Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant
& Live Like Liz Award

The American Alpine Club and Jones Snowboards are proud to offer two splitboarding-specific grants that encourage human-powered exploration of the winter wilderness by motivated amateur backcountry snowboarders.

ABOUT THE GRANTS

The Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant supports a multi-day splitboarding expedition with a strong exploratory and adventure component. The project may focus on a single descent/summit or a tour/traverse of a region. The Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant provides awardees with $1,500 and  a Jones splitboard, skins and backpack.

The Jones Live Like Liz Award is open to female applicants with multi-day splitboarding objectives. Similar to the Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant, Live Like Liz encourages applicants to incorporate a strong exploratory and adventure component through projects that focus on a single descent/ summit or a tour/traverse of a region. . In September 2014, Jones ambassador and aspiring mountain guide Liz Daley was killed in an avalanche accident in Argentina. This award is dedicated to Liz and the radiant passion for splitboard exploration that she was known for. The Jones Live Like Liz Award will also offer $1,500, a Jones splitboard, skins and backpack to the grant recipient.

APPLICATION PERIOD

The application period for both grants is October 3 through December 31. Please note that all applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on December 31 and no late submissions will be accepted.

Awardees will be announced after all applications have been reviewed by the committee.

CRITERIA / GUIDELINES

  • Project proposals will be considered based on remoteness, exploratory nature, carbon footprint, creativity and overall significance. Objectives may be a single line/peak or a tour/traverse of a wider region.

  • All expeditions must be conducted in an environmentally conscious and sound approach, with care and respect for local inhabitants and wildlife. Additionally, all expeditions must be legal and obtain all necessary permits required by local authorities.

  • Project location must be in North America.

  • Project must be completed prior to the end of the calendar year.

  • The grant applicant must be a U.S. citizen. Expedition partners may be foreign citizens.

  • Applicant must be at least 18 years of age and complete legal liability releases.

  • Projects involving riders who are professionally sponsored or supported financially by corporate sponsors will not be considered. Proposals from “amateur” riders that receive only in-kind corporate support will be considered, but support level should be disclosed.

  • The applicant and their partners’ overall splitboarding experience level must match the proposed objective.

  • Applicant’s proven photo/video/writing experience plus social media experience will also be considered.

RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

WRITTEN TRIP REPORT
Within two months of returning, all grant recipients are required to submit to the AAC and Jones Snowboards a written expedition report (including photos/videos) for publication and/or posting on the AAC and Jones Snowboards website. We understand travel dates can change, please alert the AAC when you return. Failure to submit expedition report will result in applicant being ineligible for future AAC grants.

Written reports are ideally 1,000–2,000 words and give a general summary of your trip. The report should include discussion of what inspired you to seek out the line/peak/mountain range, trailhead and approach info, initial snowpack analysis, camp locations, ascents/descents attempted and completed, plus any logistical information that might be helpful to future parties interested in exploring that region.

We encourage you to think outside of the box and construct a report that is creative, informative, and unique.  Multimedia including photos, videos and drawings will bring your report alive and make it more inspiring to others. If you capture enough video content to produce an informative video trip report that can work in place of a detailed written trip report. In this case we will still require some written content (potentially interview questions) to use for the web story that hosts the video. We are ready to work with you on your trip report and/or video to make a strong story. Take the time during your trip to write down or record the details of feelings, memories or situations that will help make your report a captivating presentation. And of course, shoot lots of photos and video!

PHOTO & VIDEO DETAILS
Sharing photos and videos from your trip will be the cornerstone of how we showcase your adventure on our website and our social channels. Simply put, the better your photos and video, the more we will share them with our fans. To give context to all aspects of the adventure, we suggest you capture images of not only riding/hiking action, camp life and character portraits, but also shots of the terrain, ascent/descent routes, surrounding peaks, flora, fauna, gear and anything else that will convey the details of your surroundings and your experience in the mountains. That said, riding shots are always crucial for telling a story. 

JONES SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media will be a major component of how Jones presents your adventure story to the public. In a perfect world, we would post stoke about/from your trip just before you embark, just after you get back, and then also when we publish your trip report/video.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • If for any reason the expedition is canceled or significantly changed, awarded funds must be returned to the AAC in full. Please contact the AAC office if your proposal changes.

  • When you know your final travel dates, please let the grants manager know.

  • Any photos of the expedition team or individuals submitted with an expedition report may be reproduced in any manner the AAC and Jones Snowboards desire. The AAC and Jones Snowboards will have the right to use photos submitted with an expedition report on the AAC and Jones Snowboards website or marketing materials.

  • Grant recipients agree to act as American Alpine Club and Jones Snowboards Ambassadors. The role of an Ambassador means you mention your AAC support at slide shows and events when speaking about the expedition; you may be asked to give a presentation on the expedition at the AAC’s annual meeting or other events; and you express a commitment to the AAC’s mission.

  •  Please direct all questions relating to the Jones Adventure Grants to the AAC Grants Manager.