MOUNTAIN KHAKIS - Built For The Mountain Life Blog

MK Ambassadors Head to Antarctica and South Africa

“Greetings all! It’s been a while since the Katabatic crew has checked in from the field. We have been busy with Everest and Antarctica over the past few field seasons and we are gearing up for yet another expedition to Antarctica. This one is a little different from the past gigs and I think its going to be an interesting one.

 

Last season a Russian DC3 crashed in the Queen Maud Land region of Antarctica. Thankfully no one was injured and all that was hurt was the airframe. So, Kenn Borek Air, LTD., from Canada has been hired to go down and recover the aircraft. The idea is to establish a base camp beside the plane, send down 8 engineers and field crew, repair the plane and fly it back to its airbase in South Africa. I know they can do it as I witnessed them do it 2 seasons ago with one of their own planes. Anywho, Kenn Borek has hired Katabatic Consulting (Kristin and I) to provide medical, base camp and mountaineering support for the project. To say the least we have been busy getting ready to depart. We take off for Cape Town South Africa in November to catch up with the rest of the crew and to make sure all of our equipment has arrived and is ready to go. From Cape Town we will fly down with ALCI to the Queen Maud Land region of Antarctica and stage from the Russian research station Novo. From Novo we will fly via Twin Otter to the crash site and get base camp established.

The camp will be located on the Antarctic Plateau at around 3500 meters with pressure altitudes around 5000 meters (15,000 feet).  After all is good, the engineers will fly in and do their magic to the plane. If all goes well, we should be out of the field by 20 December. Here is the catch, if we are delayed or the project runs past the 20th we will miss the last place from the area until LATE JANUARY! WE are taking lots of books and DVD's just in case.  We are also taking th enew MK Flannel-Lined OMP for the -40 degree temperatures.  

 

As Always, thanks to MK for all of their support on our expeditions.  It is always good to know we can trust the MK brand when we are a long way from th elocal mountain ship."

How MK Ambassador, Eddie Gianelloni, Keeps Busy...

"

I am now officially an EMT.  I will also be procuring my Single Pitch AMGA cert. in the coming months.  I will still be Sales manager at Massey's; not to mention, I will be going participating in the Triple Crown Bouldering series at Horse Pens 40 on November 7th.  I will be working on some great lines at T-Wall in Chattanooga and then it's off to Thailand in January for a few weeks.  In February, I am spending a couple of weeks at Red Rocks in Nevada.  I have several other trips in the works, but we will see.  My wife and I are moving to the mountains in June.  Not sure where yet."

WHEWWW...Congratulations on becoming a EMT and good luck with everything Eddie! 

MK Ambassador, Jonathan Holling, Wins Big at Poplar Place Horse Trails

“I just returned home from Poplar Place Horse Trials in Hamilton Georgia, and wow what a weekend.  This was a pretty major competition and I was able to win every division that I competed in.  I won the CIC** division with a new horse named Safdie.  Then I was able to win the preliminary and Training divisions on two young horses.  In total, I had seven horses entered and all of them came home in great shape.  We are now all set for the autumn championships in Fairhill Maryland.  Thanks Mountain Khakis for all the help/support.  I throw on mine [MK] every time I have to walk the cross country course.  It's great to be able to beat them up all day long and still look good in them at the end of the day!”

 

MK Ambassador, Bruce Smithhammer, Is Ready For Fall

“We've had a great abundance of water again this year in the northern Rockies, which means all of our local rivers have had healthy flows and great fishing. It's amazing what a couple good water years in a row, after many years of drought, have done - a great reminder of how so many of the things we love to do are interconnected by the common thread of water in its various forms. The snow level today is due to drop below 7000 ft and the aspen are glowing. It's undeniably fall now - my favorite time of year in Teton Valley, when the big brown trout start moving upriver and I can spend frosty morning with my dog, Hank, chasing birds in the foothills."

 

MK Ambassador, Nick LeFort, Loves Fall and MK

“Fall is officially here in New England...Oh man, it's as if I was meant to be on this planet just for this season...I'll be on the Long Trail in just two weeks - and all I am going to do is play it out...That and split / stack some birch, oak and other indigenous varieties for the coming Winter.

The Long Trail is no joke.  You can't just walk up to the edge of the trail and expect to hit it right..There needs to be preparation…It requires a complete mental shift towards wildernes.

Get my pack packed just right…Make sure I've got my weight down for peak performance…Do some "test runs" up Ragged Mountain…And just make sure I am at 100%

It requires key gear…MK AUP's included…It is by no means the most extreme line of trail in the world…But it is quite a scene.

It really does require some sort of preparedness…Something I have been working with - and approaching just right - for over a month.

I feel like a little kid…With a big beard.

In between that, I am excited to bring out the old chopping axe and start to split and stack the wood that will warm us through winter...”

How Do You MK? - Ambassador, Adam Jensen

MK Ambassador, Adam Jensen, sports his MK Original Mountain Pants as he drives from the Single Speed Mountain Bike World Champs – there was a stop in Moab for a quick ride!

