It is with mixed emotions that we announce today the discontinuation of what has been one of our flagship products since 2004: the print magazine. Details behind this decision can be found in the press release.
While it’s a sad day, it’s one worthy of positive reflection as well.
Issue 1’s humble roots featured the article “Backpacking Alaska” by Peter Vacco, the first person to have walked the length of the Continental Divide from Mexico to the Chukchi Sea. Kevin Sawchuk wrote of his fastpacking trek across 200 miles of the JMT in four days in Issue 2. Justin Lichter’s beautiful photography from the Great Divide Trail graced the pages of Issue 3, and Brian Frankle’s contemplative cover of Issue 4 inspired us to discover our own Haydukes in the desert. Issue 5 featured a blazing Bushbuddy on the cover and began to focus on critical issues facing wilderness advocates: road building and commercialization of our National Parks. Issue 6 highlighted both the serious side of wilderness (the roadless Absarokas) and the very serious side of wilderness (lightweight techniques for brewing coffee), while Issue 7 featured Jason Geck swimming the Ipnavik River en route to his 500+ mile traverse of the Alaskan Arctic without resupply. We celebrated the grandest of wilderness residents, the grizzly bear, in Issue 8, packrafting in Issue 9, and BPL’s Wilderness Trekking School in Issue 10. Issue 11 (to be mailed in mid-November) will feature the best photography we’ve ever published, and its final page is a fitting end to our print run: a photo of my 10-year old son, Chase, sitting down exhausted on the side of the trail after hiking late into the evening (photo above).
I sort of feel like Chase did in that photo when it comes to the print magazine: feeling rewarded for hiking a hard journey, but rather exhausted.
But like Chase did a few minutes after that photo was taken, I’ll get up, grab a handful of GORP, start walking again, and BPL will continue its journey – this time, however, with a bit more focus. I’m really excited to move forward and redirect energy on things we’ve neglected in the past because of the print magazine: the website, our online content, and continued gear and apparel design and development. I’m also eager to lessen our energy footprint and minimizing printed waste is a large part of that.
I’m grateful for all of your support during our print magazine publishing run. It’s a project I’m proud to have delivered to customers, and I know that I’ll treasure my own copies while they occupy a pretty special spot on my bookshelf.
Godspeed,
Ryan Jordan
Publisher
Discussion
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Somewhat off topic, but this article mentions that Peter Vacco was the first person to hike the great divide end to end. I've seen this credited previously to Dan Cooper (who recently got some press coverage for his endorsement of Obama despite the fact he founded and owns (owned) Cooper Firearms of Montana). He's well known locally and I think hiked the great divide in the early 80s, perhaps over the course of a couple years. I don't know the details and haven't been able to find much information on the "full" trail online, such as complete hikes, times, etc. Also, I don't own issue #1. Is Cooper's claim bunk? uninformed? Just curious.
Ryan and staff and friends, while I am incredibly sad to see it go I understand completely. I have helped launch and run several magazines in my life the the amount of work is unbelievable. We used to sort 10,000 copies right in our living-room what a PIA. You are going in a good direction that all will surely follow. As we prepare to leave on a round the world trip we will unfortunately miss lots of what you have to offer but I hear there are Internet cafes in some of the most remote parts of the world. In regards to the printed mag, you cant fit a ten pound parcel into a two pond sack. Tnaks again to all you guys for a great site. Ali
Can't believe that I paid for three subscriptions yet did not receive the last issue because my subscription expired in October. 3 times 4 is still 12, but my issues end at 10 . Not fair.
Is there any way to enlarge the text on the digital magazine? I have great difficulty reading the text as it is.
P.S. More than 30% of the U.S. population are now 40+ years old, so this issue really needs to be addressed.
Thanks!
Paul –
The + sign in the menu bar works pretty well.
Ken-
You should contact BPL customer service. I had a similar problem and they gave me the correct number of issues that I paid for. Because of the print mags many missed deadlines, the dates are pretty much meaningless.
Maybe I missed it in this thread, I forgot what the email had said. When do we receive our checks or store coupon as reimbursment?
Hi Dustin,
You should have received an email with a special promo code for the discount. I think they must check to make sure you had a print subscription, and then mark you off the list once you use it.
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