In college, I brought guys into the forest at night because it was a place where I was less scared than they were. As a woman, dating鈥攐r even just being alone with a man鈥攆elt vulnerable. I wanted to flip the script.

I remember the second time in particular, with a man I really liked. We were a mile deep in the campus arboretum, following a trail through faint moonshadows and then, as the trees grew thicker, into a tunnel of black. My flashlight was dim. He held my arm as I led the way.

Something rustled in the dark to our right.

The man jumped a little, chuckled once, and grabbed my arm with his other hand. He squeezed.

鈥淵ou nervous,鈥� I said.

I sensed, rather than saw, his nod.

鈥淲hat are you scared of?鈥�

鈥淲hat was that?鈥� he said. He meant the rustle. Probably a mouse, I thought, but I didn鈥檛 answer. I imagined what he鈥檇 do if I said the flashlight had burned out. He wouldn鈥檛 panic, at least not outwardly, but his breath would quicken. He鈥檇 stay close; he鈥檇 squeeze my arm tighter. He鈥檇 trust me to lead the way out.

Still in blackness, I stepped back so we weren鈥檛 touching. He didn鈥檛 move. I thought about reaching back toward him, but instead I waited. Counted. One breath. Five, ten. When he still hadn鈥檛 moved or spoken, I stepped back toward him. Took one of his hands, then the other, and rose to my toes for a kiss.

鈥淭hat would never have occurred to me,鈥� he said later, back inside. 鈥淕oing into the woods at night. I just never think of it as an option. I don鈥檛 know how you weren鈥檛 nervous.鈥�

The secret was that I鈥檇 been nervous, too. But unlike him, I was used to it.

As a kid, I dreaded getting home at night because I hated walking in darkness from the car to the front door. I鈥檇 run past the roses and thuja trees by the driveway鈥攆earing that at any moment, hands would reach from the thickets and grab me tight鈥攁nd I didn鈥檛 calm down until I鈥檇 reached the bright artificial light of the entry. In the daytime, I loved being outside; I made passageways in the bushes, and tossed seeds to lure squirrels close. But at night, the yard turned into something different. It became a place I didn鈥檛 understand.

By my late teens, I spent most of my free time outside, bushwhacking through mountainsides and forests with a backpack and a map. I felt that my fear of the woods at night鈥攖hough common, normal鈥攚as one of the last barriers between myself and the wild life I wanted. But the dark wasn鈥檛 dangerous, I told myself. It was just scary. And fear, I hoped, could be fixed. It was with that intention that I tried solo backpacking at 18, laying my sleeping bag on the moss at the edge of a mountain lake called Sick Water, where I planned to spend two days. But I panicked the first night鈥搇ying frozen, eyes open in blackness, barely able to breathe鈥揳nd then hiked five miles home at three in the morning. I climbed into my own bed as the sun was rising, weak with relief.

Later that year, I tried again. It was winter. I skied uphill to the same lake, which was smooth and white, and found an open creek at the edge, barely a foot across and bounded with deep banks. I drank the water by cupping it in my bare hands, though the cold hurt my skin, and then I built a fire for warmth. I鈥檇 brought a book of poems鈥擯rufrock, I think鈥攖o read for distraction, but I never opened the book at all. I didn鈥檛 need it. For some reason, that time I wasn鈥檛 afraid.

In retrospect, I think the cold helped my nerves. Winter鈥檚 always been my comfort. The world quiets; animals sleep. And the snow doesn鈥檛 lie. At times, lying in the darkness, I imagined creatures creeping toward me. But when the sun rose again, I saw from the untouched snow that they had not.

By the way, there was nothing sick about Sick Water. I don鈥檛 know how the lake got its name. It was good fishing, so maybe that鈥檚 why. Some fisherman tried to scare folks away and claim the whole lake for his own.

My husband and I live deep in the Wisconsin woods; we take all our city friends outdoors. It鈥檚 a running joke that we can teach them dogsledding, kayaking, fishing, skiing鈥攁nd when we bring them back to the cabin late, by headlamp, and they鈥檒l say, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know I could do that.鈥�

And we say, 鈥淒ogsledding?鈥�

And they say, 鈥淣o, being in the forest at night.鈥�

Why is this fear so universal? I looked up science, studies. I wanted to tell you facts about what we鈥檙e afraid might happen, and how to push through. But I found almost no research at all. Only stories. Fairy tales, myths, legends, warnings. Don鈥檛 go in the woods at night, characters tell each other, or else. Or else what? In the forest, power shifts. We鈥檙e not in charge anymore. We have to face the fact that we never were.

Stories don鈥檛 create our fears; they reflect them back to us, shimmering with layers of unease. One reason humans are scared of the dark woods, wrote scholar Dr. Elizabeth Parker, who studies ecogothic literature, is because we fear nature鈥檚 appetite, even when it pales before our own. In the forest, 鈥渨e fear being eaten: be it by literal predators such as wolves and bears, or by the many monsters that we imagine within it.鈥�

In the dark, in the trees, anything can creep toward you.

You won鈥檛 see it coming.

It will open wide its mouth.

It might consume you, or might just stand there watching.

We鈥檙e scared of the dark woods, Dr. Parker writes, because they hold a secret we鈥檙e not sure we want to know.

Over the years, I have, in fact, been approached by animals at night. One time, alone in a lean-to of sticks in Florida, something huge blackened the night nearby. I imagined it might attack me. I saw from its tracks in the morning that it had been a cow.

In South Africa, I was surrounded by a pack of hyenas for several nights in a row. They circled, barking and grunting, for hours on end. I had no weapons, but I built my fire high. They didn鈥檛 dare enter the light.

Hyenas eat people. Big cats do, too. Some bears. Sharks, I guess, with all those teeth. But the fear of being consumed isn鈥檛 just a fear of dying. It鈥檚 a fear of recalling that you鈥檙e an animal, too, with warm soft flesh like the rest of them. We鈥檙e not afraid of the woods at night because we don鈥檛 belong there. We鈥檙e afraid of them because we do.

It takes practice, time, to accept that. After my stay at Sick Water, I didn鈥檛 spend a night alone outside for several years; I鈥檇 just needed to know that I could. But when I finally did venture out again, it was for weeks straight. I was visiting a Norwegian village, and needed somewhere to stay, so I set up camp in a grove of sparse birch, a few minutes鈥� walk from the nearest road. Each night I lay on my back in my sleeping bag, watching heart-shaped leaves flicker against the sky. That was the Arctic, in summer, so the sun never set. Darkness only came when I closed my eyes.

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It鈥檚 been several years since South Asian yoga practitioners opened a dialogue around what has become the status quo in yoga鈥攊ts lack of color.

Although the numbers of those from traditionally marginalized communities who practice and teach yoga have been increasing, there remains considerable underrepresentation, particularly in the Black community.

According to Yoga Alliance鈥檚 recent published in November, Black teachers and studio owners make up a fraction of a fraction of the yoga space.聽 Although the number of yoga studios owned by Black yoga teachers has been on the rise, we鈥檙e still far more underrepresented than makes sense proportionate to the larger population.

As the founder and owner of a yoga studio and a Black woman, I ask, 鈥淏lack folks, why aren鈥檛 we owning more yoga studios?鈥�

After speaking with a number of Black teachers, the answer appears to be, 鈥淏ecause we don鈥檛 want to.鈥�

A Community-Centered Model

I founded in 2020 in the Houston Southside, a traditionally Black part of the city, to give displaced yogis a temporary home. I can attest to the difficulties of trying to operate a business in an increasingly crowded yoga space. Little by little, students and trainees who had never missed a class when I was teaching in an affluent part of town became less willing to make the trek to the new space. Far removed from where other yoga studios were located, my studio was failing because I was drawing on my former yoga community when I really needed to be focusing on the people right in my neighborhood.

Accessible yoga is about location, motivation, and connection as much as it is about adaptive shapes, tiered pricing, and inclusive spaces, suggests , psychologist, certified yoga therapist, , and President of the Black Yoga Teachers鈥� Alliance Board of Directors from 2020 through 2023. 鈥淲e can teach wherever we are,鈥� she says. Dr. Parker finds that many Black yoga teachers create yoga spaces within their neighborhoods鈥攃hurches, community centers, beauty salons, homes, online, and other collective spaces that don鈥檛 require that people travel outside their communities to practice.

Offering yoga in these 鈥渘ontraditional鈥� spaces can actually be considered more traditional than studios, according to the indigenous South Asian framework of yoga, where the practice has historically been shared in cultural centers, schools, ashrams, and other places where community is centered.

Reggie Hubbard, founder of Maryland-based , offers a mixture of online and in-person yoga practice, meditation, breathwork, sound, and wisdom in service to collective well-being. Although some of his in-person offerings take place in a studio, his aspirations don鈥檛 include owning a traditional space.

鈥淚 may open a studio in the model of a retreat center that teaches embodied practice or activist training,鈥� says Hubbard, who is a presenter at Kripalu, Sedona Yoga Festival, and BhaktiFest. 鈥淏ut I鈥檒l likely never own a traditional studio because it would take me away from my mission of taking yoga and peace practices to non-traditional communities primarily.鈥�

Community Can Be Different Than Inclusivity

Inclusion is not the same as feeling that you belong. Teaching through the lens of community repair requires operating very differently.

Studios and spaces owned and/or operated by Black teachers often focus on advocacy, community events, and rest. , the virtual studio I founded in 2021, was largely run by a small group of dedicated volunteers with all funds directed to the teachers. It has now transitioned into a yoga collective in which the teachers manage and run the offerings on a donation or sliding-scale basis while equitably profit sharing. Operating in this way has nurtured a community that is looking for people who think like them, look like them, and care about what is important to them.

Oya Heart Warrior, creator of U.K.-based , argues for the importance of a practice that celebrates our bodies and wanting to be together. 鈥淏lack people are often repelled by a yoga that tries to bend us into performative poses wearing tight, expensive, clothing,鈥� she says. In contrast, Warrior describes聽 her offerings as 鈥渁 tender practice of moving meditation and collective rest, to mobilize our joy and metabolize our pain, without a mat or linear movement.鈥�

As Black yogis search for community online, it makes sense that her approach has amassed a virtual following of more than 53,000 in the last year alone.

