The North Face today has rolled out PlanetExplore, a new online resource for outdoor recreational activities, in the Midwest, starting in Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Created by The North Face, PlanetExplore is an online community designed to help individuals and families learn about and participate in outdoor activities and events in their area.


PlanetExplore partners in the Midwest area include such non-profit organizations as Inner City Outings (ICO), Wilderness Classroom, Camp of Dreams, Minnesota Off Road Cyclists (MORC), Go4TheSummit, and Play it Forward to name a few. PlanetExplore will continue to add partners in the Midwest on an ongoing basis and encourages 503c organizations that are actively promoting outdoor activity for children to join.


With the Midwest launch, PlanetExplore continues its nationwide rollout after successfully launching in Denver, New York, and the San Francisco Bay Area, home of The North Face. The site has partnered with more than 100 non-profit organizations across the country, offering opportunities to discover a diverse array of outdoor activities, from hiking and mountain biking, to nature walks and beach cleanups.

“It’s crucial for kids and adults, especially those from urban communities, to get outside at every opportunity,” said Colin Tysoe, Chair of Chicago’s Inner City Outings, a PlanetExplore partner. “When kids spend time outdoors, it makes them more healthy, fit, and happy. Introducing Midwesterners to all the great organizations on PlanetExplore will give them a terrific opportunity to get outside.”


The Special Report on Youth, issued in January by The Outdoor Foundation, found that outdoor participation among youth continues to decrease each year, with the rate of decline steepest among the youngest age groups.


Since The Outdoor Foundation began tracking youth participation in 2006, the rate of participation among girls 6-to-12 fell from 77 to 58 percent, while that of boys 6-to-12 fell from 79 to 69 percent, reflecting the inactivity and obesity crisis facing American youth today. The biggest barriers for non-participants were lack of interest, including screen time (TV, video games, and computers) at 39 percent, and lack of parental support, 17 percent.


“It’s important that children learn to connect with nature and the outdoors at an early age as a growing body of evidence indicates that children who participate in unstructured outdoor activities are healthier, happier, and better learners, and these assets can carry into adulthood,” says Richard Louv, chairman of the Children & Nature Network and the author of seven books, including his most recent Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder.


“Thanks to the steadfast leadership and generous support of The North Face, young leaders from across the country will be empowered to reclaim, redefine and rediscover the outdoors,” said Chris Fanning, executive director of The Outdoor Foundation.