A priceless photo. This shot of our Original Mountain Pants is one that you just don't see every day, or at all, for that matter. They still look good, even wrinkled up and around the ankles. Wearing MKs and reading the Ski Journal on the pot...truly Built For The Mountain Life.
Photo courtesy TetonAT.com
Tuesday marked the final day of a three day Western Governor's Association meeting in Jackson Hole and consisted of comments from Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal and others. Topics ranged from climate change to wildlife corridors to energy policy, with energy and climate change issues taking top priority.
Western states plan to use more resources from local and regional universities in an effort to gain a better scientific understanding. Utah Governor Jon Huntsman will take over for Freudenthal as the chairman of the association and will host next year's conference in Park City, Utah.
Jackson Hole will play host to the Western Governors' Association 2008 Annual Meeting from June 29 - July 1. The meeting will consist of governors from the Western US states, western Canadian provinces and additional keynote speakers and moderators, including Tom Brokaw and Dick Kempthorne.
The agenda for the meeting includes protecting wildlife corridors in the West, managing water in the West, electricity transmission and energy and climate concerns. Discussions will include what to be done at the regional, state and national levels.
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced $1 million in funds for the pronghorn migration corridor from Bridger-Teton National Forest to Sublette County. The money will go toward examining the impact of improvements to fencing, which can have an impact on other wildlife as well.
We're glad to see these issues, the ones so important to those of us out west, being carefully examined. We're even more excited to see action taking place. Water and energy management, along with oil and gas exploration, will become ever more crucial as temperatures rise and gas and oil become more expensive in the future. The West cannot do without these valuable resources, yet there's a lot to be lost from irresponsible energy development. We'll keep you posted on related news.
New MK Sales and Operations Intern Kelly Harrell connects with the mountain life:
Last summer I had the opportunity to work at an outdoor adventure camp in Florissant, Colorado called Sanborn Western Camps. The camp was spread out over 6000 acres of pine forests, rocky mountain bluffs, aspen groves and a variety of hiking trails and campsites - making it the perfect setting for almost any outdoor activity. I worked at the female division of the camp, called High Trail Ranch for Girls.
As a counselor there, I was responsible for leading young girls in outdoor activities both on camp property and out in the backcountry. We rode horses, hiked, paddled, biked and even conquered a few 14000 foot mountains. Some of my greatest memories from last summer come from the 5 days that I spent backpacking on the Colorado Trail. During that time, three co-counselors and I lead a group of 9 campers on a 40-mile trek through the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area.
June 6th, 2008. Top of Teton Pass. Yesterday there was no snow visible in this webcam. Tough to convince anyone around here that Summer is only two weeks away!!
Congratulations to our very own Ross Saldarini, CEO of Mountain Khakis, for being named a finalist for the first ever 40 Under 40 Awards by the Sporting Good Business (SGB) Group. The finalists were honored by their peers as the best and brightest of the next generation of industry leaders.
The finalists represent a diverse group of the market from retail, outdoor, footwear, team sports, apparel and golf. The awards coincide with the 40th birthday of SGB magazine. Congrats Ross!
(Photo stolen from the Saldarini Flickr album)
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.
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.
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:
Today's email newsletter from the Outdoor Industry featured a brief article on the latest LeisureTRAK report. The report found that 48 percent of Americans say computer activities have cut into the time they spend outdoors. Thirty-eight percent say TV and videos have cut into their outside time. And only 46 percent of Gen Y believes we should be connected with nature.
On a brighter note, the report found that 66% of Americans believe we should be connected with nature, over half the population has taken steps to eat better and increase activities in the past year, and 55% of parents say their children play outside on a daily basis.
We believe the above "brighter" percentages should be much higher. Mountain Khakis and Mountain 
Sprouts want to remind everyone of the importance of playing outside. Good for the mind and body. Whether it's a daily walk or your weekend mountain bike ride, make it a goal to get outside more, and take the kids with you. Video games, television and computers are not connecting people to nature, but rather disconnecting them. Plug Into Nature!
-source: Outdoor Industry WebNews
Our friend Steve Casimiro, West Coast Editor over at National Geographic Adventure is running a fairly new blog, The Adventure Life. The blog features everything from trip reports to digital photography tips and gear reviews. Recently Casimiro posted a good article on the dangers of BPA in water bottles, namely Nalgene, and Nalgene's recent decision to pull the contaminated bottles from the shelves. Check out The Adventure Life today.
