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As the presenting partner in the race, Arc’teryx has agreed to “earmark significant funds towards replacing the race’s outdated fencing in downtown Seward and has pledged to give away products and contribute matching funds for raffle tickets to benefit an unannounced Seward nonprofit.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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
