Becoming a Ski Mountaineer: Wisdom with Ellie Gober!

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing camper turned coach Ellie Gober about her experience in the 2019 Mount Hood Intro Ski Mountaineering Camp for Girls!

Q: How did the Mount Hood Intro Ski Mountaineering Camp contribute to your development as a backcountry skier and mountaineer?

Ellie: Growing up as a backcountry skier, I already had some of that background, but the mountaineering aspect of the camp was amazing. I learned a lot of technical ropes skills, self rescue, and efficient climbing techniques that will hopefully serve me in the future as I explore more exposed mountainous routes!

Q: What was your favorite skill you learned at the camp?

Ellie: My favorite skill was the self arrests using our ice axes, as well as hiking in crampons in an efficient manner!

Q: How did the all-female group and guide staff impact your experience?

Ellie: All female staff is always a win. They were teaching us skills from a female point of view and using adaptations that help female bodies and strengths rather than a more masculine “muscle through” approach. So cool!

Q: what is your favorite memory from the camp?

Ellie: My favorite memory was summiting Mount hood with two other girls in the group and one coach (some of the other girls were having gear issues and couldn’t summit). But it was an amazing culmination of the skills we had learned and was absolutely beautiful!

 

This camp is such a great opportunity for girls to develop their backcountry skiing, mountaineering, and outdoor leadership skills, as our amazing coach Ellie Gober shared!

Snag one of the last spots for the 2023 Intro Ski Mountaineering Camp for Girls on our website today!