Local business owner creates badges for hikers

PROVO — A Utah outdoor store is encouraging people to go on a hike this summer and in return they will give you a special badge to commemorate the accomplishment, which the store owner said was once an old tradition.

Timpanogos Hiking Co., located in downtown Provo, sells shirts, hoodies, other outdoor apparel that showcase Utah, but founder Joe Vogel said one of the stores most popular items is technically free. Vogel hands out badges to hikers who summit 10 peaks across the Wasatch Front.

“I was just reading about all things Mt. Timpanogos and I found this old history book and I learned that the patches were given out way back, like in the 1930s,” Vogel said.

It was a tradition that was started by a BYU professor — an annual hike to Mt. Timpanogos that at that time would take a few days. Once completed, those who participated would earn a patch.

“I guess they ended the tradition in 1972,” Vogel said. “I thought it would be really cool to kind of bring it back.”

Vogel said the through word of mouth, dozens of people heard about the badge.

“We just did the (Mt. Timpanogos) badge and it just blew up and we ran out,” he said.

Ten different badges

Now, hikers can earn 10 different summit badges: Mt. Timpanogos, Mt. Nebo, Mt. Olympus, the Pfeifferhorn, Ben Lomond, Lone Peak, Provo Peak, King’s Peak, Kyhv Peak, and the Y Mountain east of BYU’s campus.

“I think somebody’s got nine and they (need) one more peak to go,” Vogel said.

To earn a badge, one must hike to the peak, take a picture, tag the store on social media, and visit the store.

The badges have grown in popularity.

“We’ve had people come from Germany, from France, like from all over the world,” Vogel said.

The badges have also become meaningful and a goal to achieve for some.

“We had this little girl that that was like overcoming cancer and she had this goal of getting up to the Y,” Vogel said. “She came in and got her white badge and she was so excited.”

Vogel grew up in Utah and moved back to home state after giving up his tenured professor career in the east coast.

“This was a complete change of career for me,” Vogel said. “But my parents were going through some very serious health issues. And when I would come out here to visit Utah, first of all, I was reminded how beautiful it is here. But secondly, hiking was just really good for me.”

He said the store’s motto is to escape the noise, hoping to spread his love for the outdoors and its impact to one’s mental health.

“We know we’re doing something important and something that means something to people.”

Timpanogos Hiking Co. is located in Provo at 252 N. University Avenue. To learn more about the badges, click here.