OCR Text |
Show but distance dampened her dreams. The local ski hill, over an hour from her house, was too far for constant visits. Instead, Gleich began to play ice hockey, which she says taught her how to control edges and be competitively aggressive. When Gleich moved to Utah at the age of 15, she reinvested in her skiing passions, and by 18, she actively pursued skiing as a career. She reached out to several local resorts, photographers, and companies to begin. Her passion and determination propelled her forward as she made up for lost time on the snow. Since the transition, it has all been smooth sailing — or in Gleich's case, smooth skiing. She has been featured in several cover shots for Ski Magazine and Powder and starred in numerous ski films. She went on tour for her Warren Miller ski movie, and despite the limelight and fandom, she reminds herself to remain humble. "At the end of the day, the mountain doesn't care who you are or what movies you've been in," Gleich says. "Even if you had a successful winter, you have to continue to work hard and respect the mountains." At the end of the day, the mountain doesn't care who you are or what movies you've been in. Even if you had a successful winter, you have to continue to work hard and respect the mountains. Gleich says the fun of filming for a ski movie begins when the filming is over and the movie is in theaters. For her, capturing ski action on camera is a tricky business. The process of capturing the correct lighting, powder, and personality is a stressful, but rewarding process, which seems an apt adage for the plethora of adventures Gleich pursues. But not everyone recognizes Gleich for her publicity. Nate Smith first met Gleich when he was instructing a clinic she had enrolled in for August 2013 hosted by the Salt Lake Climbers Association. Smith, director and instructor for Mountain Education and Development, had no idea who Gleich was he saw her, something he now reflects on as an embarrassing circumstance. After getting to know Gleich, Smith can describe her in two words: energetic and passionate. The two are now close climbing and skiing partners. "What's unique about Caroline is that she still believes in her sport, and she hasn't given up on her ability to push her limits': Smith says. "She also takes pride in her technique and her performance:' Gleich's meticulous performance on the snow similarly translates into the classroom. She recently graduated from the U with a B.S. in anthropology, magna cum laude. The lure of the nearby mountains made skipping classes seem appealing for Gleich. To combat this, she registered for classes only in Fall and Summer Semesters so she could use spring semester to ski and travel. This schedule enabled her to remain focused. Her anthropology degree has proven useful in her skiing career. Gleich says she commonly relies on the degree when working with sponsors, such as Patagonia or Clif Bar, in trend forecasting and understanding the consumer. She is considering law or business in the future. For the time being, however, she says snow and slopes are her only business. Part of that business for Gleich is avalanche preparedness. She currently works with the Utah Avalanche Center to make videos and assist with classes. The issue is close to Gleich's heart in a heartbreaking way. Gleich's half-brother was killed in an avalanche when she was 15 years old. He was mountaineering in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Storm Mountain.The incident remains packed among Gleich's gear whenever she is in the backcountry; it is as important for her to remember as any of her equipment. She hopes her advocacy work with UAC will help others members of the ski community remember this as well. Another advocacy concern of Gleich's is the impact of energy consumption and global climate change on the environment. While at the U, Gleich published an article on the topic in The Hinckley Journal of Politics. She feels her voice as an athlete can and should be used to preserve the environment she depends on for a career. But she also has something else in mind. "I want my kids, when I have them, to be able to ski on this planet and enjoy the snow the way my grandparents and parents did," Gleich says. "I want to inspire the next generation of skiers to pick up the sport and pursue their dreams." To those that know Gleich, her addiction to adrenaline makes it easy to attach the phrase "jack-of-alltrades" to her. Besides skiing, Gleich also dabbles in modeling, designing, stand-up paddling, crocheting hats, refurnishing old furniture, gardening, and climbing, to name just a few. Gleich says she keeps a goal sheet with every aspiration, both personal and professional, that she has. This Magna Carta of ambitions, Gleich says, is to ensure she is never bored, as if the 90 lethal ski lines in McLean's book weren't enough to keep her busy. "Boredom is just a failure to engage': Gleich says. wm • # • • * 1 1I - • , le. 4*.r/ . - •-•:" ,,• 0" • gr •• • 4• •fi . ••• Caroline Gleich Niles*414‘..7 PHOTO BY LEE COHEN wasatci magazine 5 |