Uniting The Outdoor State

Hi Friends,

Last weekend I made the snowy drive from Glens Falls to Keene Valley, NY, for the 27th International Mountainfest. I've attended the event in past years to check out new gear and demo skis, but this year I wore a different hat. I was repping Protect Our Winters (POW), an environmental non-profit I became involved with this year, working as a member of its Creative Alliance.

I was fortunate to join forces with Patagonia on Saturday during their Repair & Care workshop. In just a couple of hours we raised $500 for POW and introduced dozens to the organization.

I did my small part to help unite what POW calls "The Outdoor State"—which refers to anyone who enjoys the outdoors and wants to protect the places they go to escape.

In POW's words:

"From powder to pines, mountain tops to coastal surfs. Not defined by borders, but still crossing paths. United by our natural playground. And, exhilarated by our great escapes. Now it’s up to us to take a stand. Because climate change has reached every backyard, impacting us all, threatening what we love."

While not as extreme as what we're seeing in California and North Carolina, climate change has touched my corner of the world. Shorter winters and hotter, dryer summers. Some of my favorite fishing holes all but dried up last summer. Climate change is an escalating issue that needs to be high on the docket; yet, the current administration is turning a blind eye and putting climate change and the environment on the back burner. As a bipartisan organization, POW will work across the aisle to lobby and fight for better climate protections. We need organizations like POW now, more than ever.

To learn more about POW's efforts and to make a donation, head over to protectourwinters.org/donate-to-pow/

 – John

(ps. A big thanks to Kaz and Charlie at The Mountaineer for welcoming POW to Mountainfest with open arms. Proceeds from the three-day charity festival, which have totaled as much as $20,000, goes back to the outdoor community and non-profits.)

Clockwise from top: Whiteface Mountain stands sentinel over Lake Placid;Patagonia's Repair & Care workshop at Mountainfest in Keene Valley, NY; The Mountainfest crowd pours into the Vendor Village; the Protect Our Winters table at Mountainfest.

Treelines: Issue #04 – "Peak-Baggers and Pondhoppers"

Gore Mountain, as seen from the High Peaks Quad on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 26. The North Creek/Thurman region got a much-needed 3" of snow overnight, making for one of the nicer ski days I've had this year.

Hello, Friends – 

Happy New Year! I hope 2025 has started off on the right foot. For me, it's been head-down, working a number of sizable publication layout and logo projects. After the typical holiday slowdown, it's nice to kick things into full gear again.

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Partner Spotlight: PureADK

This month I'm trying something new with a Partner Spotlight. My clients for the large part are not fly-by-night, flash-in-the-pan jobs, but partnerships that develop and grow through collaboration and an unencumbered flow of ideas. PureADK is a great example of this. Evan Williams and his wife Hilary started PureADK as a blog documenting their outdoor adventures before launching an online shop. I became a fan of their Adirondack-inspired merch early on, but also enjoyed their entire approach to the business. It was clear they didn't set out to be another company that slapped a bear or moose on a T-shirt and exploited the park for gain. Instead, they use inspiring imagery and content to engage and educate a community of people who respect the Adirondacks and love outdoor sports. PureADK was one of the first businesses I reached out to when I started freelancing, and I've had a blast working with them on apparel and poster designs.

Give @pureadk a follow on Instagram; but beware, you may be drawn away from your desk and into the great outdoors.

– John

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"It's a great thing these days to leave civilization for a while and return to nature. "

– Bob Marshall, The High Peaks of the Adirondacks

Treelines: Issue 03 – "That's A Wrap"

Greetings, Friends –

I'm writing to you early this month with Christmas is just a week away. Hopefully this means you're gathering with friends and family and not tying a bow on that final project of the year. If you do take the time to read this—thank you. Chances are you've played some part in my "freelance journey" that began in the summer of 2022. Whether you purchased something from my shop or we worked together on a project, I'm truly grateful. As we stand on the precipice of a new year, I wanted to look back at 2024, by the numbers:

Enjoy the holiday season, however you celebrate. I hope to work together in the coming year!

– John

Silent Night. The December illustration from my 2024–25 wall calendar.