Whitney Gilliam
Crested Butte, Colorado
38°52′11″N, 106°59′16″W
Where are you currently located?
Crested Butte, Colorado.
What is your hometown?
Little Rock, Arkansas.
What is your main sport?
Splitboarding.
Do you have other hobbies, sports or passions?
Surfing, exploring nearby peaks and valleys with no trails, laugh, read: both fiction and non-fiction.
In the winter I also love snurfing (also known as pow surfing - a board without bindings). And in the summer I’ve enjoyed getting off the beaten path.. as our town is quite touristy, I’ve enjoyed straying from the popular trails and exploring nearby peaks and valleys with no trails! I also really love to laugh, whether that is at funny videos or funny friends, I truly believe its the best medicine ;) I also love to read: both fiction and non-fiction.
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear”
Tell us about your background.
Most people are surprised to find out I didn’t begin snowboarding until I was 18 years old. I was actually quite bad at snowboarding for a while, but then after University I went to mountaineering school to become a mountain guide and had to do everything on a splitboard and had no choice but to get better ;) It was then that I found what I was created to do - climb up mountains and snowboard down! I also realized I have a passion for education- especially for avalanche education and backcountry safety. I am now an AIARE (American Institute of Avalanche Research & Education) Avalanche Instructor and get to teach courses every winter and I LOVE IT!
What is your craziest adventure so far?
One of the craziest and hardest experiences I’ve had is doing a traverse of the Northern Ice Cap down in Patagonia, Chile! The trip ended up lasting 37 days and we had to survive some incredibly hard weather and long days, it was incredible. I also got to do a splitboard expedition on the Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park, Alaska. That trip was unforgettable! Incredible huge mountains everywhere, disconnected from the world for a month and just getting to sit in your tent and look out and decide what to ride. I want to go back!
What is your dream trip?
Oh goodness too hard to pick just one! Splitboard trip in Sweden/Norway & New Zealand splitboard Hut Trip. I would also love to hike the Te Araroa someday!
Why did you become a Haglöfs ambassador?
I think it goes without saying that the gear is amazing, but I first loved Haglöfs for much more than that: the way they advocate for anyone and everyone enjoying the outdoors. And when I heard their motto “outsiders by nature”, my first thought was “that’s me!”
What is your favourite Haglöfs gear?
Ah it’s too hard to choose! But I guess if I have to I would say for the summer, my absolute favorite is the Airak 14L pack. For the winter, the Vassi jacket+bibs!