Category: Skiing

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How To Be a Mountain Babe 2026 version

I had to laugh out loud when this article I wrote in 2010 came up on search.

Okay, it came up because I Google’d myself. Come on, don’t you? 

I remember, as clear as day, many things from the article:

  1. Working my first ski job where I traveled to all the company’s ski resort to train people on a “very beginning” CRM from 1999-2005. 
  2. Traveling to Park City for work and walking everywhere and exploring the city
  3. Reading about Kristen Ulmer
  4. And how all her points about mountain resort living are true, even 25 years later (although I don’t really live in a mountain resort town as of this writing)

Here’s what I wrote: 

Kristen Lodge – How to be a ‘Mountain Babe’

Sky-Hi News | Mar 12, 2010
Kristen Lodge / Outdoor Adventures (note: I wrote a weekly outdoor column from 2008-2011)
Grand County, CO Colorado

At 29 I got my first ski industry job and moved to my first ski town. Part of the job included traveling to ski resorts to train sales and marketing staff on sales software. The best part of the job was wandering around the ski town, eating breakfast and reading the local newspaper before a training class.

I clipped articles and photos from each town’s newspaper to remember the town and would add it to the list of places I might live someday; it’s a habit I’ve never lost.

I remember the day I read Kristen Ulmer’s article, How to Be a Mountain Babe, while sipping coffee and eating a bagel in downtown Park City. The article made me laugh out loud and wish my hair was long enough for pigtails.

I clipped the article and have re-read it over the years. It still holds true, even 10 years later, about ski town living, and it reminds me to live a healthy, outdoor lifestyle. Reading it now reminds me of all the cool mountain babes I’ve met over the years in all the ski towns I’ve lived in. Here is an excerpt of my favorite lines; used with permission from the author:

“In a mountain town, low-maintenance women who are excellent at sports and tell the occasional dirty joke are perfection.

“A baseball cap to keep the sun out of your eyes is standard. Two pigtails are now trendy and adorable, but remember their purpose is to keep hair out of way. And long nails … no way. If you’re a true mountain babe they’ll break.

“Smoking cigarettes is NOT cool (no exceptions), and drinking too much will hinder your athleticism. It’s OK to party, but remember, being in the mountains is about living a healthy lifestyle and enjoying the outdoors. And be careful who you “hook up” with, next week you’ll probably meet and fall in love with his best friend.

“Don’t expect to meet men, you’ll only meet boys (with toys) – and lots of them. Almost all have gorgeous athletic bodies and college degrees, but under that dirty baseball cap is a mono-dimensional play hog who’ll always choose climbing or powder mornings over cuddling or going for coffee.

“This is where “no whining” stickers are birthed. Even if you can’t keep up, a “wow that was great!” positive attitude goes a long way.

“A crummy, beat-up car is cooler than a new 4X4.

“Must-haves are limited to top-shelf sports gear. Pick one sport, and obsess. Not only is it exceptionally fun to be really good at something, but you also want the glory of being called ‘that sick mountain biker with the honed legs’ or ‘the Betty who launches monster halfpipe tricks on a snowboard.’

“Take up other sports occasionally, just to prevent burnout and narrow mindedness.”

Kristen Ulmer wrote this in 1999. She was a pioneer of Extreme Sports and a mogul specialist on the US Ski Team. In 2003 she started sports training, introducing mental and Zen aspects to winter sports in a clinic called Ski To Live. She is a called the “Ski Guru” by Outside Magazine.

“I’m proud of my ski career, and jumping off 70 foot cliffs was exciting, but not nearly as exciting as helping people access what they’re capable of – not just as athletes or business men and women, but as human beings.” Visit her website http://www.kristenulmer.com

She went from mountain babe, to mogul specialist, to life/business coach.

The mountain lifestyle can be tough at times, especially in a down economy. I’ve thought of leaving many times. I have friends with bigger homes, nicer cars, and larger 401Ks, but I like it here; trying to be a mountain babe.

Link to Source: ​​https://www.skyhinews.com/news/kristen-lodge-how-to-be-a-mountain-babe/

Thanks for reading.

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There are no ideal conditions

The picture above is from hiking Mount Washington in New Hampshire April 2022.

