustainability, communication, performance, stakeholder, corporate education, and training.
Planet
Impact of CO2 and other pollutants by mode of transportation and accommodation, methodologies, creating a carbon footprint.
Management
Manage the business of Sustainability and maintain a healthy balance between the 3 main Pillars

This will be a never-ending journey. We are committed in perpetuity.

The Alta Group and Philanthropy

Dave Haavik — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 20:26:40 +0000

The Alta Group and Philanthropy

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Post date

Tue, 06/26/2018

Author

Dave Haavik

When Roody Rasmussen started the Alta Group, Inc. in 1993 Philanthropy was part of the DNA. Myself and Dave Allan, along with the rest of the Alta Group have continued that tradition every year. Our goal is 1% of gross revenue is to be donated to non-profits and other organizations in need. We feel gross revenue is a better goal than some sort of % of profit. Profit is too easily manipulated.

Beyond the cash donations we make, we try to support a lot of other organizations with “in-kind” donations of product and swag. Think Climbing Gym Team fundraisers, school fundraisers, Ducks Unlimited, etc.

Here are some (not all) of the organizations within the Outdoor Industry that we have supported over the years. Not every year, but over the years:

Washington Climbers Coalition http://washingtonclimbers.org
The mission of the WCC is to make Washington a better place to climb through advocacy, stewardship and education.
American Safe Climbing Association http://www.safeclimbing.org
Climbing anchor replacement throughout the US
Friends of the Northwest Avalanche Center https://www.nwac.us
Helps fund the NW Avalanche forecasting center

Obviously, giving back to the community we profit from feels right, but it goes beyond that. We also have made significant donations organizations outside of the Outdoor Industry. For Example:

Ballard Foodbank http://www.ballardfoodbank.org
Local foodbank hear the Alta Groups head office
Union for Concerned Scientists https://www.ucsusa.org
Science for a healthy planet and safer world
SMASH (Seattle Musicians Access to Sustainable Health Care) https://smashseattle.org
SMASH is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping our music community healthy and thriving by providing health education, advocacy, and access to affordable healthcare.

Click Here see a full list of 2017/2018 donations.

The Alta Group and Philanthropy

Dave Haavik — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 20:20:28 +0000

The Alta Group and Philanthropy

Posted in

Industry

News

Post date

Tue, 06/26/2018

Author

Dave Haavik

Here are some (not all) of the organizations within the Outdoor Industry that we have supported over the years. Not every year, but over the years:

Washington Climbers Coalition http://washingtonclimbers.org
The mission of the WCC is to make Washington a better place to climb through advocacy, stewardship and education.
American Safe Climbing Association http://www.safeclimbing.org
Climbing anchor replacement throughout the US
Friends of the Northwest Avalanche Center https://www.nwac.us
Helps fund the NW Avalanche forecasting center

Obviously, giving back to the community we profit from feels right, but it goes beyond that. We also have made significant donations organizations outside of the Outdoor Industry. For Example:

Ballard Foodbank http://www.ballardfoodbank.org
Local foodbank hear the Alta Groups head office
Union for Concerned Scientists https://www.ucsusa.org
Science for a healthy planet and safer world
SMASH (Seattle Musicians Access to Sustainable Health Care) https://smashseattle.org
SMASH is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping our music community healthy and thriving by providing health education, advocacy, and access to affordable healthcare.

Click Here see a full list of 2017/2018 donations.

Why we have Pro and Sport sides of our website

Dave Haavik — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:49:33 +0000

Why we have Pro and Sport sides of our website

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Post date

Thu, 02/08/2018

Author

Dave Haavik

Why have a Professional side and a Sport side of your website?

Good question. The Alta Group was born from the passion of outdoor adventure. The majesty of the mountains and all the soul enhancing opportunities they provide is the DNA of our group. All of the manufacturers that we have represented over the past 28 years provided the best products for all enthusiasts to enjoy the outdoors safely and comfortably while offering the best performance for their pursuits. We stand by that today.

We also believe in evolution and adaptation. Way back in the mid 90’s, when I started, Petzl had started to realize that “Accessing the Inaccessible” didn’t only apply to the highest and hardest peaks and routes and the deepest darkest caves, but also to the everyday toils of firefighters, tower climbers, arborists, window washers, bridge inspectors, windmill technicians, and anybody and everybody who works at height. Next time you’re in a city, look up. Yep. Ropes, harnesses, carabiners, lanyards, shock absorbers, helmets, ascenders, descenders, headlamps. All of these things are attached to skilled technicians to perform duties that none of us really think about very often. But it’s real and a 24/7 occurrence.

When the next natural or human-made disaster occurs, look at the emergency responders, both professional and volunteer. Most likely you will see Petzl helmets and Petzl headlamps. If you see someone being rescued by rope, chances are high that Petzl equipment is being utilized at that moment.

When I started with the Alta Group in 1996, one of the first things I did was take a course on “Rigging for Rescue”. Roody Rasmussen (founder of the Alta Group) had the foresight to know this was part of Petzl’s future and made sure we were all up to speed on the latest techniques. After that it was Confined Space Rescue training, then Arborist training, and then to Rope Access training. All of these professionals have different skill sets and different goals and jobs to achieve, but they all need the same tools. Ropes, rope grabs, pulleys, connectors. Or as I crassly say at times, “Same shit, different stall.”

Due to the different markets that Petzl serves, they have had to go after two different retail distribution types. We have retailers that focus on our outdoor products, and retailers that focus on the professional products. It is necessary to separate the two. Just as you would expect the retail clerk at your favorite outdoor specialty shop to know which crampons are compatible to which boots, the professional expects their retailer to know which standards the product meets to make sure it is compatible with their work environment and the laws that govern it. It’s really that simple.

As Petzl has evolved, so has the Alta Group. We have two foci, sport and professional. Our sport side encompasses all 5 of our lines, while Pro handles three; Petzl, Adventure Medical Kits, and Nikwax. Dave Haavik has taken the reigns of the Sport side (he’s younger) and I have taken the reigns of the Pro side (I’m older and can’t keep up with our sport side).

If you have any questions at all regarding the Professional side of the Alta Group, please direct them to me. I will be happy to engage in serious or ridiculous banter. We are looking forward to an exciting future!

News

In the Field: Petzl in Hollywood

In the Field: Petzl in Hollywood

DIEJ and the Alta Group

DIEJ and the Alta Group

DIEJ Diversity Inclusion Equity Justice

DIEJ and the Alta Group

DIEJ and the Alta Group

DIEJ Diversity Inclusion Equity Justice

Lee Vining Canyon – Rare California Ice

Lee Vining Canyon – Rare California Ice

Lee Vining Canyon – Rare California Ice

Lee Vining Canyon – Rare California Ice

Alta Group, Inc. – Sustainability

Alta Group, Inc. – Sustainability

Alta Group, Inc. – Sustainability

Alta Group, Inc. – Sustainability

The Alta Group and Philanthropy

The Alta Group and Philanthropy

The Alta Group and Philanthropy

The Alta Group and Philanthropy

Why we have Pro and Sport sides of our website

Why we have Pro and Sport sides of our website

DIEJ
Diversity Inclusion Equity Justice

DIEJ
Diversity Inclusion Equity Justice