A Partnership Built for Adventure
September 23, 2026 – Backbone Media, a marketing agency specializing in outdoor and active lifestyle brands, today announces a new partnership with Milky Way Park (MWP), parent company of Alpenglow Expeditions and Thomson Bike Tours. Backbone will lead an integrated marketing program including paid media, public relations, and influencer marketing across both brands.
Backbone's specialty in the outdoor and active lifestyle space positions the agency to connect both brands with the adventurers, athletes, and travelers at the center of their communities. The partnership will focus on building awareness, deepening engagement, and driving measurable growth across the full range of each brand's offerings, from accessible entry points to bucket-list expeditions. The new engagement brings both brands under a single, coordinated marketing approach while preserving the distinct identity, audience, and heritage that define each one.
"We've spent 30 years working alongside brands the outdoor world genuinely looks up to. The ones that earn their reputation inside the communities they serve. Alpenglow is that brand for the alpine and climbing world: AMGA-accredited, guide-led, the name serious climbers trust. Thomson is that for cycling travel, guiding enthusiasts across the great passes of Europe and into the culture of the sport at its highest level, with the hospitality and depth that turns a ride into something you talk about for years. These aren't brands chasing adventure tourism. They're the ones the community trusts,” said Greg Williams, President at Backbone Media. “Partnering with both under one integrated strategy that still honors what makes each one distinct is exactly the kind of work we built this agency for."
"We wanted a partner who understands sports and adventure as deeply as we do, and who could bring real care to both Alpenglow and Thomson,” said Matthew Lloyd-Thomas, Founder and CEO of Milky Way Park. “Alpenglow and Thomson are generational brands in mountain sports and cycling. Backbone knows these audiences and this industry, and we’re excited to work together to introduce more climbers, skiers and cyclists to our extraordinary experiences."
To learn more about each brand and the adventures they offer, visit Alpenglow Expeditions at alpenglowexpeditions.com and Thomson Bike Tours at thomsonbiketours.com.
About Alpenglow Expeditions
Alpenglow Expeditions was founded in 2004 by Adrian Ballinger, an AMGA/IFMGA-certified mountain guide who has personally led more than 150 international expeditions and guided more than 100 climbers to the summits of 8,000-meter peaks. Ballinger continues to lead Alpenglow in innovative climbing techniques, premier logistics, experienced guides, and smaller, curated teams that deliver an inspiring, powerful experience for every client, from Via Ferrata routes above the company's Lake Tahoe home base to expeditions across the globe. Learn more at alpenglowexpeditions.com.
About Thomson Bike Tours
Founded in 2002 by Peter Thomson, a former professional racer who organized a trip for friends to watch the Tour de France and never stopped, Thomson Bike Tours creates innovative and personalized cycling trips that are equally challenging and rewarding, pairing elite logistics and guiding with an unmatched commitment to the sport. Thomson offers cycling tours to the world's most famous cycling destinations, including the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites, Switzerland, Spain, Scotland, Croatia, Portugal and Colombia, and is the leading Official Tour Operator to the world's greatest cycling event, the Tour de France. Learn more at thomsonbiketours.com.
Media Contact
Anna Sienko
Backbone Media
anna.sienko@backbone.media