Hello friends! I'm Ariel. 

I still do not know what I want to be when I grow up.

I love writing, lurking, biking, skiing, gardening, birding, making bougie cocktails, giving back to my community, curating experiences and stirring the pot.

Where do you live and what’s your day job?

I live in the Teton Mountains on the Wyoming/Idaho border and I manage a ski shop called Nomad Sports in Teton Village, WY. I also do some freelance writing for folks like The Ski Journal and Powder and Bike Magazine, and I volunteer for a housing advocacy organization in Jackson, WY, called ShelterJH!

What are 3 words your best friends would use to describe you?

Oh sheesh. I'd say "chaotic, unhinged, loose." They'd probably say "passionate, caring, kind" (okay I asked them outright because this question - and now the answers - makes my compliment-adverse self very uncomfortable, lol).

Something not many people know or would expect about you?

I asked my friend Taylor how she'd answer this and she said "You're a published children's book author!" - which IS actually true. My mom was an author and editor, and when she got sick, she asked me to help her do some research and copy editing for contracts she'd already signed. As she realized how little energy chemo left her with, she just outright handed me the titles and told her publisher I'd be writing each one myself, hahaha. She was a total nut. 

I also did NOT grow up mountain biking and skiing! I'm an adult-learner; I started both sports when I was around 30. And if I could tell gravity-sport-curious folks one thing, and one thing only, it would be that there is no such thing as "too late to the party." Get out there, guy!

What’s one piece of gear you swear by?

My Payette Puffy! I literally haven't taken it off since I got it: it stuffs into my bike pack for emergencies, it's the perfect layer for shoulder seasons when it's kinda warm, but also kinda not, it layers under my shell while skiing smoothly and without too much bulk... Plus, it comes in black, so I can do chores / bike maintenance / haul crap in and out of my truck while wearing it without worrying about staining it. I'm in love.

What do you do when you're not skiing/riding/biking?

Gardening and babying my houseplants, making tailgate cocktails, perfecting my sourdough technique, roller skating (2x2 not inline bb!), scheming ways to travel on a budget, and wearing as much animal print as possible. 

How do you help build community in the outdoors? How do you encourage more women to step into outdoor spaces?

By remembering where I started! I was a scabby-kneed, kinda chubby kid growing up in urban Illinois and Wisconsin, who by chance ended up on a trail building crew the summer between sophomore and junior year of high school. I wrote all my college essays about the experience and ended up choosing a school in the mountain west with solid study abroad and outdoor programs because of it. That crew lit a fire in me for trying new things and being as close to wilderness as I could get.

I started spending weekends and school holidays in the natural landscapes of the PNW, learning to backpack, sea kayak, and climb. I got my first Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification, and learned how to drive 15 passenger vans and back up huge gear trailers. And, most importantly, I was able to be new, inexperienced, slow, out of shape, and less-monied than my peers in a supportive and non-judgmental environment where the whole goal was to help people learn and the whole model was based around gear-sharing. I became a student leader so I didn't have to pay for trips, but it turns out that actually began my career training: I know for a fact I would not have pursued or landed the jobs that I did right out of college (that eventually led me here to the Tetons and to skiing and mountain biking), without the encouragement and mentorship of my course directors and peers at that program. 

That encouragement and mentorship is what I want to pay forward, now, especially women and femme-identifying folks. I got so lucky with my introduction to the Tetons: I had friends here who were beyond patient with their time and energy as I fumbled my way down my first full ski run and flailed my way down my first mountain bike trail. They didn't care that I truly was "The Gaper," haha, and were the antidote to the gate-keeping and scorn that can permeate our recreation spaces. They got me through every mistake, frustration, fall, ego-check, and moment of intimidation at a trailhead full of bros, so that I could come out the other side absolutely smitten by and at-home in my chosen activities. Activities that now define me, and keep me grounded in the good.

It's all I want to create space for folks in the same boat so they stick with it and can experience that same thrill, growth, and personal fulfillment! Everyone belongs in the outdoors, and everyone should get to participate in their sports however it brings them the most joy. I want to be the safe space that my mentors were now for others, because it's such a game-changer. So whether that's hosting no-drop group rides, teaching a friend how to do some basic bike maintenance, volunteering in a backcountry ski educational program, or lending gear to a new arrival, I'm always going to be looking for ways to build community and encourage more women to step into the outdoors to show my gratitude for the folks who got me here, and because the more I learn about the worst parts of our industry, the more I want to overcompensate on the side of the best parts!

Why Wild Rye?

Because Wild Rye cares. No one's ever going to get everything right, but, lort, why not start with lofty dreams and big goals anyways?! Sustainable materials, a re-sell program for used gear, a small catalog with smart pieces that all play well together so you can pare down what you buy.... They give a shit about our planet, and that fucking matters. Nothing changes, if nothing changes.

Plus, Wild Rye isn't shy about putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to social causes and justice - because brands without a conscience just aren't it. And, lastly, Wild Rye took a chance on me, a very average athlete, when they asked me to join their pro team, which proves that they're not just all talk when they assert that they're here for all women. And that is 100% my kind of vibe.

Follow Ariel's Adventures: @akazunas