Annual Sports Swap a Community Affair

Used Outdoor Gear Sale benefits Sellers, Buyers, Kids and Local Nonprofits

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Take a couple of local nonprofits, stir in 150 volunteers, sprinkle liberally with school students, and add a dash of eager, gear-hungry skiers, riders, and Nordic enthusiasts. 

Set this concoction on an early November day when the winter’s first crust of snow hugs the edges of parking lots like frosting on a cake.

The result? The annual Girdwood Ski and Sports Swap—a beloved community event hosted by Four Valleys Community School.

Girdwood Ski and Sports Swap volunteers ring up purchases.  (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

"This is such a community event," said longtime volunteer Jacky Graham. "I love to see people come together to support Four Valleys. Girdwood is the best community in all of Anchorage."

As gear-hunters milled around Alyeska's expansive Daylodge hall, Four Valleys Executive Director Beks Rumley described some impressions of this year's Swap.

"This year we've had less skis and way more clothing," Rumley said, "and I've seen a lot of families shop together."

Nordic gear is always a favorite and the Swap is excellent place to shop for mid-layers, she said. 

Boots, boots, and more boots line a table at the Girdwood Ski and Sports Swap (Photos by Soren Wuerth)

This year's Swap had nearly all of its 200 "control sheets" filled out. The sheets are given to sellers to list items to sell at the price they want. Four Valleys gets a portion of the sale, but the rest goes back to the seller. Much of the gear is steeply discounted, though some items, like a large puffy jacket for $200, could require a deeper dive into one's wallet.

The event raises $5,000 to $10,000 for the Four Valleys nonprofit, a group that offers classes and workshops for locals. 

The Swap also helps raise money for other causes. Girdwood School students staff a coat room at the entrance to receive tips to help fun a spring trip to Washington D.C, the Girdwood Lion's Club is a partner, and the Girdwood Nordic Ski Club sells merchandise. The Powder Hound Ski Shop and Alyeska Resort lend support. 

The event's success depends on the community:  how many people bring gear to sell, how many people volunteer, how many people turn out to shop, and how many people help spread the word.

"We're only as successful as Girdwood lets us be," Rumley said.

A patron browses for lucky finds amongst plentiful used gear during Girdwood Ski and Sport Swap.  (Photo by Soren Wuerth)