Happy Earth Day! I'd first like to point out the efforts going on by hundreds of companies and organizations around the world who donate through 1% For The Planet. This is a great cause and every year thousands of local, regional and national non-profits are benefiting from these generous donations.
Second, here are some alarming numbers taken from Deep Economy, a book by Bill McKibben about the wealth of communities and the durable future:
Folks who plan on camping in Colorado this summer might want to be aware of the trees surrounding them. The Forest Service is announcing that trees weakened by the pine beetle epidemic threaten to fall down or blow over at any time. This might sounds absurd, but I don't think you want to take any chances of having a 60-foot tall tree crash down on you or your camp.
Several campgrounds around the state will also be closed in order to clear out dangerous beetle kill. The White River National Forest, Arapaho-Roosevelt NF and Medicine Bow-Routt NF are expected to announce closures. Some of your favorite areas might soon be lacking vegetation and shade, which is a bummer, but better safe than sorry. There's plenty of places in the forest to camp where you'll find all the trees and shade you could need.
Here in northwest Wyoming, we haven't been hit quite as hard as Colorado or even areas of Idaho, potentially due to the colder temperatures up here and longer, harsher winters. In BC, projections say 78 percent of the pine forests will be killed by 2015. This bodes the question, is global warming at fault for the beetle epidemic?
It's continually shocking to see hundreds and thousands of protesters showing up to block the procession of the Olympic torch relay across the world. Most all of the protests are steming from human rights violations in China and against Tibet, and while the things that are going on in Western China are not okay by any means, it's a shame that the fall-out is seen all along the path of the Olympic Torch. I understand that there is not a better worldwide stage to point out the violations of rights and freedom on China's part, but there must be a more productive method than to crash the party of every Olympic parade in every city across the world.
The torch relay is meant to bring countries together and unite the world leading up to the Olympic Games, a festival of sport that brings out the pride and patriot in all nationalities, and gives the world a break from the dreary and depressing news of every day life. Bringing to attention the Tibetan hardships that are taking place and the human rights violations throughout Western China is a good and necessary thing. But doing so at the expensive of every individual who attempts to enjoy the Olympic torch relay is not fair. And now the news that San Francisco's mayor plans to partake in protests when the torch arrives in SF. The Olympic Games will go on, despite all the protests, and likely none of this will sway the minds of China's goverment. So is it worth it?
This is the first time I have ever personally seen a $4 on the gas price board (north of Jackson, WY). If I drove a diesel, it would definitely be converted to biodiesel, probably about $1 ago. The question still looms: how high does the price of gas need to get before people stop driving regularly? With a gallon of (non-organic) milk costing more than $3 now, it won't be long before you start to see more people riding the bus, or better yet, the bike.
The sheep in Chaffee County, Colorado have been a part of the DOW's Sheep Bait Project for over 25 years. What they do is "bait" the sheep at various sites with alpha and apple pulp. Generally the bait program is administered in January and February. Once the herd has increased in size, the DOW officers and a few volunteers medicate the pulp to treat lung worm disease. The sheep ingest the medication and the 
disease is treated. I have been a volunteer with the DOW for almost 10 years. Last year in February we ear-tagged and collared the sheep and the DOW staff took blood and fecal samples of the sheep. I ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time and managed to get head-butted by a ram...that is another story all together...
This post came from a MK fan, who liked her pants so much that she thought we should see them in action. Leah Cerise is a volunteer with the Department of Wildlife and works as a fly fishing guide in the Leadville, CO area.
When the weather gets nasty around here, with the wind howling and the snow pelting you in the face, the roads in and around Jackson close in a heartbeat. Although the Wyoming and Idaho Departments of Transportation do a great job keeping things safe and open, mother nature wins the battle when visibility turns to zero and traveling by car becomes treacherous. At times it's a struggle to get anywhere, especially considering that Teton Pass separates many of us from our homes. But such is the case when you live the mountain lifestyle. Check out this story on Cloudveil's blog by David J. Swift. It will give you a pretty good perspective of traveling around this area in the winter.
Last weekend I was skiing at The Village with some friends in town from San Diego. One of my friends, a great snowboarder who grew up in Colorado, was being held back by her boyfriend who was out riding deep powder with us in only his 4th time on a snowboard. The bickering began, and me and a few others started talking on the chairlift about the regularity of quarrels and fights stemming from a day on the slopes with your boyfriend/girlfriend who doesn't ski/ride as well as the other. Outside Magazine currently features an article on SDS, or Skills Deficit Syndrome, and it's crippling effects on a relationship.