Tiffany Baskett agrees with the need for spaces where Black bodies are affirmed and accepted, minds are shaped, and souls liberated. The Atlanta-based owner of runs a multidisciplinary studio that鈥檚 only five minutes from where she went to high school. Baskett bridges working in the community with studio ownership.

鈥淚 get the opportunity to share the healing powers of yoga in the place where we feel most comfortable鈥攐ur own backyards,鈥� she says. 鈥淥verall, it鈥檚 worth it to me to help create a ripple for generational healing,鈥� says Baskett.

The Quest for Community

For many teachers from traditionally marginalized backgrounds, sharing yoga strategically within the community is in service to personal and collective liberation.

鈥淏elonging, community, and uplift are exactly why Black Yoga Teachers Alliance Facebook group was established in 2009, and why it was incorporated as a in 2016,鈥� says Dr. Parker. 鈥淎lthough it is documented that Black yoga practitioners in the United States have been around since the early 1920s, we haven鈥檛 always been acknowledged. The Facebook group and organization were formed to create a sense of community in response to Black yoga teachers鈥� feelings of isolation and feeling invisible in the larger yoga community.鈥�

When the question 鈥淲hat is your biggest challenge as a yoga teacher?鈥� was posed in the BYTA Facebook group, the overwhelming response was the feeling of isolation. Baskett asks, 鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 open a studio as a Black woman who cares about Black people, who would?鈥�

Providing for ourselves has historically been a motivating factor to organize and create within the Black community. Yet it could also be a contributing factor to the lower numbers of studio ownership.

The Role of Religion

Culturally, there are still problematic conflations of yoga as religion or as a function of religious dogma that preclude many from practicing yoga.

But is yoga synonymous with hinduism and is hinduism the foundation of yoga?

鈥淵oga predates organized religion,鈥� explains , a yoga educator and Board President of the Accessible Yoga Association. The recontextualizing of yoga鈥檚 expansiveness, a movement being led by South Asian voices, is helpful for Black yoga teachers who are working toward an inclusive lens of sharing the teachings of yoga.

As the American Black聽 community is 76 percent Christian, Black yoga teachers often find themselves as educators about yoga鈥檚 connection to a broader spirituality and philosophy that is inclusive of any religious practice. Arguments and accusations of blasphemy regarding teaching yoga sutras rather than Bible scripture are rife within the Black yoga community. Clarifying yogic studies as philosophical study helps bring spaciousness to a constrictive understanding of yoga.

Rao asserts that the 鈥渞eligious fundamentalism prevalent in yoga spaces should be dismantled.鈥� Her work includes offering critical indigenous insight into the yoga stories and histories that have been obscured by Brahminism, heteronormative patriarchy, and colonization.

Isolation Takes Many Forms

The isolation experienced by people of color in yoga spaces can be seen as parallel to the isolation of the Black population on a larger scale. Historically and statistically, the Black population faces inequitable access to healthcare, education, and land. Because structural racism exists, reduced access to desirable land ownership also exists, thanks to redlining and eminent domain , particularly in wealthier neighborhoods.

A sobering statistic from the 1990 census showed that 78 percent of White people lived in predominantly White neighborhoods. That shifted to 44 percent as of the 2020 consensus (), yet affluence remains largely unchanged. Black Americans represent just 1.7 percent of the population in the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country ().

Studios usually lie within wealthier neighborhoods, with some such as in St. Louis and in South Los Angeles. Because affluence and race are, unfortunately, still tethered, yoga studios and practitioners of color are driven apart.

When Black yoga teachers and practitioners teach at studios, they are largely going outside of their communities鈥攂oth in terms of location and identity鈥攖o practice and teach. At a recent training I attended, a yoga teacher lamented that most yoga teachers of color can鈥檛 afford to live in the areas in which they teach. This creates other problems that call out traditional social positioning of power, such as the potential for yoga teachers being seen as service personnel. It also creates a vacuum of yoga intellect being extracted from one part of the city into another.

Systemic Inequality Plays a Role

Brooklyn-based , a yoga teacher and financial wellness consultant, cites access to capital as a primary barrier to entry for owning a yoga studio. Studio owners have to be willing to not make money for a long while. 鈥淪mall businesses don鈥檛 really make money for the first five years,鈥� explains James. 鈥淣ot everyone can afford not to pay themselves, which is common, because they pay the team first.鈥�

For Black yoga teachers who do endeavor to own studios, lack of generational wealth leads to the necessity to find funding, which introduces other unfortunate statistics. Black business owners are less likely to receive funding from financial institutions, according to the . Of the $215 billion in venture capital raised by companies in 2022, just one percent of those startup dollars was allocated to Black founders, according to .

James states that it is essential that studio owners, like any small business owner, find other sources of revenue to sustain the business. 鈥淥ne has to understand what is the real cost of running the business and how one supports oneself when the revenue isn鈥檛 coming in.鈥� For a community that is already at a disadvantage for access to funding, the quest for financial security could mean finding an alternative method of delivering the teachings.

The Realities of Studio Ownership

The typical studio model is not one to which all aspire, especially when it鈥檚 not necessary to share the practice of yoga.

鈥淚 feel that some of the joy would get mired in the grind of making the rent, paying a staff, etc,鈥� states Ashley Rideaux, a sought-after LA-based teacher trainer for Center for Yoga LA and creator of her own online platform.

鈥淥wning a traditional yoga studio has never been of interest to me,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 love showing up for students, holding space, and teaching. Of course, there is still the business side of things when it comes to running my own online platform, but the overhead isn鈥檛 overwhelming, which means I am able to offer my classes at a rate that is more accessible than the average studio.鈥�

This is hugely important to Rideaux, as yoga has become more and more cost prohibitive throughout the years.

Crystal Wickliffe intentionally shares yoga through offering retreats instead of working at a yoga studio, much less owning one. 鈥淗osting retreats allows me to creatively design how I want to show up in the wellness space and gives me agency over my time,鈥� says the Houston-based certified yoga teacher and creator of .

鈥淚 know better than to never say never鈥ut as yet, I have no desire for the overhead nor trusting the fickle nature of the human condition as a means of serving dharma,鈥� says Hubbard. Working from nearly anywhere allows him to engage meaningfully without needing a large physical space. 鈥淚 personally never saw the business sense in seeking to operate according to the traditional model,鈥� he says.

Although the playing field appears to have been leveled with yoga studios鈥� ability to operate fully online, the new challenge is finding one鈥檚 community in a very crowded space. Without even addressing financing the necessary technology to make for a strong user experience, investing large amounts of money in marketing creates the same inequities as rental space. This may not present a barrier to entry, but rather a barrier to survival.

Collective Care and Personal Liberation Are Not Limited to a Yoga Studio

The incredible amount of labor required to establish and run a studio in the face of financial, cultural, and historical pressures provides context to why so few yoga studios are owned by Black yoga teachers.

Yet, there are those of us doing it because it鈥檚 important and we love it. From my experience, having pivoted to a studio community that is intentionally BIPOC-affirming provides all of the nurturance and belonging that I hoped for, but never truly found, in other places.

Tiffany Baskett concurs. Baskett鈥檚 students have shared that they have somewhere where they can explore alternative ways of being, ask questions and be in observation mode. Baskett stresses how important it is for the Black community to have a place where they can let go, do more, and rest.

鈥淭hey get to walk into a sacred space curated by someone who looks like them and has them in mind,鈥� says Baskett. Seeing oneself in the teacher, studio community, and ownership empowers people who have a shared experience of erasure and isolation. 鈥淚t brings me joy to hear how beneficial having somewhere to feel at peace has been for them.鈥�

While it is an act of profound resilience to bring yoga to a larger community in spite of, and alongside, these issues, what would be better is not to have to be so resilient. A yoga community that practices self study is likely becoming curious about these disparities.

But also, maybe many of us just don鈥檛 want or need to own yoga studios because we don鈥檛 have to. Collective care and personal liberation aren鈥檛 limited to traditional yoga studios. Whether or not yoga takes place in a studio setting, there is hope for more expansive yoga spaces throughout America.

In the meantime, Black yoga teachers and students will continue to find one another in various spaces as we create expansive ways of experiencing our bodies, breath, and being.

About Our Contributor

E-RYT 500, curates yoga experiences and trainings in service of collective healing and community repair. Having begun her yoga journey in 2001 with a home practice, she now holds advanced certifications and training in Trauma-informed Yoga, Somatics, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Nidra. Tamika鈥檚 journey has been informed by chronic pain and injuries, social justice for QTBIPOC communities, the battle between shame and compassion and quest for ancestral healing, and the love for the practice and philosophy of yoga.

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I left Breckenridge on July 3 and headed west without a plan. I鈥檇 crashed the night before with my friend Sorrel, at the mountainside condo she was renting full-time. I was on a seat-of-my-pants road trip around Colorado without a place to sleep on the eve of one of the biggest camping holidays of the year. At a highway rest stop in the early afternoon, I sent a hail-mary DM to a college acquaintance named Emily who lived in Crested Butte to see if she was around and would let me crash.

鈥淐ome through!!鈥� she responded. 鈥淲e can go skiing!鈥�

We鈥檇 seen each other once or twice since graduation, but we were mostly internet friends who both loved nerding out on skiing, social justice, and reading. Two hours later, I pulled up in front of her house. Emily outfitted me with a cutoff Canadian tuxedo and we set off for Paradise Divide. We bootpacked up a 300-vertical-foot snowfield and made the most of what remained of winter鈥檚 snowpack. I laughed to myself as slush hit my bare legs with each turn, marveling at how much less interesting my day would have been if I鈥檇 just tried to find a dispersed spot to sleep on my own.

I took off for my cousin Julie鈥檚 house in Salt Lake City, Utah, the next day, exhilarated by connecting the dots across the West鈥攚ithout dropping a penny on lodging. I鈥檇 started to travel this way in my early twenties, plotting destinations based on where I had someone to crash with for free.

It鈥檚 a natural dirtbag urge to eliminate the cost of lodging from travel. To drive your truck down a Forest Service road and sleep in the back, to nestle under a throw blanket on your friend鈥檚 couch, to lay your sleeping pad in the dirt on BLM land. In the U.S, a small Air BnB for two adults typically costs $125, according to . On average, a hotel room will run you about , so staying for free can save up to $1000 for a weeklong trip. It can also put an otherwise financially out-of-reach tourist destination on the table. Lindsay, a renewable energy policy director friend of mine based in Rockport, Maine, admits that visiting Tahoe during peak ski season was only possible for her and her family because they house-sat for a friend who was away.