 

MK Ambassador, Brian Dean at the Tour of Missouri

“I spent all of last week helping to provide medical coverage to all of the professional cyclists racing in the Tour of Missouri.  Aside from the 2008 TOM winner (Christian Vande Velde) crashing out in the first stage with a hand fracture, we thankfully had little work to do as there were no other serious crashes.  It was truly amazing to have a cadre of the best professional cyclists in the world racing around our city and state. 

Stage 1, a fast 72 mile circuit race around St. Louis, passed by my front yard with each lap so I had a large group of friends and family cheering the Doctor's Convertible I was riding in every time the peloton went past!  Stages 2-4 took the peloton across the unending, viciously steep rolling hills that cover southern Missouri, and the Stage 5 individual time trial, which started and finished on the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, decided the outcome of the race as Garmin's David Zabriskie (the current U.S. Time Trial champion) smoked the competition.  He was able to remain in the yellow jersey through the final circuit race through Kansas City on the final stage of the race.

 

 As was the case for the past two years, I think many of the pro riders were surprised both with the challenging terrain and the enthusiastic and warm response they received from people all the way across the state of Missouri.  German rider Jens Voigt (Team Saxo Bank) remarked that this was the perfect race for him to return to racing with after his horrific crash in this year's Tour de France, as he was thrilled to learn he had so many fans and supporters in the United States and Missouri. 

 

It was an honor to be part of the medical team helping to keep the riders and Tour staff healthy.  I

wore my MKs Alpine Utility Shorts every day, whether I was in the Doctor's Convertible right behind the peloton, on the Medical Motorbike behind the break-away, or at the back of the caravan in the Medical Sag.  Not only did they keep me comfortable, but I got more than a few compliments as well.  Thanks once again for making such a practical product!”

Recap of 24 Hours of Targhee Via MK Ambassador AJ Linnell

"The 24 Hours of Targhee mountain bike race fired off at the end of August, with fast riding on sweet singletrack and lots of partying at the base area.  Given that I had never ridden a 24-hour race before, I figured that it only made sense to put together a 4-person team of people who were all new to it.  As it turned out, despite none of us having ever ridden at night before, we won the co-ed division with laps ranging between 45 and 50 minutes on the ~8.5-mile course--29 laps total.  That’s a lot of riding.

Racing on my single-speed (the future of the sport?) I only went over the handlebars once, which I believe was the average fall rate for each of my teammates.  In any case, it was a super-fun event on a rad race course.  Back next year?  Absolutely."

 

Check Out MK Ambassador, Jez Blanchard's Newest Short Movie

Check out the short movie MK Ambassador, Jez Blanchard created from the Huck Southeast program.  It included the Tellico TN, Ocoee TN, New River WV, Upper Gauley WV, Green River NC, Little River NC. “What a fantastic trip, everyday was a packed full day of paddling and instruction!!”

 

Kayak Adventure, 'HUCK SOUTHEAST' is a high adventure paddling program for teens created by Jez, with the help of Andrew Holcombe, Ben Williams, Bryan Mangum and Doug Koziol.

Featuring Joey, Rob, Henry, Brent, Michael, Patrick, Paul, Will and George. Thanks to Bryan Mangum for his help with the camera work.  Huck Camps are a part of Falling Creek Camp.

 

A big thanks to all those that made this possible, my Mountain Khakis were used a bunch!!

 

MK Ambassador, Adam Jensen, Wins Olympic Distance Triathlon

“Just wanted to say thanks again for the MK sponsor.  A few weekends ago, I did won an Olympic distance triathlon in Missoula, threw on my MK's, hopped in the car, drove to Butte for a dental school classmate's wedding, did some wing dancing until about 9:30 p.m., drove back to Missoula for my friend's 21st birthday, went out all night, went to breakfast in the morning (still in the MK's), went for a run, then a mountain bike ride, then hiked 10.5 hours on Monday up and down 7200 ft. – ALL IN THE SAME PANTS!  Love them.  Here are the update's of my races so far this year.

Multi Sport:
Garden City Olympic, MT – 1^st Overall
Ironman Canada – 33^rd Pro
Bitterroot Triathlon – 2^nd Overall
Lake Stevens Half Ironman, WA – 10^th Pro/Overall
Coeur d’Alene Triathlon, ID – 2^nd Overall
Black Diamond Xterra, WA – 6^th Overall
Chelanman Half Ironman, WA – mechanical/DNF
Boise 70.3 Half Ironman, ID – 11^th Pro/Overall
Xterra North West Cup, ID – 11^th Pro/Overall
Wildflower Half Ironman, CA – 24^th Pro, 25^th Overall
Grizzly Triathlon, Missoula, MT – 5^th Overall

Cycling:  
Cascade Cream Puff 100 Mile MTB – 2^nd Overall
Whidbey Island Mudder MTB – 3^rd Expert Single Speed”

Keep up the good work Adam!