Hilaree would have been proud to see this. Photo: Nick Kalisz
Hilaree Nelson was an esteemed ski mountaineer who bagged a plethora of achievements during her lifetime. In addition to raising two boys, Nelson boasts dozens of first descents from hard-to-reach peaks, including sumitting Mount Everest and Lhotse in just 24 hours. Nelson was also a beacon of leadership in the outdoor community, becoming the first female captain of the North Face athlete team, being named a National Geographic “adventurer of the year” in 2018, and, just a year later, earning the title of the “most accomplished female ski pioneer of her generation” from Outside magazine.
Tragically, in September of 2022, Nelson fell while attempting to ski from the summit of Manaslu in Nepal when a sluff avalanche knocked her off her feat. Her body was later cremated in Kathmandu after her partner, Jim Morrison, was able to recover her body.
While Nelson is no longer with us, two years later her effects can still be felt across thriving mountain adventure communities. Nelson was known for advocating for female athletes, and that work continues with Blizzard’s Hilaree Nelson Fund which awards money to various non-profits, and individuals tied to non-profits, working to empower women in the outdoors, and those working to reverse climate change.
This year, the Hilaree Nelson Fund racked up $60,000 to award to individuals and non-profits, mostly due to sales from the children’s storybook Leader of the Pack – the Hilaree Nelson Story, written by Kimberly Beekman and featuring artwork from Blizzard Tecnica athlete-ambassadors Malia Reeves and Soleil Patterson.
This fall, the recipients were announced. “There are so many fantastic non-profits doing work to elevate women in the outdoors and to fight climate change,” wrote Blizzard in a release. “We applaud their efforts.” The organizations the fund supports this year include ElevateHER, the American Institute for Avalanche Research, the American Alpine Club, Inclusive Ski Touring, Women of Winter, Inc., San Juan Mountain Soles, and Women in the Tetons.
Although some of these organizations may sound familiar to skiers and riders, such as the American Institute for Avalanche Research, others may be less obvious. All of these organizations are worth knowing about, especially (but not only) if you are a woman.
The first organization which received funding is ElevateHER’s winter skiing and climbing programs. Founded in 2017 and offering year-round programs, ElevateHER’s mission is to empower women through the outdoors saying, “we believe that every girl deserves the opportunity to feel a sense of connectedness to our community while developing skills to become a successful, resilient, adult and enter the workforce with the skills, experience and confidence to be a leader amongst her peers. We have a shared goal to bring greater gender equity to the ski industry as well as introduce more women to winter sports.” By introducing young women to skiing and snowboarding, ElevateHER builds strength in the mountains while also exposing young women to the various careers in the ski industry including guiding, ski patrolling, and instructing.
You may have heard of the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE). After all, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designs most avalanche safety courses people use before venturing into the backcountry. But have you heard of their Women’s Mentorship Program? Designed to increase women’s representation by “developing women’s professional skills and creating a network of women in their region and across the U.S. to help support one another achieve their goals of becoming a snow professional.” Introduced in 2021, the program assists women in building careers in avalanche education through mentorship, industry events, programs, and webinars. Often, the AIARE partners with big-name brands like RECCO to bring additional resources to its programs.
Speaking of the AIARE, another grant recipient includes the organization Women of Winter, Inc. The organization strives to create community, de-stigmatize mental health, and provide education and mentorship. The Women of Winter’s flagship program provides 2-4 day educational opportunities for Black, indigenous Women of Color (BIWOC) and LGBTQ+ individuals to increase the diversity and representation in the Snowsports industry “while eliminating barriers and creating a safe space to succeed.
An issue that may be especially close to outdoor enthusiasts’ hearts right now is voter turnout. The American Alpine Club (AAC)’s “Send it to the Polls” campaign aims to engage voters and combat the climate crisis by upping voter turnout. Although their latest work focused on the November 2024 election, there’s much more to do going forward. The organization explains that due to its membership base of over 26,000 climbers, “many of whom are enthusiastic about protecting access to outdoor spaces and addressing the effects of climate change on alpine environments,” the AAC is “uniquely positioned to educate and mobilize the climbing community in support of candidates who will protect the outdoor spaces we love.” Hilaree Nelson was considered one of the world’s best athletes who was also a leading advocate for addressing the climate crisis, working with Protect Our Winters (POW) and on the board of the AAC to provide realistic, systemic solutions to protect the places — and temperatures — we need to ski and ride.
Just get more people involved. Photo: Inclusive Ski Touring
The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Inclusive Ski Touring (IST)’s women’s program is based in Maine and provides financially accessible group programs to “develop an inclusive uphill community.” IST will continue its partnership with Blizzard’s Woman2Woman program to “connect, inspire, and empower women in the outdoors.” In 2024, IST welcomed 745 participants, 70 percent of whom were new to touring. To keep these programs financially accessible, Blizzard subsidized them by $40,000. This season, IST is offering Women’s Program Tours at Mt. Abram, Maine, Whaleback Mountain, New Hampshire, and Cranmore, New Hampshire, as well as Women’s Intro to Backcountry Programs on Mt. Washington. The organization also offers various open-to-all programs as well as volunteer opportunities, so there is no reason for more experienced skiers to not to get involved!
San Juan Mountain SOLES received a grant to fund group gear investments for its winter trip. The mission of SOLES is to inspire female high school youth to lead healthy lives, become leaders, and engage with their community. More simply, SOLES builds a community of youth leaders in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. SOLES states that they believe “a strong sense of self-worth and belonging is essential in fostering mental well-being and agency to bring about positive social and environmental change. We are on a mission to grow healthy female leaders who care for our environment for generations to come.” In the organization’s 2022 newsletter, SOLES quoted Hilaree Nelson, writing, “it’s much easier to be something when you see a path put down by women before you.” Upcoming events for SOLES include a book binding workshop and No Man’s Land Film Festival.
Lastly, but certainly not least, the Hilaree Nelson grant awarded funding to the all-volunteer organization Women in the Tetons (formerly Jackson Hole Babe Force) scholarships for Avalanche I and II courses. Besides funding scholarships to all-female outdoor education courses such as AIERE 1 and Swiftwater Rescue, the Women in the Tetons also provides clinics and fun events like bike rides, hikes, and ski dates.
Thanks to these organizations and an influx of grant money, it looks like the good fight is going to continue going strong. Hilaree would have certainly been proud.
