Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Mark Erickson papers, 1968-1978
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Mark Erickson papers
- Dates
- 1968-1978 (inclusive)19681978
- Quantity
- 1 box, (.5 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- USU_ORA 012
- Summary
- This collection contains papers related to The North Face, dating from 1968 to 1978.
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
- Languages
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Mark Erickson started working at The North Face in 1970 after repeatedly applying for a job at the headquarters. Starting out his career at The North Face with a broom and a pair of trimming scissors, Erickson was later offered a career as a designer. This position catapulted Erickson into the forefront of outdoor gear designers as he helped create many cutting-edge outdoor products from 1970 to 1975, such as the Oval Intention and the Big Foot synthetic sleeping bag. In 1977, Erickson created a technical line of alpine skiwear using Gore-Tex fabric, which was a fairly new and innovative outdoor fabric at the time. He also created a color blocking pattern for jackets – a brightly colored fabric with patches of thick black fabric in areas of heavy wear like the elbows and shoulders – that became popular with the outdoor recreation community. In 1988, Erickson decided to leave The North Face and started Erickson Outdoors a few months later with his wife Jan Fletcher.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains papers related to finance, design, and production at The North Face from 1968 to 1978. The materials provide insight into early operations at the company, particularly in the realm of tent design.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Mark Erickson papers must be obtained from the Outdoor Recreation Archive Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: Mark Erickson papers, 1968-1978, USU_ORA 012, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_ORA 012, USUSCA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The materials are arranged chronologically.
Processing Note
Processed in February 2021
Acquisition Information
This collection was donated to USU Special Collections and Archives by Mark Erickson in 2021.
Related Materials
Outdoor Recreation Catalogs (ORA 001)
Outdoor Recreation Magazines (ORA 002)
Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian outdoor industry collection (USU_ORA 005)
Separated Materials
The North Face catalogs from this donation were added to the Outdoor Recreation Catalogs (ORA 001).
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | The North Face balance sheet | 1968 September 30 |
| 1 | 1 | The North Face profit and loss income statement | 1968 September 30 |
| 1 | 2 | Drawing of The North Face sewing floor | 1971 April |
| 1 | 3 | The North Face Industry overview, plans for 1976 | 1975 November 12 |
| 1 | 4 | The North Face patent application for "Tent with Sleeves" | 1978 February 15 |
| 1 | 5 | "Why North Face Domes Are the Best You Can Buy" | undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Finding aid/Register created by Monique Davila and Clint Pumphrey
2021
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