I worked in outdoor education leading trips for four summers, which meant I ended up with connections in exactly the type of places I wanted to go: a friend in Gunnison, Colorado, to crash with when it was a powder day, a place to stay in Jackson, Wyoming, when it was primetime to see wildflowers and float the Snake, folks to visit in Bend, Oregon, when it came time to recertify my Wilderness First Responder and ride bikes.

The savings on lodging are just the beginning. On previous visits to Crested Butte, a friend got me buddy passes at the resort and free slices during his shifts at the pizza place in town. When I crashed on my friend Eddie鈥檚 couch in Jackson Hole, he punched out my touring boots for free during one of his shifts at the shop. The rich get richer, as they say.

Saving money isn鈥檛 the only benefit of traveling this way. Crashing with friends may be a frugal way to travel, but having a network of people to stay with is indicative of social wealth. Being connected to folks in expensive mountain towns聽 can open up the list of accessible destinations, and in turn, grow the network even more. I reconnected with Emily in Crested Butte while visiting my friend Colt who lived there, and when he moved away, I still had a place to crash.

More importantly, when I鈥檓 staying with locals, I get to tap into the heart of each place in a way I wouldn鈥檛 if I came on my own鈥攆ollowing friends around the mountain and finding hidden stashes, tagging along to house parties, learning which pullouts along the river have fewer crowds.

For those without an established network of friends in mountain towns, there is , a service that connects budget travelers to a global community of 鈥渇riends they haven鈥檛 met yet,鈥澛� according to their website. When I was traveling in Argentina in 2013 with my college roommate, we met an American on an overnight bus who put us in touch with two couch surfing hosts in Bariloche鈥搘here she had just left and where we were headed. A few days later, we huffed it up a winding dirt road to meet Juli谩n and Alejandra, who not only let us blow up our sleeping pads on their tile floor, but cooked and played music with us, showed us around the city, and gave us priceless insider trail recommendations. We were supposed to stay for two days, but four days later, we were still there, soaking it all in.

In my mid-twenties, I lived alone in a three-bedroom house on the side of North Table Mountain that had absurdly low rent in Golden, Colorado. It was a thrill to be able to open my doors to others like they鈥檇 opened theirs to me. I鈥檇 pile friends in sleeping bags on the living room floor after karaoke nights at the dive bar in town, or unfold the futon in the gear room for visitors passing through to ski.

It was big enough that friends began offering it to their friends. My friend Emma was living in a tiny studio and had a friend visiting for a few days to take the Single Pitch Instructor course required to be a rock guide鈥揷ould she possibly stay with me instead?

I鈥檇 only met Betsy once, but it seemed like a no-brainer. This had something to do with having the space, and something to do with the way I wanted to be in the world. I wanted to be open to experiences and people and the ways we can mutually support each other. I wanted to leave room for magic.

Over the next few days, Betsy slept on the futon in my gear room, we split meals, and got to connect one-on-one in a way we wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise. Extended time in a shared space leads to a depth of conversation that just doesn鈥檛 happen grabbing a beer at a brewery or on a bike ride. She passed her course, hugged me goodbye, and headed back to Jackson. Betsy wasn’t just Emma鈥檚 friend now, she was my friend, too.

A while later, my college roommate Natalie called me and asked if her new boyfriend could crash with me on his way back to Temple University, where they were both in med school. I hadn鈥檛 met Mark, and had just gone through a breakup. I didn’t exactly feel like making conversation with a stranger.

When he pulled up, I summoned everything inside me to get to know someone who mattered to someone who mattered to me. We hung out on my back deck, drank beers, and chatted and laughed for hours鈥攊t turned out that having a favorite person in common made it easy for us to get along.

I went to bed that night reminded that I could still laugh, that there were still good people in the world, and that there might be joy and experiences I couldn鈥檛 possibly predict ahead.

When you live with your arms open to others, you never know when the karma might come back your way. Four years after Betsy slept on my futon, she became an editor at Backcountry Magazine. I got a text from her out of the blue saying, 鈥淧itch me some ideas! We鈥檇 love to publish your writing.鈥�

Five years after Mark stayed with me in Golden, he married Natalie. When I fell trail running and tore my shin open, I FaceTimed Mark, now an ER doctor, from the parking lot to see if he thought I needed stitches.

Crashing with friends turns hard goodbyes with people you love into a glorious network of landing pads all over the world. It converts people you鈥檝e never met into people you鈥檝e shared coffee and conversation with. It turns the mountain towns of the world into accessible and affordable destinations. It is personal and intimate in a way that hotels and Airbnbs and sleeping alone in your truck are not.

This form of travel may seem best suited to unattached dirtbags in their twenties, but it doesn鈥檛 have to be confined to that demographic. If you鈥檙e down to get creative with sleep solutions, you can keep your arms open to visitors and your mind open to visiting others. My 65-year-old dad parked his camper in our driveway when he came through Truckee, California, on a ski trip. I slept in Lindsay鈥檚 ancient van in her driveway when she was living in a one-bedroom apartment in Boulder with her husband and two-year-old. I stayed with Natatlie鈥檚 parents after my lodging fell through for her wedding, feeling like the fifth Taylor sister by the end of the weekend. We might all pass through moments of life where it鈥檚 easier for us to host or be hosted for a variety of reasons. I invite you all to join the church of You Can Always Crash on My Couch, where the belief in karma is strong, and the latchstring is always out.

A year ago, my partner, Andy, and I moved to Anchorage, Alaska. In some ways, it would fundamentally change the way we traveled鈥搉o longer would we spontaneously crash with folks on a multi-state road trip or have folks crash with us passing through to other destinations in the West. But in Anchorage we鈥檇 finally upgraded to a guest room with a real bed and a door that closed. The pain of leaving our communities in the West was eased by the knowledge that we鈥檇 be able to host people on their way to the Alaska Range, that we could lure visitors in with backcountry skiing and wild-picked berry pancakes and conversation around the breakfast table. And we鈥檇 always be able to go back to the lower 48, to our twinkling constellation of landing pads all over the country.

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I. Two Sides of a Single-Edged Blade

Franklin Park, Illinois, December 25, 2021

The sword was suspended in the basement rafters with a message from 1945 still secured to its fittings. My grandfather and I were sitting one floor above it at his kitchen table when an email arrived. It was 9:17 A.M. on Christmas Day in 2021, the Chicago weather too mild, the ground too much of a defeated brown, and the gathering too small to suggest that anything festive was about to happen. A notification lit up my phone with the subject line 鈥淢erry Christmas and a letter from Umeki-san.鈥�

The timing was convenient. I was visiting for the holidays, staying at my mother鈥檚 childhood home in Franklin Park, ten miles west of Chicago. My parents were there, too. My grandfather, Joseph Kasser, who goes by Ben or Benny, built the home in 1957 for a family of four that eventually dwindled to one. My mom, Kathy, was the first to go, leaving for college in 1971; my grandma Alice died in 2008; my uncle Bob died in 2010. They left Benny alone on Louis Street with a lifetime of modest possessions. Among them was a Japanese sword he鈥檇 found on an Okinawa beach in the final days of World War II.

It was six months after I first asked Benny if he鈥檇 be interested in finding the sword鈥檚 owner. I don鈥檛 remember what I said to start the conversation. I do remember that I was nervous asking a man who doesn鈥檛 own much to part ways with a keepsake he鈥檇 found during perhaps the most consequential time of his life as an antiaircraft gunner in the U.S. Army. He didn鈥檛 hesitate. He said, 鈥淪ure.鈥�

It was one of those inspired 鈥渟ure鈥漵 that really mean 鈥渁bsolutely,鈥� a posture-correcting 鈥渟ure,鈥� an energy-intoned 鈥渟ure,鈥� not 鈥淚 suppose鈥� or 鈥渋f you want.鈥� A momentous syllable that set something off. It was apparently something he had considered.

Now, on Christmas Day, I didn鈥檛 know if the email that had arrived contained good news about our quest. I read it silently while sitting at the kitchen table, where I had heard one side of the story for more than three decades.

The post My Quest to Find the Owner of a Mysterious WWII Japanese Sword appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Earlier this fall, GQ鈥檚 Global Style Director, Noah Johnson, wrote an obituary for gorpcore: 鈥淸gorpcore] as a trend鈥� is dead. Let it be known.鈥� For the uninitiated, 鈥済orpcore鈥� uses an acronym for trail mix (鈥済ood old raisins and peanuts,鈥� although that meaning is ) to describe a聽style that involves wearing outdoorsy clothes as streetwear.聽The term, which has its origins in 鈥渘ormcore,鈥� was coined by former New York Magazine writer Jason Chen in 2017.

Here鈥檚 the thing, though, if gorpcore is dead, why is Prada selling (that look a lot like regular ol鈥� Carhartts)? Why are outlets like the聽New York Post still breathlessly ? Why did a collaboration between break the internet for a day? Why did the iconic ski brand Salomon set up a aimed at courting a new, high-fashion consumer base?

In reality, the title of the GQ piece, “,” is a bit deceptive. When Johnson eulogizes gorpcore, he doesn鈥檛 mean that you won鈥檛 be seeing men and women from Brooklyn to the Harper鈥檚 Ferry headquarters of the Appalachian Trail in the North Face, Marmot, Salomon, and Patagonia. Instead, he argues that the style has become so ubiquitous it shouldn鈥檛 be considered a new trend anymore.

So where do $1,000 fleeces fit in?

To make sense of some of 2024鈥檚 most outlandish high-end outdoor wear, I talked to , the internet鈥檚 foremost men鈥檚 fashion historian, who helped me put the year’s key pieces into a broader context.

The Prada Barn Coat, a Cool $4,900

First up: Prada鈥檚 canvas barn coat, which the fashion blog In the Groove named The coat, which apparently became the , looks like something Kevin Costner鈥檚 Yellowstone character might wear while taking a rideabout on the family ranch. That, plus the Prada triangle logo. Its price is listed at $4,900. (There鈥檚 also a cropped version, which sells for $3,700.) The Prada site describes it as 鈥渂orrowed from menswear鈥� and 鈥渆nhanced with a distressed effect.鈥�

鈥淒istressed effect鈥� really stayed with me. Isn鈥檛 there something a little ironic about a $4,900 pre-worn-out jacket that is trying to mimic the type of coat that someone would actually distress over time while wearing聽it, typically at work? I grew up in a small West Virginia town in the late nineties and early aughts. The men I knew wearing barn coats (Carhartts, specifically) definitely didn鈥檛 purchase them pre-distressed, and they certainly would have something to say about anyone who did.

