Built For The Mountain Life

US Womens Rafting Team Heads to Nationals

Mountain Khakis and the US Womens Rafting Team, also known as Team Timberline, have partnered up for a few years now, with MK providing the ladies with our stylish and comfortable pants Built For The Mountain Life.  With the women all living in the mountains of Colorado and being the badass boaters that they are, it just makes perfect sense.

We just received word that they team is heading to Idaho in late May to compete in U.S. Nationals with the hopes of reclaiming the National Title.  This year, nationals will be held on the North and South Fork of the Payette River.  The team has represented the USA in World Championships for the last few years now.  Good luck ladies, we'll be rooting for you.

You can also follow USA Women's Rafting on Facebook, under Team Timberline.

Headed For Some East Coast Climbing

MK Dealer Services Rep Jessica Hoffmann:

Tomorrow I start making my way to the New River Rendezvous in West Virginia.  It will be my fourth year attending this wonderful little climbing festival.  After six months of living in the Jackson area and seeing more snow than I ever thought possible, I am excited to see familiar faces and climbs.  Perhaps it is the altitude, but this area 10's and 11's seem a good bit harder than the grade, and I don't think a winter of snowboarding has helped my climbing abilities.  Still, I can't wait to see Beauty Mountain, Endless Wall, O Dub...

This year promises to be a blast, with Mountain Khakis and Mountain Sprouts joining as sponsors and the whole Fayetteville crew working their tails off so we can enjoy ourselves.  I noticed that registration has already filled up, but I hope to see some of you in West Virginia.

MK Ambassador Jez Blanchard Releases New Film

Jez reports:

Well after many late nights and a whole lot of work from all involved, our MK Ambassador Jez Blanchard is releasing his first video, Downunder the Horizonline, which is being distributed now via the Heliconia Press.

Downunder the Horizonline follows three Aussie kayakers and their mates on their travels around the  globe, cameras in hand, proving that you can live your dream without having a dream bank account.  Skippy Films presents this entertaining DVD about grabbing a boat and getting after it.  The rivers of the world are waiting to be paddled.

Downunder the Horizonline includes footage from Canada, USA, Norway, and has more Australian whitewater footage than has ever been seen before!

Now is your chance to win some free gear.  Just answer this question...What musical instrument does Colin play in the movie Downunder the Horizonline by Skippy Films?  The first 4 people to email Jez here with the right answer will win a free set of pants courtesy of Mountain Khakis.

Happy 100K to Jesse-Rae

Mountain Khakis would like to announce a special happy 100K and congratulations to Jesse-Rae, the beloved MK LR3 Land Rover.  Jesse-Rae has been a crucial member of the team, especially in the days of the Built Tour.   We drive her to events and to visit dealers.  Here is a link to her 60K celebration.  Next time you see her out on the road, make sure you wave and give her a thumbs up (thumb, not finger).

Mountain Sprouts wins Two 2008 APEX Awards!!

On Friday we received the exciting news from Polartec - Mountain Sprouts is the winner of not one, but 2 Polartec Apex Awards for 2008.  This year's Sprouts winners are the Rogue Softshell Jacket and the Signature Mitts & Booties Gift Set.

The APEX Award Criteria: products are measured against their intended end-use and judged on a) innovation and versatility b) functionality, fit and comfort, performance and wear c) aesthetics.

Mountain Sprouts has now won 4 APEX Awards, including one in 2005 and one in 2007.  Other companies that won in 2007 include Arcteryx, Burton, Cloudveil, Marmot, Patagonia and more.

For those who do not know, Mountain Khakis is the parent company of Mountain Sprouts, which is a member of the MK Family of Brands.  Stay tuned for more on that.  Congratulations to Mountain Sprouts!

