Bill Amos spent four years in Durango studying sociology at Fort Lewis College, earning his degree in 2003.
During that time, his interest in climbing continued to ascend. He often spent weekends rock climbing in Utah or ice climbing in Cascade Canyon, Silverton or Ouray.
After college, Amos moved to New York City and then Portland, Ore. Oregon’s largest city is where he founded NW Alpine in 2010 to manufacture and sell outdoors apparel meant specifically for climbing.
Amos, now 32, credited his time in Durango for cementing his passion for climbing.
“I feel like if I hadn’t lived in Durango, my life might’ve taken a different path potentially that might not include climbing,” he said. “So there’s no way I’d be doing what I’m doing.”
NW Alpine has grown quickly, and last week the company’s first shipment arrived at its first Durango retailer, Backcountry Experience.
Amos has a network of small retailers of which Backcountry Experience is representative. NW Alpine’s only other retailer in Southwest Colorado is Ouray Mountain Sports.
“We’re going for the small, specialty climbing retailer,” Amos said. “Backcountry Experience is the perfect example of the kind of store we’re in. We like local independents that have staff who climb and understand what they’re doing.”
NW Alpine also sells through its website, nwalpine.com. Products come in a range of prices. The Fast/Light Jacket is $220. The Simplicity Jacket is $120, while the Black Spider Hoody is $110. The Eyebright Jacket is the most expensive item at $600.
Amos said he wants to focus on gear for climbers to use and resist some outdoor companies’ rush to more casual, everyday clothing.
“I wanted to make stuff here, and I wanted to make stuff that was technical and climbing-specific,” he said.
Chasing the niche market has worked.
“We’ve been doubling in size every year since we started,” he said.
Amos has a partner, Nick Isaac, who also works as chief operating officer. NW Alpine also relies on part-time and contract workers.
Ben Rockis, owner of Backcountry Experience, praised NW Alpine’s focus on technical products.
“It is definitely an ice-climbing or alpinist hard-core clothing,” he said.
Rockis said he was attracted by the apparel being made in the U.S. and geared specifically toward climbing.
Rockis and Amos both said ice climbing has exploded in popularity. Rockis said it seems to have picked up locally as recent winters have been lackluster for skiers.
“My first thought is the thought that we’ve had pretty slow snow,” he said. “When there’s no snow, people look for other things, and ice climbing’s one of them.”
Amos’ products are made in a factory in Newberg, Ore., southwest of Portland. Amos insists on domestic manufacturing.
“The only way we’re going to have a real sustainable economic recovery is to bring manufacturing back here,” he said.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
