Summit Publications, LLC has purchased the iconic Mountain Gazette from Skram Media, which was recently acquired by Active Interest Media's Boulder, CO.-based Outdoor Group. The monthly, Colorado-based regional magazine will join Summit’s three other publications: Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, Elevation Outdoors Magazine and Breathe Magazine.


“I am really excited about the purchase of the Mountain Gazette,” says Blake DeMaso, President of Summit Publishing. “When I entered the outdoor publishing business seven years ago, I took a lot of inspiration from the magazine. It is a real honor to add it to Summit Publications’ portfolio.”


The Mountain Gazette will also be a part of Outdoor Adventure Media (OAM), the largest network of regional grassroots outdoor sports publications in the country. In addition to Summit’s four magazines, OAM also includes Adventure Sports Journal, A.T. Journeys, Outdoor Utah Adventure Journal, Outdoors Northwest Magazine, Out There Monthly and Vermont Sports.


The Mountain Gazette originally started in 1966 as the Skiers’ Gazette. In 1972, it evolved into the Mountain Gazette, which, during its critically acclaimed seven-year run, gained notoriety for publishing the ground-breaking works of such famous writers as Edward Abbey, Galen Rowell, John Jerome and William Eastlake.


The Mountain Gazette was resurrected in 2000 and quickly reestablished itself as the must-read authority on the outdoor culture of the Rocky Mountain lifestyle. It continued its history of publishing some of the best-known writers in the West, including Hunter S. Thompson, John Nichols, Mary Sojourner, Ellen Meloy, Royal Robbins and Katie Lee.


The magazine will continue to be published under the direction of long-time editor John Fayhee. Distribution will remain heavy in the mountain regions of Colorado, as well as parts of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.


“I have had the opportunity to speak with John Fayhee at length, and we share the same vision for the future of Mountain Gazette,” says DeMaso. “Our shared goal is to work hard to return the magazine to its roots in terms of the look and feel and distribution in mountain towns throughout the Rockies and beyond.”


“This is a breath of fresh air,” Fayhee says. “Summit Publishing’s acquisition of the Gazette affords us the opportunity to re-establish our long-held position as the official literary voice of the West and Blake DeMaso has stressed to me his desire to retain the Gazette’s irreverent and quirky attitude. He wants us to continue pushing the editorial envelope. I am very enthusiastic, thankful and relieved.”


Mark Crowther, publisher of Skram Media, says that Summit’s acquisition of the Gazette “will permit our team to focus all of its efforts on Climbing and Urban Climber magazines, and on their integration with Backpacker and the other brands in Active Interest Media’s Boulder-based Outdoor Group.”  Skram, which recently completed a deal to become part of Active Interest Media, will transition operations of the Gazette in time for Summit to publish the September 2010 issue. “We’re thrilled to see the Gazette find a home that complements its regional, lifestyle focus,” adds Crowther. “This is a really natural fit.”


DeMaso says the Gazette will continue to be published monthly. Future plans include returning the magazine to its previous larger-sized format.