There is no doubt that SDS is a factor in every relationship that involves spending time in the outdoors, whether its skiing, snowboarding, climbing, running, or even hiking. When one partner in the relationship is holding the other back, fights and disagreements are bound to take place. Never is this more true then on a powder day. As they say "There are no friends on a powder day". But does that statement hold true for girlfriends and boyfriends too? It's a sticky situation and one that is best handled before the powder starts piling up. My recommendation: Hit the powder hard and early, ski until your legs are burning, and meet up with the slower half for some runs towards the end of the day. But then again, what do I know? Have any thoughts or advice?
Deep Thoughts, by Jesse Malman, MK Marketing Assistant, whose lack of a girlfriend prevents him from dealing with SDS and it's relationship-hindering side effects.
Our tag line, Built For The Mountain Life, not only describes the construction, durability and style of our apparel, it also does a damn good job describing the people who reside in this amazingly beautiful and often times brutal Jackson Hole area.
My morning: wake up to 2-3 foot snow drifts in my 30 yard-long driveway. Call plow man, he won't be able to make it for another 30-45 minutes. I begin shoveling, only to start sweating and tiring before making much progress. Wait for plow. Drive over Teton Pass, snowing and blowing, 30-50 MPH winds, poor visibility, wishing I was skiing, not driving to work. Arrive at the office and park in unplowed 2 feet of snow, get feet wet and cold. Only 5 minutes late!
Teton Pass summitThis is by no means a complaint-based post, only pointing out the Mountain Life that we live and love!
We've blogged a few times already about the dilemma on Teton Pass. Large amounts of people, limited parking, angry hikers, fights, etc. Here's a link to a recent article about the issue from the Jackson Hole News. I had a long discussion with some friends about the situation, it's a bummer that it's come to this. Hopefully things can get worked out. In the meantime, you can find me in other local backcountry treasures, with no boot packs, highways, or parking spaces to have to worry about. Leave a comment and tell us what you think.
As a company operating in a mountain town community of the American West, we find it important to be educated about the issues and crisis that our region of the country is facing. These are generally stories that don't make it into the major newspapers of the world or the CNNs. We're talking about things like oil and gas drilling on the Colorado Plateau, wildlife management in national forests and national parks, various localized environmental issues, public lands and recreation dilemmas, and the list goes on.
We'd like to introduce you to The GOAT, a blog produced by The High Country News. I encourage everyone who reads this blog to also check out The GOAT and keep yourself informed and active about these important issues of the great American West.
Courtesy nps.gov
It's been a good year for National Parks across the country, but especially so for our two local parks, Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. According to a summary report released by the National Park Service, Grand Teton National Park has seen roughly 180,000 more visitors than in 2006. Yellowstone has seen an increase of approximately 280,000 over last year. Around the nation we've seen an increase in visitation by 0.77% from last year.
This is exciting news, since budget cuts and low visitation have forced the closure of several trails in Rocky Mountain National Park and threatened to close ranger stations and tourist information centers across the country. Mountain Khakis hopes you will continue to support your local national park in 2008 by buying a National Parks Pass, giving one as a gift or simply paying the daily fees upon each visit.
Due to an incredibly high number of injuries on the ski slopes in Switzerland, Swiss officials will begin using speed guns to monitor skiers as a part of new safety campaigns. According to the UK Times Online, overcrowding at resorts has lead to increased accidents, 70,000 of them last year. Helicopter rescue teams have been called out 300 times in December alone. Monitoring started on January 5th at Andermatt, and will be extended to the rest of the country.
Monitoring will start on a voluntary basis, with special areas for skiers to submit themselves to a speed check. The idea here is for people to begin to realize just how fast they ski. Authorities are exploring legal options for punishing fast skiers but will likely find problems here due to varying laws in Switzerland's cantons. Violators will not be fined initially but will be singled out and approached by resort officials.
Here in Jackson this program would not fly. Skiing fast is not viewed as dangerous by many, especially those who ski in control. In fact, speed combined with fluidity and style is the grounds for many judgements in the skiing world. I can just imagine the shock as one of our local rippers is stopped at the bottom of the Gondola and told that he was clocked at 40 MPH and will now be forced to sit out a run, or pay a $20 fine. We are happy to let the Swiss test out this program, and hopefully keep it within their borders.
