Newly formed Baxter Outdoors to host adventure races, events

Baxter Brewing Company recently announced the creation of Baxter Outdoors LLC, a subsidiary of the brewery tasked with creating adventure races and outdoor excursions throughout New England. (Yippee! Sounds like fun.)

logo_baxteroutdoorsTheir races and events will cover a variety of outdoor activities, from ski mountaineering to trail running to rock climbing, and will feature New England’s most scenic, natural terrain. While race courses will be designed with the competitive athlete in mind, they will also be great events for people looking for a more relaxed experience, according to a recent press release.

“Baxter [Outdoors] realizes that when people get busy, outdoor recreation and exercise are often the first things to go,” said Adam Platz, President of Baxter Outdoors, in a prepared statement. “To help remedy that, we’ve created Baxter Outdoors. Ultimately, we wanted to create a fun, easy way for our customers to get outside and enjoy New England in a competitive and social atmosphere. We love our home here in the Northeast, and couldn’t think of a better way to showcase it to our customers.”

Races will typically be held in regions that are a bit off the beaten path but still accessible to all. Their first two events:

  • A 10-kilometer ski mountaineering race on Whaleback Mountain in Enfield, New Hampshire on March 15.
  • A 20-kilometer winter triathlon on Sugarloaf Mountain in Carrabassett Valley on March 29.

The introduction of the Baxter Outdoors marks a continuation in Baxter Brewing Co.’s efforts to distinguish itself “not just as a beer, but as a lifestyle brand,” said Luke Livingston, founder and CEO of Baxter Brewing Co.

“It’s never been just about the beer for us here,” Livingston said in a prepared statement. “The Baxter brand represents more than just a beverage, it represents all of the things that we believe in: staying healthy, being active, giving back to the community, and of course, good beer. With Baxter Outdoors, we are able to show our customers just that.”

During this inaugural season, this new event production company will limit itself to smaller events.

“We want to get to know our customers in this first year of operation,” said Platz. “Keeping our events smaller and more intimate will give us the opportunity to learn what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly, what our customers want. We see a lot of big, overcrowded races out there, and that’s the opposite of what we’re trying to do.”

Baxter Outdoors is in the process of contracting races for the remainder of the 2014 season and is actively seeking new partners for hosting events. For information, visit www.baxteroutdoors.com.

Aislinn Sarnacki

About Aislinn Sarnacki

Aislinn is a Bangor Daily News reporter for the Outdoors pages, focusing on outdoor recreation and Maine wildlife. Visit her main blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.