Mission Project

By Edward Fehlig

I have had the goal to get to the point where I am competent in three outdoor sports to the point where I can red point something significant in each sport. Red pointing in climbing refers to climbing a route without taking any falls or without taking any belay breaks. I use this term broadly to refer to any outdoor sport. If you can make it down a burly river in a whitewater kayak with out having to roll, you have red pointed the river. If you can ride your mountain bike on a tough trail without having to set a foot down, you have red pointed the trail. If you can make it down a steep ski slope without taking a fall... I have red pointed various climbing routes in Southern Illinois, made it through my favorite mountain biking trail (Counsel Bluffs) without taking a rest (holding on to a tree with your feet on the peddle counts) and have whitewater kayaked the pigeon river at twice its normal level without flipping my kayak. I have made it down a black diamond without crashing. When ever I red point something new, I feel empowered and confident. While my redpoint successes are nothing to make outdoor magazine news and I don't redpoint as often as I would like, I can thank Mountain Hardwear for keeping me warm, dry, comfortable and thus happy wherever I go.