When my wife, Jen, and I opened Durango Outdoor Exchange, we focused on providing access to adventure to people from all walks of life. To us, this meant offering quality outdoor gear and apparel at an affordable price.
It also meant meeting people where they were in terms of background knowledge on where to go and what gear they would need to comfortably enjoy both new and familiar experiences in the great outdoors.
We envisioned a low pressure sales environment that left egos at the door so as to allow everyone to entertain and prepare for new adventures and experiences on our nation’s greatest asset, which in my opinion is our public lands and waterways.
We’d speak endlessly about apparel racks containing technical outerwear and base layers where one could outfit themselves for activities ranging from summertime hikes to alpine skiing at a price point that leaves enough money on the table to pay for everyday, ordinary expenses.
Having the correct gear can mean the difference between being comfortable and yearning for the next adventure or being uncomfortable and leaving those experiences behind. Our decision-making on day-to-day operations is guided by our three core values of adventure, community and environment.
In recent days and months, our country has been beset by two great crises; protests arising from shocking reminders of police brutality amid the backdrop of the international COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone is struggling in their own ways as we come to terms with the suffering felt across the world.
What does social responsibility really look like?
At Durango Outdoor Exchange, we recognize and celebrate the incredible opportunities that outdoor recreation affords for our community during this period of turmoil. While it may be far from the minds of many people right now, public lands and waters can be a place of solace and healing for so many – a refuge, even. They become even more critical as we face enormous cuts to some of our most basic services.
Advocating for our physical, mental and emotional health means protecting state parks and other state lands.
We have to be honest; outdoor recreation is not without its own problematic history. For many, especially people of color, the outdoors and wild places have remained inaccessible and even unwelcoming. A lack of transportation, time and resources are principal barriers, as well as environments of fear that have been created by overpolicing and terror tactics that keep people inside and away from these places.
That said, policy does not occur in a vacuum. Public lands advocacy is just as critical now as ever, especially for the towns and cities that have come to depend on the outdoor industry. The economic impact to our state is clear: 511,000 direct jobs and $62 billion in gross revenue. If we don’t invest now in our state lands, we risk losing not only the strength of our economy but our very way of life outside.
The just and prudent path is to both protect public lands and make sure those investments fit into the broader anti-racist initiative taking shape throughout our country.
Equity and access need to become more firmly entrenched, top-line priorities in every decision-making process.
While we are facing tough times for our public health and our economy, we are looking forward to our communities bouncing back stronger than before. How we recover will speak volumes about our resilience and our commitment to justice, not just for the few, but justice for all.
Our legacy is being built today so that our children can thrive, regardless of who they are and what they look like. Protecting public lands is the best investment we can hope to make for ourselves and future generations.
We envision a world in which access to the outdoors is a great equalizer; a place where all people (and wildlife) can come together, be at home and feel safe.
Chase LaCroix graduated from Fort Lewis College in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics and is the co-owner and president of Durango Outdoor Exchange. He grew up in Woody Creek enjoying all that the Western Slope public lands have to offer, including rafting, camping and snowboarding.
