“The joy of living is in direct proportion to how much pleasure you know how to derive from every aspect of living.”

Born in Boulder, Colorado with the mountains at my back door, I discovered my love for the outdoors at an early age. Thirteen years later, due to my love for speed, I began racing for Copper Mountain Ski Team. However, after one too many disqualifications from races for skipping gates, I realized that racing did not embody what I loved about skiing. I could never understand why we were stuck side slipping the slalom course on a day that could have offered endless face shots. After my departure from racing, I continued skiing as much as possible and began to develop my big mountain and freeskiing skills.

I entered the world of freeskiing competitions in the summer of 2003 while living on New Zealand’s South Island. Here I competed in the Marmot Telemark Series. I fell in love with it instantly. The competition was fierce and the group was rowdy, I knew I’d found my niche. I spent the following winter in Chamonix, France where I competed in local Helly Hanson Winter Ride Series and the IFSA European Tour. The highlight of the Euro competitions was the Verbier Ride where I placed 5th and secured myself a spot as an IFSA pre-qualified athlete for 2005. After a season ending injury in the spring of 2004, I returned to the US to rehab and get strong for the next winter. The plan was to compete on the IFSA North American Tour in 2005, however at the first competition of the season in Snowbird I dislocated my shoulder while airing off a cliff. It was the 3rd bad dislocation in only a few months, so I received surgery a month later and spent the rest of my season recovering. In the spring of 2005 I graduated from the University of Denver and moved to Aspen, CO. That fall I was awarded the Max Marolt Scholarship, a scholarship designed for athletes who live and train in Aspen Colorado. With a little luck from Mother Nature, winter 06 was epic. From mid December through the end of January it snowed virtually every day in Aspen making for their best season in over 30 years and breaking record snow packs. I was one of the lucky who got to reap the benefits every day. Easing my way back into competition, I competed in the Colorado Freeride Series; a series of three big mountain events and a championship all held in Snowmass CO. It was a successful season of becoming a stronger, safer, and more experienced skier. In 2007, I will be competing on the IFSA North American Tour, and the CO Freeride Series, with aspirations of standing atop the podium!

While skiing is my number one passion, I also spend time diving into a few other things. To support my skiing lifestyle I am a Pilates Instructor at O2 Aspen. Pilates has become a huge part of my life and has changed my skiing in ways I never could have imagined. I stumbled into Pilates accidentally after a devastating ski accident while living in Chamonix, France. . It resulted in shoulder surgery and months of rehab. However, the accident was a blessing in disguise for it led me to discover Pilates. What I discovered was that it not only heeled my shoulder, but it transformed my entire body. This translated directly into my skiing, mountain biking, and life in general. Because of the incredible results, I decided that Pilates was something I wanted to be involved with for life. I became a certified instructor through the Physical Mind Institute. I love working closely with everyone from injured athletes to someone who just wants to get in shape. It is incredibly rewarding to have a profession where you can see your efforts actually improving someone’s daily life, whether it be from eliminating pain or simply making them feel better about themselves.

Between Pilates and skiing I am a freelance photographer and writer. There is so much beauty in each and every moment, and to capture that on film is one of my favorite things to do. The second I see a beautiful image, words immediately start flowing and I am inspired to write.

I think it is very important to pursue your passions in life and discover the things that truly make you happy, for you never know when it might all be taken from you. It is often a more challenging path to pursue your happiness, but the rewards are indescribable. I live each day with the words from the opening quote echoing through my head.

-Kate Keenan Olson