Owen Clarke

Writer

Owen Clarke is an adventure travel journalist working as a writer for VISIONS. A lifelong rock climber and mountaineer, Owen is an editor-at-large for Climbing, the executive editor of Indoor Skydiving Source and Skydiving Sourceand a regular contributor to the Travel and Adventure section of the motorcycle magazine Iron & Air.

An Alabama native, Owen grew up rock climbing and backpacking in the rolling hills and secluded gorges of the Southeast—initially as a Boy Scout—which fostered his lifelong connection to the outdoors.

During and after college, Owen worked and volunteered for several environmental nonprofits, including Greenpeace, before turning to writing full-time. As a mountaineer, Owen is particularly interested in the rapid loss of glacial mass due to climate change, and has reported on (and been interviewed concerning) the climate crisis for a number of publications, including NPR and Outside Online.

Owen’s writing appears in 35+ international magazines, including Rock and Ice, Backpacker, Trail Runner, SKI, The Outdoor Journal, Travel + Leisure, VeloNews, Beta and Yoga Journal. In addition to VISIONS, he also currently works as a writer for the adventure film company Benegas Brothers Productions and the high-altitude down apparel brand Valandré.

Owen has written for 60+ outdoor brands, including The North Face, REI, La Sportiva, Outdoor Research, Arc’teryx and Black Diamond, as well as nonprofits like Access Fund. His work with VISIONS involves telling our program’s stories via e-newsletters, digital blogs and webpage copy.

Recent blog posts

Hell or High Water in Appalachia

Hell or High Water in Appalachia

Mike and Chantal are four-time VISIONS leader alums who now live in Asheville, NC, and are leading a small nonprofit organization—Hell or High Water—that is working to restore their city post Hurricane Helene.

Tiger Song, 2023 & 2024 VISIONS Alum

Tiger Song, 2023 & 2024 VISIONS Alum

Meet Tiger, a two-time Montana Blackfeet VISIONS alum whose teenage volunteering experience changed his goals for his future. After two teen service trips, he is now refocusing on travel and minority language preservation.