Elevation Outdoors

What Elevation Outdoors does

Elevation Outdoors is a regional outdoor recreation media brand that publishes a print and digital magazine serving active outdoor enthusiasts in Colorado and the Mountain West. Founded in 2009 and operated under the Summit Publishing legal entity, the publication produces editorial coverage across mountain biking, road cycling, camping, rock climbing, fly fishing, hiking, paddling, running, and snowsports, alongside destination guides and gear reviews. The brand is distributed through a free print magazine placed on stands at partner retail locations (coffee shops, brew pubs, gyms, climbing gyms) across Colorado and the Mountain West, plus a content website (elevationoutdoors.com), an email newsletter, and active social media channels under the @elevationoutdoors_mag (Instagram), ElevationOutdoors (Facebook), and @elevationout (X) handles.

The product surface extends beyond the core magazine to themed special issues (annual Winter Guide, Bike Issue, Road Trip Issue), nine themed blog verticals (Activist Alley, Dirtbag Momma, Like A Pro, Liquid Gear, Master of None, Off Yonder, Road Team, Type-A Fun, Velo Fixations), recurring editorial columns (Definitely Wild by Aaron Bible, Elwayville by Peter Kray), the biannual Peak Gear Awards, and brand-sponsored contests and giveaways. Revenue is generated primarily through print and digital advertising and sponsored content partnerships with outdoor brands (ROKA, Altra, Smith Optics, Arc'teryx) and tourism boards (Jackson Hole, WinterWonderGrass Festival, GoPro Mountain Games, Buena Vista Mountain Adventures). Summit Publishing, the operating parent, also publishes a sister title, Blue Ridge Outdoors, serving the Eastern U.S. outdoor market, with the East Coast office listed in Charlottesville, Virginia. The publication's commercial posture is currently closed to new advertisers per its own public statement, with media kit available on direct request only.

Name

Elevation Outdoors

Legal name

Summit Publishing

Website

https://elevationoutdoors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elevation Outdoors is a regional outdoor recreation magazine and digital media brand publishing print and online content covering biking, camping, climbing, fishing, hiking, paddling, running, and snowsports for active outdoor enthusiasts in Colorado and the Mountain West, operated under Summit Publishing alongside sister title Blue Ridge Outdoors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Print and Digital Advertising: The magazine generates revenue through advertising placements in both print and digital editions. Advertisers can request media kits and purchase ad space across various content categories.
2. Magazine Sales: Free print distribution on stands at partner locations including coffee shops, brew pubs, gyms, and climbing gyms throughout Colorado and the Mountain West.
3. Sponsored Content: Sponsored content partnerships with tourism boards, outdoor brands, and event organizers creating branded content experiences for readers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Elevation Outdoors is a print and digital outdoor recreation magazine published since 2009 under Summit Publishing, covering Colorado and the Mountain West region. It produces themed magazine issues (Winter Guide, Bike Issue, Road Trip Issue, seasonal editions), a website with categorized content across biking, camping, climbing, family, fly fishing, hiking, paddling, running, gear, and snowsports, plus blog verticals, contests, giveaways, and ongoing editorial columns. The magazine is distributed free at partner retail locations while generating revenue through advertising and sponsored content.

Product overview

Elevation Outdoors is a print and digital outdoor recreation magazine covering Colorado and the Mountain West region. The publication publishes content across multiple categories including biking, camping, climbing, family activities, fly fishing, hiking, paddling, running, gear, and snowsports. Content is delivered through the core Elevation Outdoors Magazine (print and digital), the elevationoutdoors.com website, themed magazine issues (such as the annual Winter Guide and Bike Issue), various blog sections (Activist Alley, Dirtbag Momma, Like A Pro, Liquid Gear, Master of None, Off Yonder, Road Team, Type-A Fun, Velo Fixations), and special contests/giveaway programs. The Definitely Wild column by Aaron Bible provides ongoing editorial coverage of gear, travel, and adventure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Definitely Wild: A column by EO Contributing Editor Aaron Bible covering cycling, skiing, gear, adventure travel and mountain life
• Peak Gear Awards
• Elwayville