But, according to Guy, something like the Prada canvas coat can really be seen as a celebration of the values associated with its original uses. From his point of view, all fashion choices are the result of the cultural values of the period from which they emerge.

Think about it: What other pop culture or trends might suggest that Western-adjacent, work-worn clothing would be having a moment right now that signals that culture is interested? Yellowstone is a great example. So are the insanely popular videos. Even in recent years. And what are the cultural values associated with ranching? Hard work, fortitude, honesty, independence, self reliance, connection to the land, and traditional masculinity are a few that come to mind. These values are also tied deeply to at least one version of the general American ethos.

Guy says that when different groups become culturally respected and reflect societal values, their style choices鈥攅ven if they鈥檙e initially made for technical functionality鈥攅nd up influencing the broader population. Consider the fact that Marmot, Patagonia, and the North Face all have their own version of the canvas barn coat. (I love my Marmot prairie jacket that I bought a few years ago, and the only time I鈥檝e been on the prairie is when I drove through it.) And it鈥檚 likely that none of those more traditional outdoor brands started with a vision of creating aesthetic rancher-style workwear coats. They likely also didn鈥檛 have a core customer base of ranchers and farmers looking to upgrade their jackets. The brands created these garments to meet emerging consumer taste.

Still, does close to $5,000 for a pre-distressed coat make any sense? 鈥淭he reason we celebrate these things, but then also create absurdly expensive versions is because鈥� individuals also seek status,鈥� says Guy.

When there are enough versions of a beloved item to meet various individuals鈥� price points, one way to separate yourself from the rabble is to buy the really, really expensive one.

So ranching-farming-barn culture is having a moment. People are motivated to show status. I鈥檓 still good with my dad鈥檚 vintage Carhartt from the eighties, though.

$1,000 Fleeces

If people generally aspire to the life and values that go with the barn coat aesthetic鈥攕o much so that we鈥檙e now seeing super expensive luxury versions of the staple鈥攈ow do thousand-dollar fleeces, like the ones , fit in?

The answer is pretty simple. The values associated with outdoorsy lifestyles are also aspirational for many, even if they don鈥檛 have imminent plans for a long thru-hike in their . And what are those values? Hopefully they鈥檙e familiar to anyone who considers themselves an outdoors lover: adventurousness, self discovery, environmental stewardship, physical prowess, community, self sufficiency, and technical expertise to name a few. These values, plus the promises of escape and leisure that a trip to the wilderness can provide, roll up into gorpcore style choices. Add in the basic human desire to flex status, and it makes sense why you would聽end up with inaccessibly expensive all-wool fleece pullovers.

Hasn鈥檛 Outdoor Gear Always Been About Status?

My dad is a consummate outdoorsman. When I was young, he hiked and hunted. He taught me to identify North American trees and walk quietly through the woods. I have vivid memories of watching him and my uncles process a buck that they鈥檇 killed up a snowy run in West Virginia and then lugged back over the miles to a humble camp that served as their base. And they did all of it in Coleman gear.

It wasn鈥檛 until I went to college at an elite Southern university that Patagonia Synchillas entered my consciousness as a marker of status. The kids in the right sororities and fraternities all knew that you paired your Synchilla with Chubbies and artfully worn out Sperries. Those of us who didn鈥檛 come from quite the same backgrounds had to quickly make sense of the way core outdoor gear fit into the social hierarchy. I bought my first Patagonia fleece (not quite a Synchilla but close enough) at a steep discount as part of a bulk order my cross-country team made. I felt myself relax as I settled into its cozy heft on campus. Now, I think I own upwards of a dozen Patagonia, Marmot, North Face, and Cotopaxi fleeces and jackets. When I had the chance to signal my values and status, I seized it in the way Guy helped me understand.

Does that mean I鈥檓 going to start spending a grand on Austrian-made fleeces anytime soon? I鈥檇 like to say no, that鈥檚 a bridge too far, but consumer desire can be a funny thing. Even my own is a little bit unscrutable.

The post How the Outdoors Became the Ultimate Status Symbol appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

My older daughter, Nina鈥檚, birthday means it is time for Mount Rainier. Every June, my husband and I make a pilgrimage to Mount Rainier with our two daughters to admire the massive volcano, hike up the snowfields, and earn some early summer ski turns. Our trips began with toddlers and sledding near the parking lot, then progressed to little kids happily hiking fueled by special treats with parents lugging kid skis and boots in big, heavy backpacks. As the kids grew bigger and stronger, they started carrying their own gear, and we鈥檝e been able to climb a bit higher, gaining a few extra sunny turns. The year Nina turned 16, she was bound and determined to reach a new high point of base camp, Camp Muir, by skinning up on her own skis.

We planned months in advance. Our scheduled Rainier date approached and miserable white-out blizzard conditions prompted us to make a rational decision. No Rainier for the birthday weekend. We would wait.

When a sunny window opened up a couple of weeks later, we pulled Nina out of school for a day and headed south. My husband, Hans, had a work project he couldn鈥檛 break free from, so we enlisted our friend Anna, a fellow emergency room doc and skilled mountaineer, to join us. Anna was fresh off a month living and working on Denali as part of a high altitude mountain rescue crew, and Nina was a strong teenager fresh off the tail end of a full spring of 2.5-hour daily rowing workouts.

And me? Well, I was taking an oral chemotherapy medication for my metastatic breast cancer, my third line of treatment in the four years since I鈥檇 been diagnosed with an incurable disease. Translation: I was feeling fatigued and mildly queasy but enthusiastic by nature and powered by optimism.

We started skinning up, chatting along the way, gaining elevation, and passing by tourists in running shoes slipping around on the snow near the parking lot at Paradise. My decades-old backcountry boots and skis felt inordinately heavy beneath me, and I wondered why I hadn鈥檛 yet sprung for a long-overdue upgrade to modern, light backcountry gear. On steeper sections, I silently rued my over-practical frugality, laughing at myself when I acknowledged that cancer treatment might also be making this a bit harder than usual. Easier to blame it on the gear.

As we ascended I started feeling some nausea, and the steps became more difficult. My body wanted to rest, but I was also determined to help Nina reach her goal. We hit a viewpoint and assessed our timing. Feeling my heart pumping, I told Anna and Nina that I needed to just lay on a sunny rock for about 20 minutes, and that they should keep going ahead. They both told me they were sure I could make it. I told them I thought so too, but that I needed to just sit and I wanted them to get Nina up there. After a bit more back-and-forth and some hugs, they clicked back into their skis and headed uphill together.

Asking for a rest is not in my nature. I鈥檝e always pushed, knowing that it鈥檚 worth the effort, reveling in the feeling of accomplishment when I鈥檝e endured to make it to a peak, a mountain lake, a new destination. My husband and I have an agreement that if we are ever debating doing some outdoor activity, it鈥檚 99 percent of the time better to say yes and just go. It鈥檚 a yes-person approach, one that has filled my life with many wonders. Asking to stay on the sunny rock was a different me. Remarkably, it felt pretty amazing.

I put my feet up on the sun-warmed rock, laughed at a fat marmot galumphing across the snowfield below me, chittered back at a bold chipmunk who came by asking for a treat, and said yes to what my body was asking me at the moment. I drank water, ate a handful of gummy bears and a cheese stick, and let myself rest as I gazed out on a field of volcanoes outlining the southward heading fault through the mountain ranges in the distance. My nausea cleared and my heartbeat slowed to a comfortable rate.

After a while I peeked upwards, happy to see the progress Nina and Anna were making. And suddenly I felt ready to go again. I clicked back into my skis and thought, 鈥淭hey said I could do it. I know I can do this.鈥�

I started up the snowfield, 8,000 feet higher in elevation than where we woke up that morning in our Seattle home. My heart was pounding. I started counting steps. At 100, I let myself rest, look around, and wait for my heart to calm down. When I started up again, I looked down at my ski tracks, focusing on my boots and skis as they slid slowly upward, counting in my head. Sometimes I got to 100 and felt strong, so I kept going for another 100 steps, stopping at 200 instead. Keeping my head down while ascending meant I got to surprise myself each time I looked up, excited to see progress 100 steady steps at a time.

I got into a rhythm, and just as base camp came into sight, Anna and Nina reappeared. We did it! I loved finding a compromise between the rest I needed and pushing just enough to reach a goal. Nina鈥檚 ear-to-ear grin and the soft spring-skiing turns that led us back to our car were worth it.

Cancer treatment has a rhythm like my 100 steps. There have been times when the best I can do is to put my head down and count the 100 steps between treatments, like with early chemotherapy. There have been other times where the steps have been easier, 100, 200, 300, and more without rest, like with 2.5 years of stability on my first targeted anti-cancer medication. My latest treatments have a rapid cycle of visits and scans, with scans every six weeks to see if the treatment is working or not. Unlike hiking up Mount Rainier, however, the steps are leading in a more uncertain direction.

What is certain to me is that each batch of 100 steps is worth it, for the beauty, the journey, and the time outdoors with the people I love. And though my journey up Mount Rainier now is markedly different than it was before my diagnosis, every step is a precious yes.

The post Skinning Up Mount Rainier with Breast Cancer Forced Me to Take the Journey One Step at a Time appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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JJ Harrison is the only person at a rodeo who is supposed to get hit by the bulls. As the clown, he鈥檚 responsible for everyone鈥檚 safety. The crowd loves him. It鈥檚 a good life鈥攅ven if it hurts a little. Then over the summer, with JJ in the ring, a bull named Party Bus jumped the fence at the rodeo in Sisters, Oregon. Five people were injured, and it seemed like the kind of thing that might end the small-town event. Alex Ward reports on the ups and downs of the modern clown.