Ben Peters Reports on a Successful Weekend

MK Ambassador and extremly talented young kayaker Ben Peters checks in from Wisconsin:

My first slalom race of the year was a very cold one.  28 degrees and whipping wind made for an interesting race.  It was my first time in my new slalom boat, the iTomco APS, and I had a blast.  I placed first in Men's K-1 Race boat, first in Men's OC-2, and first in Men's C-2 race boat.  I had the overall fastest course time and I had a blast.  A great competition with many good kayakers.  As soon as I was done racing I warmed up in my MKs.  This is the first of many races this year and I hope it is the start to a great year of competitions.

I have added two new rivers/creeks to my list, the Pine River and the Eau Claire River.  I had a blast paddling these new rivers and meeting new people.  The Eau Claire had a Dells section that was class 4+.  After consulting with my fellow paddlers we determined it was unsafe to run, there were too many consequences such as recirculating holes, pourovers, huge tree trunks and no place for safety ropes.  I am very glad that I made the decision not to do this rapid.

Now I'm training intensely everyday for Junior National Slalom Team Trials in Golden, Colorado.  The race is on May 31st and June 1st.  Wish me luck!

Greenland 50K Trail Race

MK Ambassador Josh Fuller checks in with this race report:

Greenland 50K

It was the morning of April 19 and it looked to be shaping into a wonderful day of running.  My girlfriend, Cassie, and I had rolled out of bed at 5am to make the drive from Denver to just south of Castle Rock for the 8am start of the Greenland 50K.  It was calm and there seemed a bit of chill in the air.  Maybe foreshadowing the punishment to come, maybe nothing but another spring morning in Colorado.

Needless to say, I was a bit nervous.  This really came as no surprise as I find myself nervous before every race, but the feeling seemed amplified this morning.  I hadn't gotten very good sleep the whole week, and I wasn't in the sort of shape that I should have been.  There was absolutely nothing I could do about it now, so I focused my energy on just going for a little 32 mile jog, with the added bonus of having a number pinned on my shorts.

Bruce Smithhammer Published in Fly Fisherman Magazine

Local MK Ambassador and fly fishing guide/photographer/journalist Bruce Smithhammer has an article published in the current issue of Fly Fisherman, exploring the Jackson Hole fisheries, including the Snake River, Hoback River and Gros Ventre River.  Bruce did a great job in the article of being informative and enthusiastic, but not too informative.  Nobody likes their fishing holes to be revealed to the masses.  Go buy the magazine.

Bruce also has an interview posted online that he held with Scott Yates, director of Trout Unlimited's Wyoming Water Project.  The interview discusses water management along the Snake River watershed.

Check out Bruce's amusing and sometimes confusing website.

Congrats to Albert Nugue and SYMG

Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides (SYMG) was recently named by National Geographic Adventure as one of the Best Outfitters on Earth and they also chose the SYMG's Yosemite Grand Traverse as the Best New Trip of 2008.  Why is this relevant to MK?

MK Ambassador Albert Nugue is the General Manager for SYMG, that's why.  Congratulations to Albert and SYMG for being one of the Best!

Olympic Torch Reaches Everest Summit

We've blogged a few times in the past month or so about the goings-on at Everest Base Camp this season with the Chinese and Nepalese restrictions, as well as the Olympic Torch relay and the goal to take the Torch to the top of Everest.

Climbers with torch, Everest Summit - AP Photo

The One World One Dream climbing team, made up of Tibetan and Chinese climbers, has reached the summit with the Olympic Torch.  The team captain and final torchbearer were both Tibetans.  Aside from all political issues, the mission was a technological feat.  Chinese television spent a fortune building a television studio at base camp and engineering transmission points at camps along the way to the summit.  The torches were designed by rocket scientists and used propane technology that allowed the flame to burn in cold, windy, oxygen-deprive air atop Everest.

With no major protests or issues, the climb went along as planned.  Whether or not you agree with the Chinese decision to take the torch up Everest, it's fortunate that there wasn't any violence or demonstrations on Everest.  It's just not the place for it.

Reuters Video: