Congratulations To Kristen Ulmer

by Amy Patenaude
Outdoor/Ski Writer

Kristen Ulmer was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in Salt Lake City, Utah on the evening of April 6th. This is a great honor.
“The vision of the Hall of Fame is to provide highly respected perpetual recognition of the athletes competing in skiing and snowboarding and the builders of those sports who have made the highest level of national and/or international achievement and contribution to American skiing and snowboarding.”
The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Museum is located in the birthplace of organized skiing in the USA, Ishpeming, Michigan.
The tale I recall is that she went to Utah because she found a cheap one-way plane ticket to Salt Lake City where she honed her talents on skis to become a member of the U.S. Moguls Team and to become the first female extreme skier. She just wasn’t the first gal to ski off cliffs, she was one of the very best extreme skiers. She’s has appeared in many ski movies, including Warren Miller flicks.

In the late ‘90s she was voted most extreme woman athlete in North America and Powder magazine called her “The biggest icon in the ski industry.”
Kristen Ulmer grew up in Henniker, NH. Ulmer comes back to Henniker to visit family and friends and has led
WOW (Women’s Only Wednesdays) at Pats Peak many times. Yes, of course she learned to ski at Pats Peak. She skied in jeans and didn’t wear a hat.
A weekend of celebration with friends and family marked this special occasion.
I was able to meet up with Kristen and friends to ski Snowbird the day before her induction. Many traveled from all corners of the country to honor her. Among her friends to ski that day were friendships that began from her childhood in Henniker.

The new snow was clumpy and a few areas were closed to skiing due to avalanche danger but the sky was blue and spirits were high. Kristen flew down the mountain and everyone followed.
We all enjoyed catching up with one another while riding the lifts.
Quick runs down Mineral Basin were followed by runs down the front on Primerose Path to the Peruvian chairlift while Kristen and the more adventurous chose to ride the Tram for higher access. I rode the tram once but I didn’t enjoy the cramped quarters.
Ulmer has a best selling book available on Amazon, “The Art of Fear: Why Conquering Fear Won’t Work and What to Do Instead.”
Along with Ulmer another athlete that hails from New Hampshire was included in this year’s Hall of Fame class, Bode Miller. Miller was inducted and recognized for being the most successful U.S. male ski racer. Miller’s Olympic medals can be viewed at the New England Ski Museum in Franconia Notch State Park.
Congratulations to Kristen and Bode!

SPRING SKIING IS STILL ROCKING
There are still ski resorts in the East that are open. Put on some sunscreen or your rain jacket and get out! There is so much snow in the White Mountains that I predict we will be skiing well into May. There are good discounted lift tickets to be had so go find them. Don’t forget to buy your season pass now before the best deals have melted away.
Have Fun.

Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor enthusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@weirs.com.

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