Berthoud Pass, CO Photo courtesy of avalanche.orgA few weeks ago we blogged about the crowding situation on Teton Pass and mentioned that as more and more people continue to ski The Pass, the probability of accidents and tragedies increases. We saw evidence of this just this last weekend, as a snowboarder wanting to look down a slope stood on the edge of a large cornice only to have it break away underneath him and carry him down the slope, causing two seperate avalanches and being carried over a cliff and down 1,200 feet. The rescue operation lasted through the night, a sub-zero night, and put the rescuers at jeopardy. This is an accident that never should have happened.
Continue reading "Scary Incident on Teton Pass Raises Questions" »
Mountain Khakis would like to wish you all a happy and healthy 2008. We had a great year in 2007 and look forward to big things in the future. Keep your eye out for new MK product, dealers and initiatives. We have exciting plans for '08 and we hope you will be along for the ride. Cheers!
From everyone here at Mountain Khakis, we'd like to wish you all Happy Holidays and the best of luck in the New Year. We've had a wonderful year and look forward to great things in 2008.
Photo by Jesse Malman, Ferry Peak
We are in the midst of a serious storm cycle right now. 35 inches in the past 6 days, and it is dumping right now. Get your powder boards out and throw on your hood, the snow is stacking up fast.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort - 20" in past 72 hours
Grand Targhee - 15" in past 72 hours
Teton Pass, WY is a mountain pass 15 miles west of Jackson and is a popular spot for backcountry skiing and touring in the winter. This year the parking lot at the top of the pass is reaching capacity on a daily basis, and is often full by 7:30am. What happens once the lot is full is people park in several different turnouts along the road, turnouts that are there for the snow plows and emergency vehicles. The parking situation on the pass is starting to become an problem. Another issue to face is a common one when considering any backcountry location: safety. The more people that hike the pass, the more likely you are to have someone trigger an avalanche by skiing somewhere they shouldn't. Too many skiiers and boarders are riding this terrain without proper avalanche knowledge and equipment, and sooner or later somebody is going to get hurt. The problem here is that people assume that because there are several other people around or someone else has recently skiied a line, it must be safe. This is just not the case, and the chances for an accident only increase as more people hit the backcountry each year
Written by MK Dealer Services Representative Jessica Hoffmann
We made it to Wydaho!
Yes we made it from the Charlotte MK office to the Jackson MK office! It took 5 days instead of the 3 we had hoped for, but we made it safe and sound. Both Kansas and Wyoming had hurricane force winds (seemingly), which made whomever was driving the Uhaul feel like they were in a serious fistfight. It was best when the wind came straight on, but it felt like trying to drive into a brick wall. There was a time when my husband
proposed ditching the Jeep on the side of the road so that we didn't both have to drive. But, the Jeep (aka Earl) won the argument, and he made it all the way here being towed in style. The worse stretch of road was between Cheyenne and Laramie, where there were winds, snow, ice and significant grades. Our least favorite thing was seeing signs that said "Strong Winds Next 5 Miles." I swear the signs were every 6th mile. One of my favorite things was that my Berry MK Cords kept me warm and looking good despite repeated wear and no washings! The lycra made me feel like I was losing weight whilst sitting on my butt for 5 days, since it stretches a little with wear.
Dressing for job interviews in Jackson Hole can be particularly challenging. Wear a suit and risk offending the casual atmosphere of the office. Show up in a fleece and your potential employer may not realize just how motivated you are to shed your three part-time positions. Wear a tie...and, coincidentally, "that position was filled last week."
One of our Mountain Khakis shutterbugs, Keith Cozzens, has recently departed the part-time photographer/writer realm for a "real" job with my alma matta Base Camp Communications. I can vouch for the non-necessity of considering one's wardrobe when interviewing with Founder Mike Geraci (as long as you can think, write and edit while your officemate plays a full drum set just inches away from you), and I am quite thankful that this was not part of the hiring process back then. Congratulations to Keith for getting the job via the best "why you should hire me pitch" I've seen in a long time.
Our local friends at Alpinist magazine have had a tough week. Do what you can to help them out.
www.alpinist.com
For those who are unaware, the nation's first national park, Yellowstone, has recently been under debate regarding the access and restrictions of snowmobiles. The National Park Service (NPS) has a mandate to give highest priority to conservation of national park resources. Recently the NPS has decided to allow a maximum of 540 snowmobiles to enter Yellowstone each day, dramatically expanding the portion of the park where visitors are expected to hear snowmobile noise. Conservation agencies have been pushing for the use of snowcoaches and a full restriction on snowmobiles. Noise pollution, air pollution, soil pollution and wildlife disturbance are a few of the concerns.
