Alaska’s premier mountain race has announced a multi-year partnership with a colossal, Canadian-based outdoor gear company that is heavily involved in leftist climate initiatives and LGBTQ advocacy.
On April 17, Mount Marathon said the two-year agreement with Arc’teryx will help “modernize” the popular summer race in Seward. Based in Vancouver, BC, the company will sponsor the 2026 and 2027 Alaska races.
“With their focus on supporting mountain events, Arc’teryx is a great fit for the Mount Marathon Race,” director Matias Saari said in a press release. “They can help us modernize elements of the race while also appreciating our uniquely independent and Alaskan spirit.”
Officially, the race will now be called “Mount Marathon Race presented by Arc’teryx,” Saari noted.
As the presenting partner in the race, Arc’teryx has agreed to “earmark significant funds towards replacing the race’s outdated fencing in downtown Seward and has pledged to give away products and contribute matching funds for raffle tickets to benefit an unannounced Seward nonprofit. Arc’teryx has also committed funds towards a trail project on Mount Marathon or elsewhere on the Kenai Peninsula.
As a global leader in outdoor gear, Arc’teryx has experienced significant growth as the flagship brand for the multi-billion-dollar Amer Sports company, which operates around the globe.
In terms of social activism, the company is heavily invested in pushing the larger LGBTQ and transgender agenda.
Arc’teryx supports myriad LGBTQ+ causes through internal programs, grants and community partnerships. The company often partners with events that explicitly include “trans women” in women-specific categories. For the 2026 Minotaur SkyRace in Alberta, which allows males who claim to be “trans women” to compete in the women’s division, Arc’teryx is powering a grant program specifically for “female & female-identifying folks” and non-binary individuals. The eligibility terms for this scholarship explicitly state it is open to “trans and gender non-conforming folks.”
It’s unclear how the new Arc’teryx partnership might impact the Mount Marathon race, which created a “non-binary” running policy in 2024 with a dedicated division and separate results for those who claim a “non-binary” status. The traditional male and female categories remain intact, with Mount Marathon officials accepting “in good faith” whatever sexual identity a runner claims.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Arc’teryx, however, is clearly okay with sponsoring events that allow biological men to compete as women and grant recipients from the company include dozens of organizations that advocate for critical race theory, BIPOC initiatives and transgender LGBTQ priorities.
The company has also developed learning modules for its 3,000 employees focused on gender and sexuality awareness and it maintains an internal “Queer Employee Belonging Council.”
On the environmentalist front, Arc’teryx identifies climate change as an urgent concern. To this end, it advocates for climate initiatives at local, national and global levels, and has joined a multinational effort urging governments to embrace ambitious climate-change action.
It supports the controversial Paris Climate initiative and provides grants to organizations that focus on transitioning away from fossil fuels to so-called “clean energy” alternatives.
Mount Marathon is scheduled for July 4, in Seward. It is Alaska’s oldest and most legendary mountain race.
21 Comments
Tie-dye use to represent hippies, peace and love.
Now these Rainbow people are trying to take away Gods Rainbow, that he made as a promise to us.
Remember he’s in control, God will come back to this earth on his time. And yes we as Christian’s that follow Christ, will suffer for him. But we are, to be Strong for Christ and stand together for him.
Watch and see how this woke sticking group tries to change this race for their evil ways.
Sickening
That makes it easy for those providing showers! One for everyone!
No one is taking anything away from anyone…or can you provide a specific example of how a rainbow flag keeps you from enjoying God’s rainbows? How about Jesus’s specific teaching to “love your neighbor”, without exceptions for those different from you?
Loving your neighbour does not mean feeding their delusions or accepting their perversions! In fact, if you REALLY loves your neighbour, you would lovingly help them accept who God made them to be…not who (what) they think they want to be.
I love thy neighbor and all creatures of existence. What I don’t love is a band of sexual deviants culturally appropriating the spectrum of nature to represent the colors of their sexual lifestyle. Those colors belong to the people who value the creation of life, not the people who don’t produce life. Simple as that.
It’s important to be kind to others, but you shouldn’t accept the sinful behavior. We must follow God’s laws, by claiming sinful behavior as different hides truth. I recommend reading the book, “Why We’re Catholic “ by Trent Horn.
So you accept Trump’s sinful behavior?
Sold out by the Mt Marathon race admin to an organization that’s about as relevant to everyday Alaskans as a California SURFBOARD company!!
We can boycott the race and sponsors as well as protest.
Go for it. Nobody cares.
oh my don’t know where to start. way to go
destroying an Alaskan tradition with your woke communist sexual depravity agenda. this is sickening! maybe everyone should boycott the race
Another sport destroyed for your desire to force your sexual proclivities on others. why can’t you just leave it as a race. what if people showed up with MAGA agenda. would you be ok with that tooi hope people do! you realize not all Alaskans are queer. And I have sugar-coated what I really think. Canada go home and keep your woke agenda there. stay out of our sports!
The irony is that all that synthetic material those people are wearing are byproducts of petroleum extraction. They want to change the climate by making people pay more in taxes to offset carbon emissions while wearing the clothing that comes from oil.
Just run the marathon and use your mouth for breathing rather than bleating.
Well that does it! I won’t be going any where near a bunch of sodomites passing off their deviancy as just normal every day life. I hope every person that is disgusted and appaled as I am stays away from the race. Don’t participate!
Saari is too much of a promoter. “ Officially, the race will now be called “Mount Marathon Race presented by Arc’teryx,” Saari noted. B.S. Saari. None but you and the Chamber of Commerce will call it that.
And you claiming that the race is “uniquely independent “ yet shilling for a mega corporation is, at best, ironic.
So I Checked out Arc’teryx I see why they are pushing this Crap. You have to be LGBQRTS to where that Ugly crap they sell. Their stuff is just plain stupid looking. Outdoor clothing for the clueless. So I can not boycott them because no way would anyone I know wear their crap. But I can Skip out on Seward for inviting this to our state!
Sweard is hard up for money to improve race conditions. This company came forward and help them out. You all are afraid of rainbows.
I did a quick AI search regarding the quote “Arc’teryx, however, is clearly okay with biological men competing as women and grant recipients from the company include dozens of organizations that advocate for critical race theory, BIPOC initiatives and transgender LGBTQ priorities.”
Here’s what AI told me: So, in short: it wasn’t said by Arc’teryx or a company spokesperson—it’s an opinion expressed by a journalist in that publication.
Just stoking the fire some to get the crowds riled up, eh…? Also, taking a snap shot of this cause my comments have lately not made it through…wonder why?
Thank you for clarifying…..
It would be hilarious if the race was largely boycotted because of this woke crap. Hasn’t anyone noticed yet that being woke is now outdated and those who support this woke garbage look like fools?
After reading this drivel about “leftist’ & “woke” -and worse yet- the hateful comments…Articles like this simply fan the flames of further division…now even the Mt Marathon Race is not immune to red vs blue? Puhlease. Can we simply agree to disagree? That used to be the way it worked in America & the Seward I lived in for 20+ years where rednecks & hippies coexisted without resorting to shaming or labeling. Don’t buy into this “we vs they” crap. Gimmee a break. Or better yet, break the cycle.