
Photo by Erin Nelson.
On Saturday, Nov. 16, outdoor apparel store Mountain High Outfitters will encourage locals to run in its inaugural 5K run, the Summit to Cahaba 5K.
Typically, the folks at Mountain High Outfitters encourage wandering and pursuing every undiscovered path. On Saturday, Nov. 16, however, the outdoor apparel store will encourage locals to run one specific route in an inaugural 5K run.
“The race came to fruition because I have always wanted a 5K from my two Mountain High Outfitters stores at Cahaba Village and The Summit mall,” said Christopher Groom, founder and CEO of Mountain High, which has locations in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.
The race — dubbed the Summit to Cahaba 5K — will start at The Summit and end at Cahaba Village. Participants will be bussed back to The Summit after the run for more festivities, Groom said.
The run will be one of many events taking place that weekend sponsored by the newly formed Mountain High Experience (MHX) Foundation, a nonprofit established this year for the purpose of inspiring and empowering people to live a more active, healthy lifestyle that embraces the outdoors.
“We strive to connect the community and people of all ages and families with a variety of outdoor activities, education classes and wellness experiences, as well as the Mountainfilm program, a 5K road race and the tools, resources and knowledge to live a more well-balanced lifestyle,” the MHX Foundation website notes. This year, the foundation aims to reach seven cities across the Southeast, starting with Birmingham.
“Now that I have started the foundation, this has given me a great cause to give back to the community and bring something special to Birmingham and other cities where I have locations,” Groom said. “I would encourage people to sign up for this because it is a great cause.”
The two-day festival — which will span Saturday and Sunday and start with the 5K run — will also include Mountainfilm, Mountainfilm for Students and several outdoor experiences hosted by the foundation.
Mountainfilm is an extension of a movement that began in Telluride, Colorado, in 1979 and has become one of America’s longest-running film festivals. It will take place at the Birmingham Zoo, with each film documenting a sport or culture — sometimes both. Mountainfilm for Students is offered at no cost for K-12 public schools in partnership with Mountainfilm on Tour shows. The program’s pre-curated playlists are customized by grade level with informative and inspiring content.
“We will be bringing Mountainfilm for Students to each stop on the Southeast tour, giving students the opportunity to learn more about filmmaking and the great outdoors,” Groom said.
On Sunday, festivalgoers will get to experience the outdoors at Oak Mountain State Park for a series of hands-on activities such as a Learning How to Camp Workshop, an introductory course to fishing, guided hikes and fireside chats. Games and food trucks will also be available throughout the day.
All in all, Groom said, the purpose of the Mountain High Experience — which encompasses the 5K and other events mentioned — is to ignite a passion for the outdoors.
For more information or to register for the race, go to mountainhighexperience.com.