The post A Bull Named Party Bus and the Rodeo Clown Showdown appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

1. BSW Wealth Partners

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 31
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start, up to 27 days after 10 years

Perks: Paid volunteer days, work from home and hybrid work schedules, home-office/workstation stipend, early Fridays for weekend adventures, annual ski trips, paid sabbatical after a decade, summer and winter fun days, custom branded gear, dinner and babysitter stipend to celebrate work anniversary, matching 401k, paid parental leave, kids鈥� first day of school off, plus a fully stocked breakroom, Thursday catered lunches, craft beer and unlimited seltzer, and an office located near local mountain trails

What makes it great: 鈥淲e prioritize work-life balance and flexibility, allowing our team members the freedom to work independently while fostering trust and accountability. Meaningful work is at the heart of what we do. We solve impactful problems, genuinely help people, and continuously evolve to make life better for our clients. Additionally, our vibrant culture of fun and connectivity sets us apart. We believe that a workplace should inspire, support, and uplift its employees, and at BSW Wealth, we do just that.鈥�

2. Workshop Digital

Location: Richmond, Virginia
Focus:
Number of Employees: 28
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 12 days of PTO

Perks: A four-day work week, your birthday off, fully remote work, hybrid work option if located near Richmond headquarters, quarterly team recreation events, and two company-wide annual offsite events

What makes it great: 鈥淎t Workshop, we’re all about staying connected in our remote/hybrid world, finding creative ways to build relationships from virtual coffee dates to in-person pickleball meetups and company-wide retreats. We celebrate each other’s lives through active Slack channels, sharing everything from travel stories to pet pics. We’re passionate about our work, and we’re just as passionate about getting outside鈥攈iking, running, cycling, or training for marathons and triathlons.鈥�

3. Landmark Consultants, Inc.

Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 18
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start, up to 30 days of PTO

Perks: Full coverage of health insurance costs for employees and their dependents, a physical health benefit equivalent to a full Ikon ski pass, flexible, hybrid work schedules to encourage outdoor activities, team sponsorship for the STARS Mountain Challenge fundraiser, an annual summer camping trip, and a company ski day

What makes it great: 鈥淟andmark offers professional careers with excellent benefits in the heart of Ski Town U.S.A. Our office is just 1,000 feet from Howelsen Hill Ski Area and its summer trail network, half a mile from the Spring Creek Trailhead, which connects to the Continental Divide, and only three miles from the Steamboat Springs Ski Resort. We believe that a flexible schedule to enjoy powder days, sunshine, and fresh air are vital for a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle, which in turn allows us to consistently deliver high-quality work for our clients.鈥�

4. Tilting Futures

Location: San Francisco, California
Focus:
Number of Employees: 20
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: A $750 annual stipend for professional and personal development courses, an international trip to one of the company鈥檚 program countries after two years, and a month-long paid sabbatical after three years

What makes it great: 鈥淥urs is a culture where authenticity triumphs and self-care prevails. We invest in our people personally and professionally with the tools, flexibility, and support to thrive. As a team, we bring our full human selves to the work and have a lot of fun in the process.鈥�

5. GFM|CenterTable

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 35
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO after one year

Perks: Flexible schedules, an on-site meditation room, quarterly mental health days to unplug, a monthly 鈥淗appiness Allowance鈥� to pursue personal passions, paid volunteer time, a vacation day for the Colorado Rockies home opener, an annual Groundhog Day party, and a paid sabbatical every five years

What makes it great: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 just talk about work-life blend鈥攚e live it with flexible schedules, meaningful benefits, and a deep commitment to community impact. From sabbaticals every five years to volunteer days, Beverage Club celebrations, and onsite yoga, we create space for growth, connection and laughter. Our shared passion for making a positive impact fuels not only our work but the meaningful relationships we build with each other and our clients.”

6. WorkBright

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 45
Average Salary: $100,000
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Work from anywhere, health benefits, an annual professional development plan supported by a company stipend, an annual personal development grant for one employee, monthly wellness challenges, two offsite company trips per year, rewards like AirPod Pros or $100 to take your family out to eat for important revenue milestones

What makes it great: 鈥淎s a B-Corp, we consider people and culture part of our bottom line and invest time and dollars accordingly. We incorporate our core values into hiring, recognition, and performance management. We invest in the heart, head, and briefcase of our managers with annual upskilling trainings to ensure that managers have the tools to support their teams both as people and as coworkers.鈥�

7. Gunpowder Inc.

Location: Delafield, Wisconsin
Focus:
Number of Employees: 24
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Remote work opportunities and flexible schedules, comprehensive health benefits and 401(k) match, an annual team summit, professional development opportunities, company-paid cell phone and internet, paid parental leave, a dog-friendly office, holiday and anniversary gifts, winter break between Christmas and New Years Day, and annual performance bonuses

What makes it great: 鈥淕unpowder encourages and enables its team to enjoy their interests, whether those be fishing, hunting, camping, or other activities, while working on meaningful projects for leading outdoor brands in the categories they鈥檙e passionate about. With a focus on authentic storytelling and impactful media strategies, Gunpowder empowers its employees to thrive in a creative, purpose-driven environment, helping brands connect with people on a deeper level.鈥�

8. Global Glimpse

Location: Fully Remote/Oakland, California
Focus:
Number of Employees: 19
Average Salary: $94,000
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: An annual international team retreat, bi-weekly half-day 鈥淲ellness Fridays,鈥� 100-percent employer-paid healthcare, fully remote work, 12 weeks parental leave for all employees, a 鈥淲orkiversary鈥� Milestone Program that includes flight vouchers, swag, and sabbaticals, plus a week off for winter holiday and another for summer holiday

What makes it great: 鈥淎t Global Glimpse, we combine passion with joy, hard work with play, and growth with gratitude. We are redefining what it means to be a great place to work through a deep commitment to both our mission and the people who make that mission possible. Global Glimpse is a culture-centered organization that seeks to foster an inclusive workplace that enables our diverse team to be connected, feel supported, and thrive.”

9. TDA_Boulder

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 28
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: An annual fitness stipend for sports-related expenses, year-round half-day Fridays, 100-percent health care coverage, employee milestone anniversaries with a travel stipend, $1,000 donation to an employee-chosen charity for every fourteener ascent, and an annual outdoor company adventure

What makes it great: 鈥淲e feel incredibly lucky to be building a vibrant work culture that makes it possible for our people to enjoy what they do. Our Boulder location and proximity to the outdoors has always contributed to a happy workplace, but as more of our people work remote, this recognition means that much more.鈥�

10. C1S Group, Inc.

Location: Dallas, Texas
Focus:
Number of Employees: 53
Average Salary: $119,460
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO, plus one day for each year with the company

Perks: Flexible work-from-home policy, catered lunch one day a week, breakfast tacos every Friday, regular happy hours, kickball, Top-Golf, and running teams, and a stocked beer fridge

What makes it great: 鈥淐1S understands that rewarding work is just one part of a rewarding life. We fiercely protect personal time spent doing all the other things that make life great, like travel, coaching a soccer team, volunteering, or checking things off your bucket list. You shouldn鈥檛 wait for retirement to start living life to the fullest.鈥�

11. Western Environmental Law Center

Location: Eugene, Oregon
Focus:
Number of Employees: 28
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 20 days PTO and a three-month sabbatical after five years

Perks: Flex Fridays, 100-percent employer-paid health care, $100 monthly office stipend for remote workers, dog-friendly offices, a three-month sabbatical after five years, and two annual retreats鈥攐ne on Oregon鈥檚 coast, and one near Yellowstone in Montana

What makes it great: 鈥淲ELC is a powerhouse of environmental advocacy, and each staff member is a high-performing luminary in their own way. We challenge one another, help one another, and camaraderie is through the roof in part because we鈥檙e all rowing hard in the same direction鈥攖o protect the places, communities, and creatures we love in the Western U.S.鈥�

12. GetUWired

Location: Dahlonega, Georgia
Focus:
Number of Employees: 37
Average Salary: $58,000
Vacation Time: 10 days of PTO to start, 15 days of PTO after two years, and unlimited PTO after three years

Perks: A variety of personal and professional growth training opportunities, weekly guided meditations, anniversary and additional appreciation gifts, paid parental leave, flexible scheduling, 401(k) matching, and quarterly team building events that regularly take place outdoors (lake days, tubing, low ropes courses)

What makes it great: 鈥淲e鈥檙e 100-percent remote, but we still try to make sure to create those watercooler-type moments in a virtual setting so that we don鈥檛 lose that personal touch with one another. Our company鈥檚 mission, purpose, and core values are key to who we are, how we make decisions every day, and how we grow as a company. We’re passionate about helping small businesses succeed.鈥�

13. Cheley Colorado Camps

Location: Estes Park and Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 15 year-round/210 seasonal
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO for year-round staff

Perks: Employer-paid healthcare, a generous retirement plan and profit sharing, flexible work hours during the off season, paid training for industry conferences, pro-deal access to many outdoor companies, paid volunteer hours, and company-supplied housing for some staff

What makes it great: 鈥淲orking for a youth-development organization that is committed to building character and resiliency in a challenging and nurturing natural environment makes it rewarding to show up every day. Spending your days in the Colorado Rockies around amazing people is also a plus. It is also amazing to work for a fourth-generation family business where our average year-round employee has worked here for over 13 years.鈥�

14. Cocona Labs

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 19
Average salary: Unspecified
Vacation time: 10 days of PTO to start, up to 20 days of PTO

Perks: Flexible work schedule, support of volunteer work, and great benefits

What makes it great: 鈥淐ocona Labs supports a dynamic, engaging, and exciting culture with team members across the world. We foster an atmosphere of trust and collaboration, where employees feel valued and heard. The company prioritizes professional growth, offers flexibility, and promotes a healthy work-life balance, creating an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to shared goals.鈥�

15. Tenacious Holdings, Inc. (Ergodyne)

Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Focus:
Number of Employees: 85
Average salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Flexible PTO

Perks: Half-day Fridays in the summer, team 5K runs, a fully equipped gym with a Peloton machine, weekly workout classes, two work-from-home days per week, and an employee wellness program

What makes it great: 鈥淲e are a high-performing, passionate bunch who take the work we do and our results seriously. We like to say: Come for the cause; stay for the people. Most folks who dig our vibe are passionate about helping workers and making a difference.鈥�

16. Inntopia

Location: Stowe, Vermont
Focus:
Number of Employees: 72
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start

Perks: Flexible work arrangements, random days off throughout the year, professional development program, employee service awards, lodging and activity comps at North American resorts, company-sponsored events and competitions, paid volunteer hours, medical, dental, vision and pet insurance, employee assistance program, and wellness reimbursements

