For the sixth year in a row, Outdoor Research, a leading independent manufacturer of outdoor apparel and accessories, brings Vertfest – the Festival of Freeride and Mountain Mettle – to Alpental, Wash., February 18-19.

Touted as the Northwest’s largest celebration of verticulture, Vertfest offers a unique opportunity for skiers and snowboarders alike to immerse in both sidecountry and backcountry experiences, all while honoring mountain life in an interactive, entertaining and educational setting of like minds.

Vertfest 2012 kicks off Saturday, Feb. 18, with the Monika Johnson Memorial Rando Rally, and the afternoon continues with the Stanley Cup Fun Race, a recreational-style race. The festival will also celebrate skiing and riding culture with numerous demos on both days, a free concert featuring Seattle-based band Head Like a Kite following Saturday’s awards ceremony, a variety of gear raffles and après beer opportunities.  On Sunday there will be freeride and backcountry clinics coving everything from resort-to-sidecountry transitions, backcountry terrain selection, companion rescue and ski photography.  Ski photographers Grant Gunderson and Jason Hummel will be on hand along with freeski athletes Molly Baker, Kim Havell and Zack Giffin to teach and lead clinics.  The Splitboard community will also be represented by Neil Provo and Chris Tretwold along with top guides from around the Northwest.

“We are stoked to get back up to Alpental for Vertfest this year,” said Charlie Lozner, Director of Marketing for Outdoor Research. “This event brings such a diverse group of people together who live to embrace and celebrate ski culture, and that’s what Outdoor Research is all about – getting after it hard and having fun doing it.”

To learn more about Vertfest, visit www.nwac.us/vertfest. To purchase tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/215144. You can also stay updated on event details on Vertfest’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/vertfest.