Nikki’s journey started with ski racing in Michigan and studying engineering in Colorado, eventually leading her into the world of backcountry skiing and snow science. While in Bozeman, Montana, she shifted focus from racing gates to digging snow pits, conducting research in the Earth Sciences and Civil Engineering Departments, and teaching local avalanche courses.

Now based in Utah, Nikki has spent the past seven seasons forecasting for the Salt Lake, Provo, and Ogden area mountains with the Utah Avalanche Center. Her work blends daily avalanche forecasting, on-going snow and weather research, public communication, and community education. She’s especially passionate about mentorship and continues to support other women in the avalanche and guiding world.

When the starts to melt in Utah Nikki trades skis for crampons, guiding alpine routes throughout the Cascades and on Denali early summer, and working Wildland Fire in the late summer and into the fall. In her off days, you’ll find her back home in Utah trail running, mountain biking, trying to keep all her plants in the garden alive, or starting to explore ways to stand sideways like learning to surf and skate.

Doughnuts or Bagels?  Generally, a bagel person.

Home mountain range?  I am seasonal work, so my home mountain range in the winter is the Wasatch and the Cascades (and Denali) in the summer. I would call the Wasatch home, though.

Favorite mountain/trail? This one is tricky since so many mountains have my heart. I have fallen in love with the Wasatch, and some of my favorite days have been doing bi-canyons from Little Cottonwood to Big Cottonwood, covering so much dynamic terrain. Denali is a pretty special place that I have had both horrible and amazing experiences, but either way, some of the most memorable experiences on - and when it comes to biking, one of my favorite trails will always be Captain Ahab in Moab.

Go-to aprés beverage? Big fan of a cold Mexican lager

Day job? Avalanche forecaster and mountain guide.

How do you give back to your community/what are some causes you support? I've been fortunate to have incredible mentors throughout my career, particularly in male-dominated fields like mountain guiding and snow science. Actively seeking out female mentorship has been crucial for me, and in return, I strive to give back by serving as both a female mentor and advocate in the realms of mountain guiding and avalanche education. This involves working on female-specific avalanche training, providing professional mentorship, and serving as a supervisor involved in hiring and training within my guide service.

Favorite piece of Wild Rye gear? Surprise to no one, I've been stoked on the Freyah Pants for mountain biking. the occasional failed attempt at nordic skiing, and even some spring training hikes for alpine objectives. I'm looking forward to Olivia Onsie for snowmobiling, and resort skiing.

Follow Nikki's adventure at @nikkichampp

Check out some podcasts featuring Nikki HERE, HERE and HERE.