What makes it great: 鈥淪omehow Inntopia always finds good people. And when you have passionate, innovative, and hard-working people, it’s a recipe for success. When a company knows the work gets done, and it gets done well, it’s easy to offer flexible schedules, encourage community involvement, and support life outside of the office.鈥�

17. Creative Alignments

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 18
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start

Perks: Flexible work schedule, an annual retreat, virtual and in-person events throughout the year, versatile health coverage options that are 75 percent employer-paid, reproductive healthcare, employer-sponsored long-term disability, employer 401(k) match, and access to a free financial advisor

What makes it great: 鈥淲e believe that work should be additive in people’s lives and that happiness created through work makes the world a better place. Our reason for being is to create a great workplace and to help scaling companies that have a similar commitment hire great employees, creating a cycle of good that inspires a sense of purpose, belonging and positivity in people’s lives.鈥�

18. CampMinder

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Number of Employees: 83
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: On-site retreats with yoga, cooking classes, escape rooms, and a hike with goats, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, employer-funded wellness savings accounts, employee resource groups, and flexible work-from-anywhere options

What makes it great: 鈥淚f you were to ask any Minder what makes this company great, their answer would include some variation of 鈥榯he smart, caring, authentic, fun people I get to work with.鈥� Many of our team members are former camp counselors or directors. Their camp experience enables them to empathize with our clients and bring the spirit of camp into the workplace. Employee engagement is the company鈥檚 top priority, and we regularly review employee feedback and implement changes based on team members鈥� input.鈥�

19. Turner

Location: Denver, Colorado, with offices in New York, Chicago, and Miami
Focus:
Number of Employees: 55
Average Salary: $114,200
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Paid volunteer days, a free ClassPass membership for all full-time associates, flexible and hybrid work schedules, early Fridays for weekend adventures, discounts on client apparel, gear, and hotels, dog-friendly offices, mental health speakers, zen rooms, and Calm App subscriptions paid for by the company, stocked wine fridges and a local brew kegerator, a “recess” committee that organizes games, happy hours, and outings, a professional development program, and a committee that leads engaging activities

What makes it great: 鈥淲e consider ourselves incredibly lucky to make lifelong memories on an epic scale and call it work鈥攕unrise hot balloon rides over Albuquerque, New Mexico, wear-testing experiences for our brands that take us to summit views in Colorado, rock climbing gyms in Midtown Manhattan, New York, being on-set for Top Chef in Wisconsin, taking over an entire Texas resort to disconnect with Airstream. And that鈥檚 just the last six months.鈥�

20. 国产吃瓜黑料Smith Explorations

Location: Truckee, California
Focus:
Number of Employees: 16
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Up to 26 days of PTO

Perks: Remote/hybrid/flexible work environment, near-annual, all-expenses-paid trips on company expedition cruises and wilderness adventures, 100-percent employer-paid healthcare, 401(k) matching, discounted personal travel, a powder day clause, gear discounts, team events, and a dog-friendly office located in the heart of an outdoor adventure mecca

What makes it great: 鈥淧assport stamps to far-flung destinations鈥攃heck! A team that feels like family鈥攃heck! How lucky we are to transform our shared love for outdoor adventure into such an inspiring workplace. It鈥檚 thrilling to craft (and experience) trips of a lifetime, and we revel in the excitement of our clients鈥� and colleagues鈥� travel stories and new experiences鈥攚hether it鈥檚 hiking near glaciers in Alaska, kayaking among icebergs in Antarctica, or snorkeling with penguins in the Gal谩pagos. I couldn鈥檛 imagine a better group of passionate and knowledgeable individuals to surround myself with鈥攂oth at work and beyond.鈥�

21. Evotek

Location: Solana Beach, California
Focus:
Number of Employees: 202
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Flexible work location, premium employee medical, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) with employer match, and an annual company overnight retreat to destinations like Napa Valley, Austin, or a private yacht in Miami

What makes it great: 鈥淭he Evotek team is comprised of people with unique backgrounds and experiences who are always happy to give a helping hand. We are not only given the opportunity to learn but are encouraged to expand our knowledge and expertise through continual learning. Our many events allow us to make solid connections with each other as well as with our valued partners and customers.鈥�

22. Obviouslee

Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Focus:
Number of Employees: 26
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO, with a minimum of 15 days per year

Perks: End-of-year weekly closure, paid volunteer days, an annual wellness day, flexible working arrangements, yearly anniversary gifts for team members, a yearly company retreat, year-round early Fridays to get a head start on the weekend, a dog-friendly office, and access to outdoor gear and discounts

What makes it great: 鈥淥bviouslee truly values its employees’ well-being and fosters a strong work-life balance, enabling them to pursue their passions, especially in the outdoors. As a certified B Corp, Obviouslee demonstrates its commitment to social and environmental responsibility, which resonates with employees who care about making a positive impact. The company offers great benefits, all while working with purpose-driven brands that value sustainability and protecting the environment. This creates a positive and fulfilling work experience for employees who love marketing and the outdoors.鈥�

23. Geocaching HQ

Location: Seattle, Washington
Focus:
Number of Employees: 90
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start, up to 25 days of PTO

Perks: Comprehensive health benefits, 401(k) matching, free geocaching premium membership (including an extra buddy membership), time to geocache, free gear to rent on-site for adventures, unlimited free lift tickets anywhere in the world, reimbursements toward outdoor activities, a lunch subsidy, learning and development budgets, monthly social events, a sabbatical every seven years, and a special geocaching travel award every ten years

What makes it great: 鈥淎t Geocaching HQ, kindness and community are at the heart of everything we do. Our leadership genuinely cares about the team, the exciting game of geocaching that brings people together, and the vibrant community who plays it. Whether we’re collaborating on projects or heading outside for a geocaching adventure, we thrive on connection and shared passion.鈥�

24. Fortnight Collective

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Number of employees: 21
Average salary: Unspecified
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Winter Fridays off, professional development stipend to attend training and/or professional conferences, wellness benefit stipend to use toward personal passion or travel, an annual mountain resort retreat, and 14 weeks of paid family leave

What makes it great: 鈥淔ortnight Collective intentionally ensures all employees enjoy the perks of living in Colorado, like getting outside. That is why, from day one, we implemented Winter Fridays. It is designed to get people out and about to take advantage of whatever passion suits them. In addition to our annual mountain resort retreat at resorts like Keystone or Steamboat, we also kicked off our Boulder Beach Day (at a lake). Our office is in the heart of downtown Boulder, with a bustling town to the north and the famous Flatirons to the west. Lunchtime hikes are not out of the question.鈥�

25. Shine United

Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Focus:
Number of Employees: 45
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 10 days of PTO to start, up to 20 days of PTO

Perks: Full healthcare and dental benefits, summer Fridays, weekly company-wide gatherings, outdoor adventure stipend, flexible work environment, company-sponsored community activities, quarterly Re-Energize Days (days off), and unlimited family, personal, and sick leave

What makes it great: 鈥淲e may be a business, but the ethos of Shine has always been simple: Work hard, play hard, do good work for good people, and try to change the world for the better. When you see that belief in action, when the work culture, hiring guidelines, as well as life-work balance echo and demonstrate this belief, it turns out to be a pretty great place to work.鈥�

26. Charles Cunniffe Architects

Location: Aspen, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 20
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 25 days of PTO to start, up to 35 days of PTO after five years

Perks: An annual ski pass or equivalent wellness stipend, weekly flex hours for outdoor recreation or personal commitments, paid month-long sabbaticals after 10 and 20 years, 100-percent paid medical and dental, FSA, 401(k) matching, paid monthly volunteer hours, paid birthday off, free bus passes and company car, hybrid work schedules, free snacks, and a stocked fridge

What makes it great: 鈥淲e believe in working hard and playing harder鈥攚hether that鈥檚 on a mountain trail or a project site! Our flexible schedules, paid sabbaticals, generous benefits package and perks like a free ski pass and outdoor group outings keep our team happy, healthy, and motivated. And with paid volunteer time and ongoing community service initiatives, we鈥檙e not just building great projects, we鈥檙e making a meaningful impact every day.鈥�

27. Workstand

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 70
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 14 days of PTO to start, up to 24 days of PTO after 6 years

Perks: Fully remote work, flexible work hours, Get 国产吃瓜黑料 Friday, outdoor industry discounts, new parent leave, paid time off to volunteer, monthly game hour, and weekly coffee/snack chats with company president

What makes it great: 鈥淲e are proud to have a shared purpose of helping local bike shops because we believe bicycles make the world a better place. Bike shops are an important part of enriching the cycling experience for people and communities. Workstand is a company that values each employee by embracing our individuality and leaning on a bottom-up decision-making philosophy. We love getting outside, supporting one another and our families, and sharing the best pics of our pets.鈥�

28. BrainStorm, Inc.

Location: American Fork, Utah
Focus:
Number of Employees: 61
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 12 days of PTO to start

Perks: Outdoor equipment, three paid volunteer days, corporate ski passes, ping pong tables, organized out-of-office activities, paid volunteer days, and annual company trips

What makes it great: 鈥淏rainStorm is exceptional because of its culture, which starts at the top. We focus on people, continuous learning, community involvement, personal growth, and creating tangible value for our customers and partners. The company prioritizes hiring individuals who exemplify its character-building values and fosters an environment where employees are encouraged and inspired to live life in bold.鈥�

29. Duft Watterson

Location: Boise, Idaho
Focus:
Number of Employees: 23
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start, up to 20 days of PTO after five years

Perks: Work-from-home Wednesdays, half-day Fridays, a Linus commuter bike for each new employee, employee contributions for self-directed charity donations, a dog-friendly office, and an annual all-agency (plus families) mountain weekend getaway

What makes it great: 鈥淲e believe that an outdoor lifestyle leads to happier employees and better ideas, design, and motivation. Our team works together and plays together, given single track trails, a Sawtooth Mountain-fed river, fly fishing, a surf park, skiing, and an alive downtown are all a few steps or a short ride away. Every year, we take the entire team and their families for a weekend at places like Sun Valley and Tamarack, either for summer fun or skiing.鈥�

30. Toad&Co

Location: Santa Barbara, California
Focus:
Number of Employees: 53
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 20 days of PTO to start, 25 days of PTO after 5 years

