Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

#5: Trail Chic rocks the runway for outdoor education

Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Number 5 on our Top Ten highlights list is the the Trail Chic fashion show fundraiser for the Committee’s Outdoor Experiences program.

Mono Lake Intern Max Henkels walked the runway as the invasive weed, sweet clover. Photo by Lynette Villagomez.

This is really one of those events that you’ve got to see to believe. The Mono Lake Committee pairs up with Barefoot Wine & Bubbly for this seriously fun fundraiser where volunteer models inspired by all things outdoors—paddlers, birders, mountaineers, retro-backpackers, alien hikers, an alkali fly, and even a non-native invasive weed—strut down an astroturf runway.

Birders on the runway! Outdoor Experiences Lead Instructor Terry McLaughlin and  her husband Vern Gersh  hammed it up. Photo by Lynette Villagomez.

This year we had help from our friends at Bike & Build, cyclists who support affordable housing, who rolled into town just in time to strut their stuff on the runway. Models sported gear from event sponsors Patagonia and Wilson’s Eastside Sports, and the audience enjoyed snacks from the Mono Market paired with their favorite Barefoot beverages and a great silent auction. We couldn’t do this event without Barefoot—thank you!

Trail Chic 2012 fashion show runway models. Photo courtesy of Lundy Schneider.

Trail Chic happens every other year, so we hope to see you in 2014!

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