Highpointers at “The Adventure Summit”…

 The Adventure Summit is a joint production of Five Rivers Outdoors, the Outdoor Recreation Department of Five Rivers MetroParks and the Outdoor Resource Center of Wright State University and is an event celebrating the spirit of outdoor adventure by showcasing the vibrant lifestyle and culture of human powered endeavors through inspiration, education, and experience.

This is the area’s premiere outdoor adventure exposition that will focus attention on Dayton Ohio as the region’s emerging adventure capital of the Midwest.  The event is free and open to outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and interest levels.

The Adventure Summit will continue to serve the adventure market from skill clinics and hands on trainings from some of the world’s leading experts to showcasing local places to play and locals who have played around the world.  The Adventure Summit is committed to providing something for everyone from the armchair adventurer to the hard core enthusiast. Get Out & Live!

This year the Highpointers Club will be presenting the new “Power Point Presentation.”  If you’re in the area, or want to make a special trip to the area for this presentation, please fee free to attend.

HISTORY
2006  
In the Fall of 2005 the Wright State University Outdoor Resource Center booked Everest Climber Andy Politz to speak on his successful expediton to find the body and solve the mystery of famed climber George Mallory who may have been the first to summit Everest decades earlier.  Politz was originally booked to highlight National Intramural Recreational Sports Day on the campus of Wright State University. 

Just 2 months before the event Five Rivers MetroPark’s new Outdoor Adventure Initiative, Five Rivers Outdoors, partnered with WSU to transform NIRSA Day into the First Miami Valley Adventure Summit (named over fine curry and other assorted dishes at Thai 9 in the Oregon District of Dayton in November 2005 in a joint meeting of the Wright State Outdoor Resource Center staff and Five Rivers Outdoors).

The First Miami Valley Adventure Summit showcased a dozen programs and exhibitors along with the National Paddling Film Festival Road Show prior to Politz’s talk all taking place on a Wednesday in January 2006 with a total attendance of 1500 people.

2007
The Second Annual Miami Valley Adventure Summit grew enormously with the change to a weekend that overtook the WSU Student Union.  Over 50 programs, an expanded exposition with over 40 exhibitors from throughout the region, and featured programs by World Champion Kayaker Eric Jackson, author and climber Craig Luebben, and Himalayan Adventurer Bill Miller took the event to a new level.  Andy Politz returned as the event’s honorary host and a Party with the Pros event was held at Fox and the Hound English Pub. Over 4000 people traveled from throughout the region to enjoy skill sessions in the pool and be inspired by local adventurers as well as the internationally renowned outdoor personalities.

2008
The 2008 Adventure Summit reached peak success in its 3rd year of existence.  Over 5,200 visitors enjoyed a full weekend of activities related to the spirit and culture of the outdoors including inspiring presentations, instructional programs in a variety of outdoor sports and inaugural competitions including a Snowboard Rail Jam, Bouldering Comp and Kayak Championships.  In addition, a bustling expo was available allowing guests a chance to mingle with local, regional and national outfitters, clubs, retail shops and advocacy groups.  Live acoustic music by Glenn Allyn and Beer Tastings provided by Bostons Bistro and Pub added to the atmosphere.

Our lineup of featured outdoor personalities created quite a buzz in the region led by Jonny Moseley’s visit to The Adventure Summit.  He was part of an action packed day on the Wright State University Campus highlighted by Perfect North Slopes dropping three dump truck loads of snow to create a temporary terrain park for our inaugural rail jam emceed by Jonny. 
Wrapping up the first day, Jonny’s featured program highlighted his career as an US Olympic Skier including his gold medal performance during the 1998 Olympics in Nagano Japan and how he single-handedly revolutionized the sport of freestyle skiing.  Of course, he couldn’t leave The Adventure Capital of the Midwest without showing video of his famous dinner roll and his Saturday Night Live appearance to the 450 guests in attendance.

Sam Drevo, champion extreme kayaker, and Andy Politz, Everest Mountain Climber were also a part of our lineup.  Both led inspiring discussions of their expeditions and showcased some of the most dramatic video of the event.  Over 50 other adventure presentations took place throughout the weekend covering a variety of topics including Appalachian Trail Adventures, Local Kayaking Hot Spots, Bike Mechanic Workshops, adaptive recreation, SCUBA demonstrations and variety of YOGA classes for outdoor enthusiasts.
    
All in All, The Adventure Summit was a tremendous success with record attendance, exhibitors and programs along with the addition of our three competitions.  The Kayak Championships proved to be a crowd pleaser as pros in the boating world performed their hottest tricks.  While the bouldering competition featured 35 competitors from universities all over the Midwest building quite a reputation for continued success of future bouldering comps on the Wright State University Campus.

About Five Rivers MetroParks 

Five Rivers MetroParks focuses on three areas – conservation, recreation and education – as part of its role as steward of Greater Dayton’s public lands. Established in 1963 through the efforts of forward-thinking citizens concerned about preserving green space and natural areas, Five Rivers MetroParks has grown to a nationally renowned park system composed of natural area parks, gardens, sensitive river corridors, urban parks, and a network of recreation trails.  Educational programs and recreational opportunities are offered year-round for all ages. And, diverse natural habitats are being protected and cared for today to assure their existence in the future.  The Outdoor Recreation Department is committed to creating access through innovative outdoor recreation programming, events and facilities such asMoMBA, the Twin Valley Backpacking Trail and the Englewood Disc Golf Course.

To learn more about; Five Rivers MetroParks, log onto www.metroparks.org or call (937) 275-PARK.
Outdoor Recreation Department, log onto www.metroparks.org/GetOutside/OutdoorRecreation.aspx
Contact: Tom Helbig
Outdoor Recreation Department Special Events Coordinator
tom.helbig@metroparks.org 
(937) 567-4478

About Wright State University 

Wright State University is the proud partner of The Adventure Summit and is located at 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway.  Named after the world-famous Wright brothers, Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, continues their spirit of innovation. The university serves nearly 17,000 students, offering more than 100 undergraduates and 50 Ph.D., graduate, and professional degrees in addition to a full service outdoor resource center offering outdoor recreation opportunities, teambuilding, and equipment rental.

To learn more about; Wright State University, log onto www.wright.edu 
WSU Outdoor Resource Center, log onto www.wright.edu/crec/programs/outdoor 
Contact: Amy Anslinger
Assistant Director of Outdoor Recreation
amy.anslinger@wright.edu 
(937) 775-5821

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