JACKSON, Wyo. — In honor of Women’s History Month, Buckrail spoke with extreme-skier and mountaineer Kim Havell, asking her to reflect back on descents, and her evolution as a guide leading others into new terrain.
Drawing inspiration from her heroes, Olympic and Extreme Skiing Champion Wendy Fisher and legendary rock climber Lynn Hill, Havell began her ski career exploring the San Juan Mountains outside of Telluride, Colorado. Havell spoke in admiration of Hill’s accomplishment as the first climber, man or woman, to free ascend The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite. Similar to Hill, Havell found herself in a field dominated by men, so she drew strength from nature and the expansive, rugged peaks surrounding her.
“I’ve gravitated to the mountains to seek my own meaning,” Havell shared. “For me it was a key part in finding myself, finding happiness and a sense of worth. I did not do well in the material world and really needed outdoor experiences to create my own value.”
Havell first skied the Tetons in 2006, when she “on-sighted” the Grand Teton, which means she led climb a team of skiers to the top of a route on first attempt, and then skied down. It was then that her curiosity of the Teton Range grew, and years later she would return to explore her new home.
“In 2012/2013, during my first year in Jackson, I was able to ski some big routes almost every other day, from the Tetons to the backcountry around Jackson Hole Mountain Resort…I started looking at lines on the Grand, and ended up skiing the Otter Body in spring 2013,” Havell told Buckrail. “It had been skied by a handful of men at that point…Doug Combs and Mark Newcomb were the first.” Havell was the first woman to ski it.
Havell went on to say that the “Tetons have a rich male history,” but added that many women have explored and summited peaks surrounding Jackson Hole. Havell said her career is more “big picture,” and gave credit to other women that have achieved much more than her in the Tetons.
“There are women here now who are just extraordinary in what they are doing,” Havell said. “One is Dana Larkin, I think because of her exceptional level of rock climbing and skiing, she’s on par with any of the strongest out there. I mean, there’s a long list…I admire professional skier Madison Rose Ostergren, her overall mountain capabilities are of the next level.”
Havell’s excitement in pioneering new terrain, led her to summit and ski peaks all over the world, including six summit descents of the Central High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, an ascent of Mount Kenya and an ascent and ski descent of peak Gasherbrum II at 7,500 meters, on the border of Pakistan.
She has accomplished numerous first descents (10+) in the Sisimuit, West Greenland area, multiple descents in Bolivia, including the French Direct route from South Summit (20,000 feet) of Huyana Potosi, descents in Horcones Valley, Peru and on Aconcagua in Argentina.
Havell had first descents in Svalbard/Spitsbergen, Norway, using sailboat as a base, summits of Ama Dablam and Lobuche in Nepal, a descent from the summit of Denali, a climb to 7,600 meters to ski descend from CAMP III on Shishapangma, Tibet and more.
In 2014, Havell began a full-time career as ski and backcountry guide for several guiding businesses, including Jackson Hole Alpine Guides and Exum Mountain Guides, in addition to her work internationally for Ice Axe Expeditions. That same year, she became the first woman to ski guide the Grand Teton. She said that it’s been a fulfilling next chapter to take people into the mountains.
“I work on a skier’s progression…there’s a lot of camaraderie I’ve found in backcountry skiing, as well as a sense of accomplishment,” Havell explained. “I take folks who are looking for different levels of adventure.”
Havell guides both men and women, but she talked with a certain sense of pride for her women’s groups, including a group she guides for Exum called Mom Force.
“It’s been amazing to see what the women in this community and beyond have accomplished as a team, and also individually,” Havell said. “I’ve watched people over the past six years in particular grow an incredible amount in the mountain arena in terms of what they are capable of skiing, but also with the added skillset and mental framework that goes into it.”
As her guide and expedition business grows, she continues to find meaning and connection in the mountain wilderness.
“The outdoors gives you a really good sense of self and confidence…especially in this crazy, modern world of internet,” Havell said. “The next generations need to know they are worth something, and I think the outdoors gives you that.”
