Vasic Will Test ColdAvenger® Face Mask on Carbon-Neutral Climb Of One of the Coldest Mountains on Earth

MISSOULA, MONTANA – November 12, 2008 -- Talus® Outdoor Technologies, LLC is proud to announce its support of an eco-friendly expedition to summit Mount Logan in Canada's Kluane Nation Park.  Talus athlete, Zoran Vasic, is part of the carbon-neutral expedition, which will set out on May 6, 2009.  During the climb, he will test the Talus® ColdAvenger® face mask, and send back photos and reports from his journey across the glacier and up the mountain.

Mount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada at 19,551 feet (5,959 meters), and is located in the extreme Southwest corner of the Yukon Territory, just east of Alaska.  It is the second highest peak in North America, and is the center of the greatest glacial expanse on the continent.  Due to active tectonic uplifting, Mt. Logan is rising in elevation, getting taller each year.  It is also one of the coldest mountains on Earth, making it the perfect place to test the Talus® ColdAvenger®.  Air temperature hovers around ?45 °C (?49 °F) in the winter and on May 26, 1991 a record -77.5 °C (-106.6 °F) was observed, making it the coldest recorded temperature outside of Antarctica.

“When Zoran contacted us about his carbon-neutral plans to climb Mount Logan, we jumped on board,” says Talus COO John Sullivan. “We all have to do our part to preserve the great outdoors.  And Mount Logan is the perfect place to test our new ColdAvenger® design in extreme conditions.”

The new ColdAvenger® face mask features a soft shell material and a softer material for the valve, for even more comfortable fit that lets you Stay Out Longer®.  The Talus® ColdAvenger’s patent-pending ventilation technology mixes inhaled cold air with exhaled warm air to achieve a dynamic balance of warmth and humidity while keeping moisture away from the face, keeping temperatures inside the mask 40?– 60?F higher than outside air.  The result is a state-of-the-art product that keeps your face warm and dry while helping to humidify inhaled cold air and allowing you to breathe freely.

Zoran Vasic is a Network Operations Analyst who mountaineers in his free time.   Zoran has climbed mountains all over Europe and North America. He minimizes his impact on the environment by following the Leave No Trace framework for outdoor recreation.  You can track his progress and get updates on the expedition on his blog: Leave No Trace Expeditions.

Founded and headquartered in Missoula, Montana, Talus Outdoor Technologies®  is a leading innovator in technologically-advanced outdoor gear. Talus is dedicated to helping outdoor enthusiasts Stay Out Longer®.  In 2007, Talus introduced the ColdAvenger®, an advanced, high-quality cold weather protection mask developed by a physician and a skier. The ColdAvenger® is the result of more than two years of research and development testing in Northern Rocky Mountain winters to achieve four functional goals: thermal comfort, ventilation adequacy, moisture control and ease of breathing during exercise. Talus is proud to provide an elite product while being socially and environmentally conscious.