MOUNTAIN KHAKIS - Built For The Mountain Life Blog

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble, Gobble.

How Do You MK? - Sean McLoughlin

MK Ambassador Sean McLoughlin reelin' 'em in!
Seen here in his Teton Twill Shorts.
Sean also recently posted a great review of the MK OMP and new Denim HERE.

Lauren Burress - Blue Ridge All Star

MK Ambassador Lauren Burress, 12, recently relocated to Colorado to live/train full-time.  But, NOT before being named a Blue Ridge All Star by Blue Ridge Outdoors.  An excerpt from and link to the article are featured here.
Paddling Prodigy
LAUREN BURRESS
At just 12 years old, Lauren Burress already has her sights on the Olympics. This year the whitewater wunderkind from east Tennessee won the Freestyle and Slalom Kayaking Junior Nationals.
Burress was drawn to freestyle paddling at age 6. She was on a whitewater rafting trip with her mom on the Elkhorn River in Kentucky, and her dad was paddling nearby with friends in play boats. During a break, Burress ran over to the kayakers and jumped into one of the boats with her dad’s friend—experiencing her first surfing hole. By age 8 she was running the Big South Fork River in Tennessee, and at 9 she participated in her first Teva Mountain Games...

Read the rest of the article and see who else was named to the All Star cast HERE.

Ben Peters Updates on the Kayaking World

MK Ambassador Ben Peters offers this update from his world of kayaking around the globe!

Hey everyone. With my kayaking season coming to the end and the snow on its way I can only think of my great experiences this summer. From cold spring creeking here in the Midwest to paddling huge water in Colorado, from freestyle to slalom I had a very busy summer of competition. Some of my biggest accomplishments this summer were making the Junior National team for Downriver, placing 1st in many of my freestyle competitions including FibArk and Midwest freestyle Championships, running my first 5+ rapid on the Narrows of the Poudre, crowned as champion of many events in the Junior Olympics, and many other adventures. My competition may have ended for this year, but my training never ends. With no water in the rivers I must paddle the flatwater around my house in Hudson, Wisconsin and I am also on a very intensive weightlifting program. I have recently been approached about a trip to Kenya this winter to bring awareness to African sports like kayaking. This is bringing international media and big names galore. I will keep in touch with the outcome of this trip. My downhill ski racing season is getting closer and closer, I am ready to get back in the gates and race GS and slalom. I have been training really hard for this seasons ski season. I will also look into kayak training trips over the winter to Charlotte, NC or international trips. I also will be training for my pole-vaulting season that is coming up this spring and late winter. Thank you to all of my sponsors, such as MK, that have supported my trips and training. I couldn’t succeed without your support.

How do you MK? - Bill Hoffmann

Bill Hoffmann hiking in Highlands, NC. 

Bill is wearing the Teton Twills in Retro Khaki.

How do you MK? - Bruce Smithhammer

Bruce Smithhammer in the Teton Valley on an early evening hunt for Grouse.

Seen here sporting his AUPs, a GREAT pant for hunting in the field.

Highpointing for Food

Mark Zimmer is in the midst of a multi-year goal of summitting the highest point in each of the United States.  Check out his adventure at SummitUpUSA.com!

We have all been there, the last pack of ramen noodles long gone and all that remains in your bag of trail mix is a collection of unrecognizable crumbs.  Usually this happens on your last day of hiking or kayaking, or just before you realize that you have no idea where you are.  However, depending on your budget or dislike for shopping, this can happen anywhere.

To be honest, I really wasn't out of food.  I was more curios to see the reaction I would get; sociology is such a fun past time.  I crafted my sign on the back of a Domino's Pizza box, and made my way to the streets of my hometown, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In case any of you are shaking with excitement and are ready to bolt out to the streets without reading the rest of this, let me tell you that it doesn't work.  I left just as hungry.  I know, I know, tough break.  On the bright side of things, I will tell you what I did get. 

First and foremost, I did get to have my picture taken three times with cute girls.  It must have been my stylish cloths, or a desire for personal amusement that attracted them to me.  Upon telling them what a highpoint was, they looked at me semi-confused, and then giggled.  It must have been love. 

Second, counting the three girls, there are now at least 17 more people in Grand Rapids that know what a highpoint is.  I consider that a fine public service in itself.

Finally, I got to see a good deal head scratching, finger pointing, and confused looks.  This is not always a good thing, actually it is usually a bad thing, but in my case it means that my cause got just that more attention.

I feel that life is all about learning, and trial and error is probably the most common way.  With that said, know that if you are ever short on food, don't try to highpoint for it.  Not only do few people even know what a highpoint is, even fewer carry around any food to give to you.  If you are trying to get some attention, on the other hand, grab your sign and hit the streets!

How do you MK? - The Silver Fox

Hold on people, why YES, I think it is another sighting of The Silver Fox. I know it is hard to tell but our intelligence division here at MK spotted the glow under the hat!  The Fox looks at home on a cattle drive somewhere in NE.

Alpine Utility Pants are made for this kind of work.

A(nother) Great MK Wedding Shot!

Thanks to Jamee Pierrzchala for letting us show off the pic!

Lookin' good in the Teton Twills!

Paley Becomes Youngest Member of Telemark A-Team

Congrats to Ambassador Lorin Paley who will compete in the Us National Championships next spring as a member of the A Team.  At 16, she will be the youngest on the team by 3 years!  For more information, read HERE.