As a seasoned adventurer, Hilaree Nelson has more than 40 expeditions to some of the most remote corners of the globe under her belt. Born and raised in the Northwest, she began skiing at age 3 in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. After several years in the Alps learning as much as she could about mountains, glaciers and steep skiing techniques, she hit the road and moved on to the Himalayas, the Andes, Alaska and more.
In “Truth or Consequence,” Hilaree will share stories from an expedition to interior Antarctica. In January of 2020 she realized a decades long dream of adventuring into the Ellsworth Mountains, the highest mountains on the Antarctic Continent. With an all-star team of some of the most experienced mountaineers and skiers in the world, they aimed to climb and ski the two highest peaks: Mt. Vinson by a route that had only ever been climbed once in 1998, the Central Ice Stream, and Mt. Tyree a true gem of mountain majesty that has only seen a handful of ascents and had never been skied. What unfolded during their three week expedition humbled each and every one on the team and proved that, no matter how experienced one is the mountains, there is always more to learn.
Hilaree’s passion and dedication to climbing and skiing won her recognition as a 2018 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. She is the first woman to climb two 8000 meter peaks, Everest and its neighboring peak Lhotse – in a single 24-hour period. In 2018, she returned to Lhotse to complete the first-ever ski descent of the 4th highest peak in the world with her partner Jim Morrison. As a member of Protect Our Winters Riders’ Alliance, Hilaree shares her stories and life experiences as a voice for advocacy of our wild places. She lives in Telluride, CO – a place where she raises her two boys and is fortunate to call home.