It could’ve been warm and sunny at the top of the mountain, or knarly and windy at 6,288 feet. It was pretty perfect. Cold, windy but not life threatening. It’s always a toss up.

My point, and what I’ve been reflecting on lately is there are no ideal conditions. Whatever I am meant to do, I need to do it now. Conditions are always going to be unfavorable.

The term favorable conditions is interesting because I work in the outdoor/travel industry. If you work in the outdoor industry “favorable conditions” is an indicator you are watching the weather.

As an endurance athlete I watch the weather.

As a marketer in the outdoor industry I watch the weather.

But now more than ever it’s about asking myself what am I meant to do and figuring out how to make it happen. It needs to happen. I need to make it through unfavorable conditions to be where I want to be.

The things I can control include: doing the plan, run, bike, hike, learn new skills, walk the dog more, show up, and most importantly do what I say I’m going to do.

A plan for this fall season is I’m going to let go of all the things I can’t control; and focus on the things I can control. By doing this I might just do all the things I want to do.

Thanks for reading.

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Back to Normal: Eat, Sleep, Train, Work,

Everything is back to normal. I run, ski, work, walk dogs, eat, sleep, repeat. Skiing at Gunstock is amazing. All the trails are so fun and have great views of the lake. Lucky me I get to work there.

Last week temperatures were warm and then soon as I’m ready to run, it’s cold again. Yesterday and today I ran on the treadmill.

On the treadmill I always choose a trail run to watch. Lately it is a trail in Arizona with prickly pear, saguaros and mountains in the distance. I try to adjust the grade based on what is on the trail. It makes the miles go by.

Mileage is short as I get back at it. But you know…..

I actually miss the long Monday and Tuesday runs. I can’t wait to get back to it. The days when the long run just overtakes your day and you schedule nothing. It’s all about the long run. It’s hard and I am anxious about it, but I do enjoy it. Holy Cow: 3 weeks until Antelope Canyon and flying to the southwest.

Here’s Goldie, entertaining me with her antics.
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Living the dream or just grateful

Sometimes I laugh when I ask someone how’s it going and they say “livin’ the dream”. And think, are you really? Is that cynical or sarcastic? Or do they genuinely mean it? 

What if they were to answer: “oh my gosh, I’m so lucky to have this life and I’m so grateful?”

Perhaps not as socially acceptable. 

That is my answer today, if asked, maybe, at the right time, in the right place.

Seriously. Today. My Life. I don’t want to sound too happy or too ….. I don’t know, because there are so many things not to my liking right now (not being at race weight, my dogs eating my comforter, gas prices, a pandemic, anything in the news, not running according to the plan).

But here are the things that have made me happy this week and I want to remember them: 

Despite carrying my shoes to the sofa, this dog is pretty awesome.
I get to ski as part of my job. I feel really good about this. Lucky.
Wear a helmet. This is all this means.
Seriously, this is where I work.
I biked outside this week. This truly makes me happy.
This doesn’t really make me happy but it’s reminder that Goldie needs more exercise. I’m going to run with her more.
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How I fell back in love with skiing

Usually with most tasks (come on, let’s face it everything is a task) I want to get it done and move on to the next thing. Even with running and biking; I can’t wait to be done. 

I know people who tell me running is their release, their escape. Not me. I run to get in the zone, complete the training plan and get on with my day. 

Then there is skiing. 

When I ski, I can go and go and go – like the energizer bunny. 

There is that moment when you can call it a day or head back to the lift. I want to go back to the lift; every time. It’s easy to choose one more run. Not so with running one more mile, or biking one more mile. 

I forgot this when I moved from Colorado to Tucson. I moved to the desert southwest primarily to road bike year-round. I chose biking over skiing. Now, I’ve fallen back in love with skiing. 

There is so much joy in skiing. It is one of few sports that make you laugh out loud while living in the exact moment. As I fly down the  mountain I am thinking of nothing except what is in front of me. Mountain biking is like this, too. 

There is joy in exploring the mountains and playing in the snow, and the views – the views are pretty amazing.  

Right now I’m happy getting to know every trail at Gunstock. I will eventually go to other mountains and explore more but for now, I’m studying the terrain, watching the skiers in the terrain parks, naming the mountain peaks in the distance and using new muscles I don’t normally use. 

I’m going to try to ski a few runs every day. My goal is 60 ski days.