Born on the trail
Born from conversations on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2006, YAMA is a company built around a workshop and a life on the trail.
Our Path
Conversations on the Pacific Crest Trail led me to found YAMA in 2006 (under the name Alpinlite). Since then, I’ve strived to get out on the trail as much as I can, and to design efficient, thoughtful, and beautiful gear inspired by my trail experiences. It’s important to me to make the most of by outdoor time, and I aim to help you find that balance that allows you to explore efficiently and comfortably.
As YAMA grows, I aim to be ultralight on the enviroment. It's a complex challenge, and while I don't have the answers, I'm seeking ways to minimize enviromental impacts while out enjoying our planet.
~Gen Shimizu
Our Home
I design and build YAMA gear out of a historic, former lumber mill on the banks of the Blackfoot River, just outside of Missoula, Montana. Here, I'm pretty much surrounded by national forest and wilderness lands, and on lucky days, I can see bighorn sheep on the mountainsides outside the workshop windows.
Visits by appointment.
Mailing address:
PO BOX 964
Bonner, MT 59823
Gen Shimizu
Founder / Owner / Seamster
I love finding cool plants and bugs as I explore mountain trails. I find covering ground quickly to be meditative, but I also enjoy meandering and stopping to inspect every little creature, often interrupting my trail runs for particularly interesting finds.
A mechanical engineer by education, I've always been driven to design, build, and improve. YAMA seems to be the natural result of this drive combined with my passion for the trail.
My mantra, “Hike Simply,” is about remembering the fundamentals that bring me to the trail and appreciating whatever the trail throws my way.
Thanks to those who've helped us along the way.
Katie Young
Former bivy master
Katie sewed and sold teepees as a kid. At YAMA she made countless bivys. Alas, we never got her to design a UL teepee. We wish her well in her career pursuits in climate adaptation.
J Reilly
Former manager
Adding to his triple crown, J fast-packed the Appalachian Trail a second time while testing a Sassafras V3 prototype before brining his project management background to YAMA.
Aden Norris
Former Seamster
Aden’s resume includes a thru-hike of the PCT, CDT, and The Wind River High Route. He’s also logged an incredible climbing trip to Squamish, BC. A self-described gearhead, Aden joined YAMA as an opportunity to expand his skill set.
Hart Van Denburg
Former Seamster
Hart fell in love with sewing while working at a custom van shop in Bozeman, MT. At YAMA he found a place to combine his love for the mountains with his passion for the craft. These days, you can find him crafting bike bags at oso y oro.
Greg Arpante
Former seamster & designer
Greg worked for YAMA for over two years after meeting Gen during his thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. If you have one of our Dyneema products from 2016 thru mid-2018, it probably passed through Greg's hands. We wish him well on his next chapter in life!
Liliana Betollo
Former Sustainability Intern
Liliana spent her last semester as a Chemical Engineering student helping us examine our sustainability and evaluate options for minimizing our environmental impacts. We're excited for her as she builds her new career with Patagonia!
Corbett Wicks
Former YAMA Labs Manager
Corbett helped us coordinate product testing through our YAMA Labs program. Corbett is a Triple Crown hiker and has established her own routes as well. She works remotely as an independent contractor in environmental and outdoor education.
Miles Dumville
Former Business Intern
Miles, who thru-hiked the AT in 2012, helped us with business planning and marketing from 2014 - 2015.