Perks: Every other Friday off, a hybrid work-from-home schedule, a dog-friendly office, outdoor wifi, lunchtime yoga classes, birthday donations to a non-profit of employee鈥檚 choice, company adventure days for time outside, a paid sabbatical after 10 years, and an annual employee campout on the Channel Islands

What makes it great: 鈥淲e鈥檙e a mission-driven company full of people who truly believe in doing good (and having a good time while we鈥檙e at it). We鈥檙e super involved in our community, taking advantage of paid days off to volunteer and hosting events with other local businesses. We make a point to celebrate our wins 鈥� big or small 鈥� and keep things light hearted and fun, from our annual ‘Grilled Cheese Smackdown’ to a costume party at the holidays to our Channel Islands campout, where our CEO dusts off his secret margarita recipe each year.鈥�

31. The Brand Leader

Location: Greenville, South Carolina (HQ); New York City; and Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 32
Average Salary: $74,500
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Bagel Thursdays, spot bonuses, summer picnics, subsidized mental health care, annual retreats, a pet-friendly office, summer hours, extensive parental leave, and adoption subsidies

What makes it great: 鈥淏y fostering a culture of work-life balance where each person feels valued and supported, we鈥檝e built a company where people are passionate about serving one another and our clients. From helping employees qualify for homes to offering generous parental leave and unlimited PTO, our goal is to create men and women of character who push the limits of what鈥檚 possible in and out of the workplace.鈥�

32. Wild Montana

Location: Helena, Montana
Focus:
Number of Employees: 27
Average Salary: $72,571
Vacation Time: 20 days of PTO

Perks: Four-day work week, fully paid health and dental insurance, a three-month paid sabbatical after five years, retirement plan, 15 paid holidays including the last week of the year, flexible work schedules, an office accessible to trail systems, a dog-friendly office, and an annual health stipend

What makes it great: 鈥淲ith a trusting team culture and a strong commitment to work-life balance, Wild Montana empowers employees to drive impactful conservation efforts while staying connected to the landscapes we work to protect. Time off is essential, as we believe personal connection to the outdoors is what inspires and sustains our mission.鈥�

33. Buzz Franchise Brands

Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Focus:
Number of Employees: 69
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 10 days of PTO to start

Perks: Happy hour Fridays, half day Fridays in the summer, a pool table and ping pong table in the office, monthly company outings, and an annual company trip

What makes us great: “Whether it鈥檚 taking a walk to a nearby coffee shop, borrowing an office bike for lunch, or joining our outdoor sports teams, we believe in recharging to fuel high-energy work. Located just minutes from the beach and a couple of hours from the mountains, we take our love of the outdoors even further at our annual company offsite with activities like beachside wild horse tours, hiking, and s’mores around the campfire.”

34. The Pinnacle Companies

Location: Frisco, Colorado
Focus: Number of Employees: 109
Average Salary: $111,724
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start, up to 25 days of PTO after six years

Perks: A family weekend in Denver, monthly social gatherings, a summer picnic, employee interest groups for activities like hiking and biking, outdoor gear access, employer-paid healthcare, paid volunteer hours, work anniversaries with special perks, shareholding opportunities, an annual all-inclusive retreat in Mexico, and an annual ski day at Arapahoe Basin

What makes it great: 鈥淥ur culture is built on strong friendships, both inside and outside the office, with meaningful connections that extend beyond work. We foster personal and professional success through employer-paid medical plans, opportunities for every team member to become a shareholder, and development programs centered on coaching and feedback. This combination of camaraderie and thoughtful benefits creates a workplace where we grow and succeed together.鈥�

35. Polar Field Services

Location: Littleton, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 68 full-time/ 100+ seasonal
Average Salary: $102,000 (full-time)
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start

Perks: An employee stock ownership plan, 401(k) matching, 100-percent employer-paid healthcare, a $1,000 annual personal development stipend, a dog friendly office, paid cell phone plan, paid Costco or Sams Club membership, annual schwag gifts, wellness challenges, anniversary gifts, and employee recognition programs with rewards like cash or Amazon gift cards

What makes it great: 鈥淔rom planning snowmobile expeditions to collect ice cores on the Greenland ice sheet to supporting the launch of high-altitude balloons that bring connectivity to remote regions, the work at PFS is what draws employees to the company. As an employee-owned organization, everyone has a personal stake in the company鈥檚 success, fostering a close-knit, family-like atmosphere and promoting a shared commitment to work ethic and values.鈥�

36. Eagle County Paramedic Services

Location: Edwards, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 100
Average Salary: $96,500
Vacation Time: 15 days of PTO to start, up to 40 days of PTO

Perks: Flexible work schedules, a $1,200 annual stipend for ski passes or other recreational pursuits, a housing assistance program with 10-percent annual loan forgiveness, and employee gifts like Osprey backpacks and Melanzana hoodies

What makes it great: 鈥淭he people who work here are really fantastic. You get to work with some of your best friends and then get outside and recreate with them when you’re off duty. The schedule really contributes to being able to enjoy the incredible outdoor opportunities where we live鈥攈iking, biking, skiing, climbing, and rafting. Plus, it’s really rewarding to know that we’re helping our community every day.鈥�

37. Stio

Location: Jackson, Wyoming
Focus:
Number of Employees: 185
Average Salary: $87,000
Vacation Time: Accrued vacation time or flexible PTO

Perks: Flexible remote work policy, 401(k) matching, fully paid health insurance, expanded medical coverage for reproductive care, 10 paid holidays, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, paid medical leave, a work-from-home allowance, an annual gear testing stipend, and an annual team summit

What makes it great: 鈥淪tio was founded in a mountain town by people who are passionate about mountain life. This perspective serves as the foundation for our company culture. It’s a place where living our values is important. We want balance, we want to do the right thing, we want superior products to get us out into the mountains, and we want to be a part of a community that shares in that vision. When you can start there, good things will come.鈥�

38. Optera

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Number of Employees: 51
Average Salary: $138,000
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Every other Friday off, 13 paid holidays, fully paid-healthcare, a 401(k) match up to 4 percent with ESG options, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, a sabbatical program, and generous stipends for wellness and professional development

What makes Optera great: 鈥淎t Optera, we dedicate our skills, talents, time, and passion toward meaningful solutions that will help stop climate change and make the world a sustainable place for future generations. Not only do we work for the planet, but our perks also enable us to get out and enjoy the planet we all love so much. You鈥檒l often find employees using their Recharge Fridays to ski, hike, bike, or relax in nature.鈥�

39. Wilderness Travel

Location: Berkeley, California
Focus: Number of Employees: 50
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Up to 20 days of PTO

Perks: Annual travel opportunities on a Wilderness Travel trip (with a plus one), a $4,000 annual travel stipend, 10 Fridays off annually, a dog-friendly office, birthday celebrations, and fun team outings like kayaking, escape rooms, an Alcatraz tour, or curling

What makes it great: 鈥�Wilderness Travel is a family-owned business with a passionate team of adventurous, globally minded travelers. We encourage employees to explore the world with a generous annual travel stipend and access to unique, once-in-a-lifetime trips, from trekking in the Himalayas to snorkeling in Indonesia and tracking pumas in Patagonia. Our home office is a dynamic hub where we collaborate with global partners, bond over happy hours and team outings, and support each other鈥檚 personal and professional growth in a welcoming and vibrant environment.鈥�

40. Aspenware

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 40
Average Salary: $140,000
Vacation Time: 20 days of PTO

Perks: A paid volunteer day, $1,000 annual reimbursement for health and well-being, an annual National Parks Pass, an Ikon Pass, $1,500 annual training reimbursement for professional development, and an annual team summit in Denver with employee ski day at local resort

What makes it great: 鈥淎t Aspenware, our collaborative culture goes beyond the office through engaging activities like virtual coffee chats, company-wide challenges, and an annual team summit. While we鈥檙e focused on developing cutting-edge e-commerce solutions for mountain resorts, our team also enjoys top-notch perks like health stipends, free ski passes, and national parks access. We prioritize innovation and connection, making Aspenware a place where great ideas鈥攁nd great experiences鈥攖hrive.鈥�

41. GoPro

Location: San Mateo and Carlsbad, California
Focus:
Number of Employees: 476
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Hybrid remote work options, offices close to beaches, trails, and world-class cycling, skating, and water sports, monthly reimbursement toward wellness expenses, access to free coaching and therapy sessions and a digital health platform that supports all paths to parenthood, organized hikes and days out for product testing, fireside chats with world-class GoPro athletes and ambassadors, and the latest camera and accessories (along with company challenges) with each product launch

What makes it great: 鈥淕oPro empowers employees to live their desired lifestyle while being able to show up to work as the best versions of themselves鈥攚hether in a GoPro office, their remote workspace of choice, or a bit of both. We believe that there is strength in numbers and that people do their best work when they can form lasting bonds with their colleagues, associates, and members of the GoPro community.鈥�

42. East West Partners

Location: Avon and Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 60
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: A $1,200 annual wellness bonus, 14 weeks of paid parental leave, a paid month-long sabbatical after 7 years and again every 5 years, outdoor-inspired team outings from trail repair and floating the Yampa river to crawfish boils and pickleball tournaments, dog-friendly offices, ski-in/ski-out locations, exclusive access to Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche games, and a company 鈥淪now Days鈥� holiday

What makes it great: 鈥淥ne of our core values is ‘Live Where We Work,鈥� so our team members have the rare opportunity to grow thriving careers in stunning mountain locations like Vail, Park City, Steamboat, and Snowmass, or in dynamic urban locations like Denver and Charleston. Our work enables us to make a lasting, positive impact through sustainable, net-zero carbon projects and meaningful civic contributions. And we do it all with a team of creative, hard-working people who know how to have fun along the way!鈥�

43. Superfeet

Location: Ferndale, Washington
Focus:
Number of Employees: 152
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 10 days of PTO to start, up to 25 days of PTO

Perks: Time off to volunteer in the community, $1,000 annual contribution per employee to the non-profit organization of their choice, gym and national park pass reimbursements, 100-percent employer-paid premiums for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long term disability, long term care, and an employee assistance program, 401(k) matching flexible hybrid work schedules, and a dog-friendly office