Products and services

• Elevation Outdoors Magazine A print and digital outdoor recreation magazine covering Colorado and the Mountain West, featuring editorial content across biking, camping, climbing, fly fishing, hiking, paddling, running, snowsports, gear reviews, event coverage, and destination guides for active outdoor enthusiasts.
• elevationoutdoors.com Website The digital web platform hosting the magazine's online content, including articles, gear reviews, festival guides, blog sections, and interactive features across multiple outdoor activity categories (Biking, Camping, Climbing, Family, Fly Fishing, Hiking, Paddling, Running, Gear, and Snowsports).
• Magazine Issues Themed special issues of Elevation Outdoors Magazine, including the annual Winter Guide (2024-25), Bike Issue (Spring 2024), Road Trip Issue (2024), and seasonal editions covering outdoor activities and destinations.
• Blog Sections Multiple blog verticals including Activist Alley (advocacy), Dirtbag Momma (family outdoor content), Like A Pro (skill development), Liquid Gear (beverages/breweries), Master of None (personal stories), Off Yonder (adventure travel), Road Team (vanlife), Type-A Fun (industry events), and Velo Fixations (cycling).
• Contests and Giveaways Sweepstakes and gear giveaway programs offering readers opportunities to win outdoor equipment and adventure vacation experiences, often sponsored by outdoor brands.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Summit PublishingcoreOthersParent company that publishes Elevation Outdoors Magazine alongside sister publication Blue Ridge Outdoors.
• Blue Ridge OutdoorsminorOthersSister publication serving the Eastern U.S. outdoor market. Shares contributing editors and cross-promotional content with Elevation Outdoors.
• WinterWonderGrass FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content partnership featuring the WinterWonderGrass music and ski festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
• Jackson HoleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content partnership promoting Jackson Hole tourism including VIP festival experiences and travel packages.
• Buena Vista Mountain AdventuresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content celebrating 10 years of BVMA outdoor education and adventure services in the Colorado Rockies.
• ROKAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand coverage of ROKA's first snow goggle collection launch featuring the Niseko and Bridger models.
• Altra RunningminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand coverage of Altra Torin 9 launch with exclusive Vibram outsole partnership announcement.
• GoPro Mountain GamescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual event coverage partnership with the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail, Colorado. Elevation Outdoors has covered the games since their inception.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Climbing Magazine: Print and digital publication covering climbing, bouldering, and mountain culture — directly overlaps with Elevation Outdoors' climbing vertical and serves an overlapping gear-brand advertiser base.
• Ski Magazine: Print and digital snowsports publication covering resorts, gear, and mountain culture — directly overlaps with Elevation Outdoors' snowsports vertical and shares tourism-board/resort advertiser base.
• Adventure Journal: Outdoor culture publication covering adventure travel, gear, and lifestyle — comparable audience, content mix, and sponsored-content monetization, though primarily digital.
• Backpacker Magazine: Long-running print and digital outdoor recreation magazine focused on hiking and backpacking — directly comparable in content mix, advertiser base (gear brands, tourism boards), and audience monetization model.
• Trail Runner Magazine: Specialty print and digital publication for the trail running community — overlapping content vertical, audience demographic, and niche advertiser base (running brands, race organizers, gear).
• The Inertia: Digital outdoor lifestyle publication covering surfing, skiing, climbing, and adventure travel — comparable audience, advertiser base (outdoor brands, tourism boards), and content-led monetization model.
• Gear Patrol: Digital-first outdoor and gear review publication with strong affiliate and brand-sponsored revenue model — directly comparable in advertiser base (gear brands) and audience targeting outdoor enthusiasts.
• Blue Ridge Outdoors: Sister publication under Summit Publishing serving the Eastern U.S. outdoor recreation market with a near-identical print + digital model, shared contributing editors, and cross-promotional content with Elevation Outdoors.

Broad incumbents

• Outside Magazine: Largest and most established U.S. outdoor lifestyle media brand, offering print, digital, membership, and event properties that overlap with Elevation Outdoors' audience and advertising categories but at far greater scale and national reach.

Emerging players

• Switchback Travel: Digital outdoor gear review and adventure content platform with strong SEO and affiliate-driven monetization — overlapping gear brand advertiser base and audience, but pure-play digital with a leaner operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elevationout
• Facebookfacebook.com/ElevationOutdoors
• Instagraminstagram.com/elevationoutdoors_mag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elevation Outdoors