Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi! I'm Claire (@claireryx) and I've been involved with Mountain Mentors as a mentor for summer and a mentee for winter. I live in North Vancouver and I'm a bit of an activity generalist, in that I like to do a bit of everything and love that where I live gives me the opportunity to do so.

What was your backcountry skiing experience before this season started?

I learned to ski when I moved to Vancouver 5 years ago and struggled that whole first season, thinking that skiing is not for me. Thanks to supportive friends and my partner, I kept going with lessons and women's ski camps and eventually things clicked into place. Now I love skiing so much I wish winter lasted longer!

Touring felt a natural transition after that, combining my love of hiking with skiing, and being away from crowds. I'd backcountry skied for 2 seasons before joining Mountain Mentors and I am testament that you don't need to be an expert skier to get into touring!

What were some of your goals for the season?

My goals were to build confidence with trip planning and terrain management, and to improve my fitness on bigger elevation days (800m-1000m).

Of course, the weather and avy forecast always cause some last-minute changes where we had to pivot to simpler objectives or cancel plans altogether, but I found it super helpful to be able to talk through my decision-making process with my mentor and learn from her experience.

What's one thing you appreciate about your mentor?

Her energy! Tori is amazingly positive and easygoing and took away any anxiety or self-doubts I had going into the season.

She's someone who builds you up and gives you space to ask questions, make mistakes, and be able to learn from her without judgment. She's also a great road trip buddy.

What surprised you about being part of the Mountain Mentors cohort?

It shouldn't have been a surprised as I was told about it, but I love the community that you become a part of, and how supportive and open everyone is beyond your mentor-mentee pairing, which lasts beyond the season. I found finding touring partners a struggle in the beginning, and I wish I had known about Mountain Mentors back then.

What do you think the lasting impact on you will be after this season is over?

The lasting impact is definitely seeing how far I've come since my first days of touring. It's also reinforced how much I love backcountry skiing and given me confidence to venture into more complex objectives for next seasons.

Anything else you want folks to know about Mountain Mentors or your experience?

I feel very grateful to be part of MM and hope this gives those who have been sitting on the fence the motivation to apply as either a mentor or mentee. Being a winter mentee has really helped with my own confidence, and I look forward to being back next winter, hopefully as a mentor!

Meet a Mentee: Claire Xiao