After 29 years in Livermore, Sunrise Mountain Sports offers such a large selection of mountain equipment and clothing, you’ll wonder why ball sports were ever invented. They have gear for climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, backcountry skiing, snowboarding, kayaking, and more — and they rent about as much as they sell, everything from bear canisters to expedition kayaks. Founder Kim Grandfield and his brother, Rob, also run a variety of classes aimed at getting people outside any season of the year: During the warm months, they host kayak clinics at nearby Del Valle Reservoir; in the winter, they run trips to teach igloo-building; and during the spring and summer, they lead treks up Mt. Shasta that include lessons in crevasse rescue and mountaineering. In the basement of Sunrise’s three-story building is the shop’s only concession to the great indoors: a 3,500-square-foot rock-climbing gym. It may be inside, but it’s also a good place to meet folks who are planning trips to the local crag at Mt. Diablo or farther afield.
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