Jackson Hole is for people who are passionate about the mountains both from a recreational and spiritual stance and certainly from a physical fitness stance. That said, Jackson Hole is also for jocks. There is a groundswell of growing  understanding afoot in Jackson underscoring the importance of training off the mountain as much as on. With the introduction of a new place to realize peak physical fitness several years ago, Mountain Athlete has transformed bodies, athletic boundaries and lives of the most elite and understated outdoors people in Jackson. Perhaps you see this mounting movement of emphasis on the limitless possibility of fitness in other areas around the country in the form of cross fit, for example. Mountain Athlete’s approach is seemingly on another level, one that helps residents here realize just that- higher levels. It’s exciting to see that The North Face is picking up on the growing trends and regimens of athletes-in-trainining and providing the perfect apparel to compliment these pursuits with their new line Mountain Athletics.

The North Face Drops Mountain Athletics

The timely and techie Mountain Athletics line is seemingly launching right in our back door. Jackson Hole- based professional and North Face-sponsored athlete Kit DesLauriers is the out of the gate tester and spokesperson for the new line. Together, she and local ‘weekend warrior’ George Hein are training at Mountain Athlete with Kit as a mentor and Mountain Athlete gym owner and head coach Rob Shaul. Using their story and training regimen among others, The North Face explores what it takes to take on bigger physical feats with respect to training. The multi platform approach and apparel are the perfect inspirational paring.

Ski Mountaineering Training

George and Kit’s story and journey has been at work all winter with hopes of a final test of ski mountaineering for George (with Kit) this spring somewhere in the Tetons.  Kit’s long commitment to sports-specific training and efficiency with the greater goal of going further in the mountains is at the heart of The North Face Mountain Athletics mission.

Setting training goals off the mountain is just as important as on so that, in the words of George, one can ‘work it all out here’ rather than ‘work it out up there.’ ‘Train Smarter’: That’s a Teton truth.