What makes it great: 鈥淧eople are at the heart of everything Superfeet does, and that very much includes a commitment to creating an empowering and inclusive workplace culture for our team members. Superfeet team members are empowered to participate in cross-departmental committees, engaging all-company meetings and annual strategic planning that involves employees at every level. Superfeet prioritizes flexible work arrangements, from remote employees to state-of-the-art facilities, ensuring every team member has the resources and space to excel.鈥�

44. Cactus

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 75
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Ski passes, an annual all-agency ski day at Arapahoe Basin, discounted ski equipment rentals, an employee group that enjoys outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and indoor rock climbing, a paid monthly fitness benefit, agency-funded group registrations for run/walk events around Denver, an annual agency kickball tournament, monthly team happy hour events, free Calm premium membership and access to YOU@Cactus, a customized mental well-being portal

What makes it great: 鈥淐actus is a special place to collaborate with truly amazing people who do meaningful work for clients they believe in and have fun doing it. We share a belief in the power of small agency creativity and innovation to solve some of the world鈥檚 biggest problems. We have a workplace culture driven by values like respect, belonging, passion, courage, tenacity, collaboration, well-being, and critical thought.鈥�

45. 85Sixty

Location: Solana Beach, California
Focus: Number of Employees: 88
Average Salary:聽Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Subsidized Ikon Passes, dog-friendly offices, locations by ocean and mountains, travel experiences around the U.S., gift cards for the company swag store, discounts for travel and outdoor products, and paid industry conference opportunities

What makes it great: 鈥淎t 85Sixty, we believe in putting our people first! Our fun-loving culture is all about teamwork, flexibility, and empowering everyone to shine, whether they鈥檙e hitting the trails or shredding the slopes. We encourage our crew to connect with brands they鈥檙e passionate about, making work feel like play. With the right tools and supportive leadership, we ensure our team has everything they need to do their best work while enjoying the journey together!鈥�

46. Pathlabs

Location: Missoula, Montana
Focus:
Number of Employees: 108
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Hybrid/remote flexibility; paid civic engagement days, weekly catered lunches, Friday yoga, a casual work environment welcoming shorts, hats, dogs, and long weekend excursions, company-sponsored events like river tubing, pickleball, golf, axe-throwing, and river cleanups, events in Missoula for outdoor activities and team bonding, and charitable donation matching up to $250 annually to qualified 501(c)3 organizations

What makes it great: 鈥淲e are committed to our core values, with 鈥榩eople first鈥� at the forefront. A laid-back, adventure-driven culture balances our fast-paced, award-winning growth. Headquartered in Missoula, Montana, we are steps away from access to world-class outdoor activities. We foster an atmosphere where we work hard, celebrate wins, and enjoy time together as humans, not just as coworkers.鈥�

47. Arts & Letters Creative Co.

Location: Richmond, Virginia
Focus:
Number of Employees: 150
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 25 days of PTO

Perks: 25 holidays, including one week off to recharge during July 4th week and the holidays in December/January; 401(k) and a 4-percent company match that is 100-percent vested from day one; a suite of wellbeing resources, including an annual wellness reimbursement, two employee assistance programs, access to OneVillage one-on-one coaching, and all-agency in-person events

What makes it great: 鈥�Arts & Letters is reimagining what it means to be a creative company by doubling down on a belief that building teams is the best force multiplier for creativity. Keeping people and how they connect at the center of everything, A&L incubates more inclusive talent development programs for both managers and contributors, increases support of employees through concierge services, and launches new programs to connect employees in their local communities. A&L believes firmly that a place should work for its people, and not the other way around.鈥�

48. Young & Laramore, Inc.

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Focus: Number of employees: 70
Average salary: Unspecified
Vacation time: 10 days of PTO to start, up to 20 days of PTO

Perks: Unlimited paid sick leave, company bikes for riding around downtown, showers and lockers for workday runs and rides, an annual Field Day event, office closed for the last week of the year, a two-day fall retreat at a state park or college campus, and a room for meditation or quiet time

What Makes it Great: 鈥淓very day we walk into a 120-year-old schoolhouse with a gymnasium where we can all hang out. We run together. Sometimes it鈥檚 a five-miler at lunch, other times it鈥檚 a full marathon. We compete against each other every year at our annual Field Day event as well. We love spending time together, and being active is a big part of that. We love having dogs in the office and hitting the Cultural Trail or the canal in downtown Indy for walks at lunch. We also have an annual pumpkin-carving contest and a pretty competitive chili cook off.鈥�

49. Alianza

Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Focus:
Number of Employees: 286 (136 U.S. employees)
Average Salary: Unspecified
Vacation Time: 20 days of PTO

Perks: Flexible work schedules and fully remote options, a $500 annual fitness reimbursement for a gym membership or outdoor gear and apparel, in-office yoga, corporate passes for skiing, rock climbing, and golf, a fleet of e-bikes for employee use, a fully stocked kitchen with vegan and paleo options, and 100-percent employer-paid healthcare premiums

What makes it great: 鈥淎lianza encourages everyone to be their best self at work, which includes taking advantage of our Utah headquarters location and exploring new outdoor activities and wellness habits. Between the perks and flexible work options鈥攊ncluding a collaborative, welcoming, and fully-equipped office space with stunning mountain views and a wellness room, aptly named Zen鈥攊t鈥檚 easy to balance hard work with fun, growth, and outdoor exploration.鈥�

50. Falling Creek Camp, Inc.

Location: Tuxedo, North Carolina
Focus: Number of Employees: 18
Average Salary:聽Unspecified
Vacation Time: 10 days of PTO to start, up to 20 days of PTO

Perks: Access to miles of multi-use trails on 900 private acres, use of camp activity equipment, free meals during summer operations, free on-site housing for seasonal employees (available year-round for some full-time staff), paid-for certifications like Wilderness First Responder and Waterfront Lifeguard, health insurance for full-time employees, 100-percent paid vision insurance and cell phone, and half-day Fridays from September through April

What makes it great: 鈥淲e exist to shepherd the journey of personal growth through love and adventure. Camp is not just for the camper: the leadership cares about each staff member鈥檚 growth and wellbeing. Employees are empowered to get out in camp, join in the activities, and make a positive impact through interacting with the camp community. They develop lifelong relationships with staff and campers and learn ever-important soft skills through managing teams, navigating interpersonal dynamics, and problem-solving day to day situations.鈥�

Honorable Mentions

Backbone

Location: Carbondale, Colorado
Focus:

commonFont

Location: Bozeman, Montana, and Providence, Rhode Island
Focus:

First Descents

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:

Geographic Expeditions

Location: San Francisco, California
Focus:

Idea Ranch

Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma; Wichita, Kansas; Durango, Colorado
Focus:

Moving Mountains

Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Focus:

Putney Student Travel

Location: Putney, Vermont
Focus:

Yakima Products, Inc.

Location: Lake Oswego, Oregon
Focus:

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Matt McAdow was sitting on a cardboard box in a Montana warehouse, tapping out emails on a laptop and waiting for his shoes to arrive. It was Monday, September 18, 2023, a pivotal moment for , a boutique footwear company headquartered in Missoula. The shoes, Bedrock鈥檚 first to be manufactured overseas, were supposed to have arrived four days earlier. McAdow, director of operations, had spent months coordinating photo shoots, producing marketing collateral, and figuring out how to fill a 10,000-unit order for Bedrock鈥檚 new mountain clogs鈥攊n three colors of suede and nubuck. Cofounder Dan Opalacz was excited that the rollout would occur a week before his first son was due to be born. 鈥淚t was all lining up with these big work and life milestones,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen everything backfired and created more work than I ever could have imagined.鈥�

Unlike Bedrock鈥檚 other sandals, assembled by the company in California, the clogs were manufactured in Busan, South Korea, then sent to Los Angeles in a 40-foot shipping container, with the first batch arriving at Long Beach port on Monday, September 11. A total of 447 cartons were scheduled to be loaded into a truck for direct delivery to Bedrock鈥檚 warehouse outside Missoula by noon on Thursday, September 14, five days ahead of the biggest product launch in Bedrock鈥檚 12-year history. But when noon arrived, with the ten-person warehouse team ready to receive, quality-check, and prep the inventory for shipping, the clogs were nowhere to be seen.

A message arrived from Landstar System, hired to oversee logistics, revealing that the truck had 鈥渕echanical issues鈥� and would arrive by 8 A.M. the following day. This unfortunate news was accompanied by a screenshot of the truck鈥檚 location on Google Maps, just a few hours away. Friday morning came but the clogs did not, and McAdow says that the Bedrock crew went into the weekend 鈥渂ummed, but not suspicious鈥� about the spotty information they鈥檇 received. A Monday arrival would crunch QC time and possibly delay some orders, but they鈥檇 manage.

Monday again brought no truck, but there was an update from Landstar鈥檚 supposed 鈥渄ispatcher,鈥� who indicated that the driver鈥檚 phone was turned off. The dispatcher also relayed the unsettling possibility that the driver 鈥渓ikes to party鈥� and sometimes drank a lot on weekends. This was the last straw as far as McAdow was concerned. He printed out photos of the driver鈥檚 license and of the blue and orange truck that had been provided by the shipping company, and scoured several truck stops in the Missoula area looking for his clogs. No luck. Nor were there signs of anyone at the pulloff where, according to the dispatcher, the driver had stopped to sleep. 鈥淚 was concerned that this guy may have passed out or had a heart attack in some random yard,鈥� McAdow says. A diesel mechanic across the street from the pulloff told him about a truck headed for Seattle that matched the description, but it turned out to be unrelated.

McAdow was now seriously worried that something shady was going on. He went home and, from his kitchen table, researched the driver鈥檚 name online, found his cell number, and dialed it. A voice answered. When McAdow identified himself as 鈥淢att from Bedrock Sandals,鈥� the man on the other end asked McAdow to call him back in ten minutes. He proceeded to give McAdow the runaround. Later that day, someone called from a Google Voice number with a Los Angeles area code. The new caller had a thick Eastern European accent and could barely be heard above the background noise. He said that he was in Salt Lake City, driving the truck with 鈥渢he goods鈥� inside. He explained that the previous driver had hired him to assume responsibility for the load, a frowned-upon but legal practice referred to as double brokering.

鈥淚鈥檓 not gonna lie, man,鈥� said the trucker, who identified himself only as Mick. 鈥淚鈥檒l have it there tomorrow.鈥�

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