"The quiet magic of Yellowstone in winter is like no place else on earth," said Winter Wildlands Alliance Executive Director Mark Menlove. "It's for that quiet, magical experience that skiers, snowshoers and winter hikers visit Yellowstone in winter. Unfortunately, the Park Service has chosen to degrade that experience by allowing noise levels that clearly exceed the park's own standards."
The Park's own scientists recently concluded a three-year study recommending capping traffic at its much reduced level to protect winter-stressed animals from being disturbed and harrassed. Instead of listening to its scientists, the Park Service has elected to double snowmobile use from those levels.
Yellowstone National Park is an incredible and vast area that is a phenomenal place to snowmobile. However, with so much open space and National Forests adjacent to the Park, is it necessary to snowmobile inside the park? Is snowmobiling any worse for the environment and wildlife then the thousands of diesel trucks and RVs that travel through in the summer? What do you think?
Mercury Ads is a treasure trove of creative branding talent located just north of us in Bozeman, Montana. And a bunch of really fun people to boot.
To help promote awareness of, raise money for, and actually put themselves in the shoes of the homeless men, women and children in Gallatin Valley, they are hanging from the side of their building in a portaledge for three days and three nights. Their goal is to raise an amount that corresponds to Bozeman's elevation - 4,186 dollars.
Above, Bob Jones's shift coincides today with the arrival of a cold, windy snowstorm. Thankfully his Mountain Khakis will help keep him warm.
We're going to support this effort, not just because we think it's a worthy cause, but also because we support their creative approach to raising awareness, and their willingness to sacrifice their own comfort in pursuit of that awareness...two things we think fall into the "Built For The Mountain Life" category.
For more information click on the cardboard house at the bottom of the Mercury Advertising website: www.mercuryads.com
A recent article in the Jackson Hole Daily features a young man from Germany who decided to drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park. He set the locations in his GPS unit and hit the road. Unfortunately, the GPS lead him onto closed Grassy Lake Road in Yellowstone, where he proceeded to drive until he almost ran out of gas and eventually got stuck. Luckily the man was able to walk 15 miles in 7 hours through the snow while wearing sneakers, trousers, a T-shirt and light jacket. He made his way to the Flagg Ranch and was able to break in and get help. He is now forced to pay the $900 to fix the door or else face criminal charges.
My reaction to this event is simply "how foolish." This story brings up the dangers of heavy reliance upon GPS navigation systems, and the false sense of security they provide. It also leads one to wonder, where was his common sense? GPS units are great and handy, but whether you are in a car and headed to a remote location or on foot in the backcountry, GPS cannot act as a brain. Venturing to areas like Yellowstone, especially in the winter, requires planning, preparation and a certain level of education. Who comes here from another country and spontaneously decides to drive from SLC to Yellowstone with no equipment or preparation? Just plain silly. Hard to have sympathy here. What do you think?
Living in (or near) Jackson Hole provides for many incredible advantages that aren't possible in most locations. One of them, which I am recently experiencing and enjoying, is early morning skiing on Teton Pass. It's easy enough to be at the top of the pass by 6:30 - 7:00am, hike to the top of your run in 45 minutes, and make great turns before heading into work for the day. This activity will continue to take place weekly through the ski season. Below are a few pics of my first dawn-patrol of the season. Teton Pass, Mt. Glory, November 28th.
Looking east to Jackson
Looking down the run
Looking west to Idaho
Posted by Jesse Malman, MK Marketing Assistant, who loves to ski, no matter how early.
Written by Penny Hecht - Mountain Khakis
Has anyone ever seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? Well my Thanksgiving always ends with what I picture as a pretty close interpretation of that movie’s general theme. The “27th Annual” Christmas Tree selection. Our family can’t do anything easy, so we always pile my parents and two sisters into the SUV de jour and head to the mountains of North Carolina. This feat has become especially interesting now that we have added not one or two but THREE dogs to the mix (two labradoodles and one goldendoodle – we definitely have a type). We start our annual journey up to the mountains at what my sisters and I see as the crack of dawn, translate 10 a.m., on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Most recently we have been heading to Sparta, NC to pick up our tree, because until 3 years ago it was an undiscovered tree farm up near Virginia. Typically the meltdowns start happening before we even get off I-77 North (the main interstate heading North to South through Western North Carolina). If it isn’t one sister angry at another for not sharing her magazine to the parents listening to All Things Considered on NPR just a little too loudly – the arguing has already begun. Wouldn’t be Christmas right?
