K2 Sports has formally announced the acquisition of Backcountry Access (BCA). The ski industry titan, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, already had a number of ski, snowboard and snowshoe brands under its direction but BCA will be the first company of its kind for K2. “BCA fits perfectly within the K2 Sports family of brands and rounds out our portfolio as we continue to grow our leadership in winter sports,” said Anthony De Rocco, President and CEO of K2 Sports.

BCA is located in Boulder, CO and was co-founded by Bruce McGowan and Bruce Edgerly in 1994. The snow safety company is well known for producing one of the first easy-to-use digital beacons that revolutionized the industry, the Tracker DTS, and currently produces some of the most affordable airbag packs on the market, the Float series. In addition to these popular products, the company puts great emphasis on educating people on the topics of snow safety and backcountry travel.

McGowan says that the BCA culture will not change due to this acquisition. They will continue to focus on their mission, but having such a large financial backing will enable them to take it to the next level. “K2 Sports gives us a platform to innovate further on a product level while concurrently casting a wider net with our scientific research and snow-safety education efforts.”

This merger should come as good news for backcountry enthusiasts who will no doubt benefit from the increased innovation that BCA will now be able to provide. We look forward to seeing what they can produce.

Learn more about BCA’s humble beginnings here.