Ariel Kazunas

Hellooo friends! I'm Ariel. 

I am currently living a life that, growing up, I had no idea was even an option, scratching out a living in a mountain town I didn't know existed, enjoying access to the sort of outdoors I'd only seen in books and movies, and carving out space for myself in sports like skiing and biking that I never viewed as "mine."

Donuts or bagels: Both and you can’t make me choose one. I’m *that* person at brunch who orders French toast or something sweet for the table to pair with the savory mains.

Home mountain range: The Tetons

Dog: No dog; don’t need one of my own for many reasons (travel and housing insecurity primarily) but also I live in a mountain town so errrryone I know has one. Many fur nephews and nieces in my life. Also… controversial opinion… dogs don’t go on furniture! AND they CAN stay home when you go out, haha. Never met people who expected to be able to bring their dogs literally everywhere till I moved to Jackson. Cracks me up. 

Fav home MTB trail: Fuzzy Bunny to Jimmy’s to Parallel

Fav home ski run:  NE Ridge of Mt. Glory

Go-to aprés drink: Aperol spritz 

Day job: Writer, advocate, event producer, lurker.

Community: I volunteer on Teton Pass in the winter as a Backcountry Ambassador helping to promote sustainable recreation and public safety in one of our area’s most popular backcountry skiing areas. 

I am also a founding member of Shelter JH, a grassroots organization addressing the housing crisis in Teton County, Wyoming, where I live. 

I have also worked for several organizations and companies in the outdoor industry working to make sports like mountain biking and skiing more inclusive and accessible, most recently Roam Events, hosts of Roam Fest, where I helped launch their new nonprofit The Roam Collective. 

Other causes I support include:

Chelsea’s Fund, a Wyoming-based organization enabling abortion access and reproductive health justice.

Sunrise Movement + POW, two climate activism organizations channeling the collective power of youth and the outdoor state to advocate for a better future. Because climate justice is racial, economic and social justice! Also cuz have you met this planet? It’s beautiful and surreal and absolutely everything. My heart breaks that we don’t do better by it already. 

Fav piece of Wild Rye gear: Honestly my “bikes, baddies, brews & no bans” tee. I’ve worn it so much it’s practically see-through. I also wear my Evie Raglans nearly every day in the winter when skiing! 

Big plans coming up? Summer is winding down at this point but it was full of really fun events and some major life moments… ended a job that felt hard to leave, but it allowed me to move on to new adventures, like participating in Alex Showerman’s “Foundation Freeride” event in Vermont and taking a personal trip to Slovenia this fall ahead of the busy busy winter peak season at home. 

Looking ahead, I’m seriously stoked to move into my first place with no roommates I’ll have had in my entire 38 years of life, haha. 

Follow Ariel's Adventures: @akazunas