Continue reading "Christmas Tree Cutting Tradition Lives On" »
This week's sign of the apocalypse:
Fort Worth, Texas. The new project will be known as the "Bearfire Resort" and will feature ski slopes spread over a total skiable area of 650,000 square feet. Additionally the resort will include a 600-room hotel, convention center and a world-class spa.
What else can we do to waste money and resources? Isn't anybody paying attention out there?
One of the ways we try to further the legend of MK is through regular communication with editorial fashion folk, one of whom happens to be Steve Casimiro, gear and photo guru for National Geographic Adventure. If you regularly seek out information on the latest adventure gear trends, you've undoubtedly referenced his informed opinions. You may also remember him from his days as the editor of Powder Magazine.
Steve heads up the annual NG Adventure lifestyle apparel guide, featured in the current November issue. Although we didn't make the cut from a gazillion photos down to the handful they used in the spread, Cas was kind enough to share one of his favorites (left) and is sending along some additional images from his trip to Chile. You may see one of these show up in the MK Catalog this year. . .
And speaking of photo selection - we're officially inviting you to submit any and all lifestyle images for consideration by us. We are always looking for images that help define our tagline, "Built For The Mountain Life" both in and outside of the traditional mountain town environments. All submissions should be lo-resolution JPEGS and be emailed to me, MK Marketing Manager, Shannon Brooks Hamby, at shannon.hamby@mountainkhakis.com. All submissions become the property of MK, and we're willing to trade usage for free pants. For all of you budding lifestyle photographers, take a tip from one of the masters - Steve gives some great photography advice on the NGA website as a follow up from his trip to Patagonia.
Written by MK Dealer Services Representative Jessica Hoffmann:
As I approach the one month count down before my husband, our two dogs, and I move from scenic Tuxedo, North Carolina to scenic Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I find myself getting nostalgic about 
our local area crags. Western North Carolina is a fabulous area to learn how to trad climb, if you don’t mind sometimes scant pro and the local aversion to bolts. As the fall weather finally reaches the South, I am enjoying astonishing colors, the opportunity to wear my MK pants, and, of course, the perfect climbing conditions. Rumbling Bald is quite close to my house, and is part of NC’s recent land acquisitions in the Hickory Nut Gorge and Chimney Rock area surrounding Lake Lure, which is soon to become a public park. The Bald is a perfect winter crag, as it faces south and gets plenty of sun. I presume my number of days climbing in a tee are numbered for the rest of the year as we get settled in Wyoming. I am going to have to toughen up quickly! Still, I got to send what I thought would be my winter project, Southern Boys Don’t Wear Plaid, one of the classic steep lines in an area that is actually known for slab. I guess soon I will know what it is that southern boys wear in Wyoming….
It's not all bad, of course, really quite a beautiful drive through lodgepole pine-covered mountain glades and forests. And I only get sweaty palms a few days each winter, when the right combination of horizontal falling snow and vertical blowing wind takes the visibility to zero (to envision this close your eyes - all that black? picture it white). Once the snowbanks build up in the winter, the fear of careening off the side of the mountain is considerably reduced.
And, as guard rails were recently added, this might be the winter I experience no sweaty palms at all.
Torres Del Paine, Chile
Here at Mountain Khakis, we live the mountain life. After all, we are based in Jackson Hole, a rugged and adventurous mountain landscape surrounded by miles of the same. As a result, we can safely say that our pants are Built For The Mountain Life. But what does this mean exactly? Our goal here is to determine, suggest, philosophize, and better understand just what it means to be Built For The Mountain Life. I would argue that you don’t have to physically be in the mountains to live the mountain life. It is as much a mental thing as it is anything else. The question that these statements beckon then is what is the mountain life?
Living the mountain life means enjoying serenity, whether you are in the city or relaxing on the beach. It also means caring about nature and the environment, getting outside to play when you have the chance and appreciating the different seasons and the variety of activities that accompany those seasons. Of course, the occasional or frequent trip to the mountains is a necessity for anyone who strives to live the mountain life. Those who aren’t able to be in the mountains as often as they desire have skiing and climbing movies, the internet and guide books to help fix the craving.
Whatever it takes, we acknowledge that living the mountain life is possible away from the mountains, and Mountain Khakis is here to make sure you are Built For The Mountain Life. So go out and get those pants dirty, and know that wherever you are, Mountain Khakis hopes to be there with you.
