Pro Freeskier Ingrid Backstrom Turns Dreams into Reality

© Cooper Liska-Smith

Ingrid Backstrom waits atop a very big hill.

Ingrid Backstrom is one of the most breathtaking and exhilarating skiers in big mountain skiing. Watching her effortlessly fly down steep, deep powder-covered mountains or jump off big rock cliffs will make anyone sit on the edge of their seat. With major ski movie endorsements like Steep (a film that pays homage to the best in the sport), a freeride coach position with Chris Davenport's South American Superstar Camp, interview spots with major news shows such as Good Morning America and sponsors like Clif Bar, Volkl and The North Face, Backstrom has created an amazing life for herself just by doing what she loves most.

What is it about this extreme sport that convinced a petite girl to make a living throwing herself down big mountains? I was wondering the same thing, so I asked her when I caught up with her recently in Lake Tahoe.

What brought you into skiing as a young girl?

My parents got me into skiing – they were both on the volunteer ski patrol at Crystal Mountain in Washington State, and so that's what we did every other weekend when I was little.

At what age did you start skiing? And when did you start loving it, realizing that it would be your life?

I started skiing at about 4 years old, and believe it or not, I didn't really love it until I was probably 16 or so. Before that, I was embarrassed to have to drive to the mountain with my family in our huge old RV (a converted bookmobile from 1954 that is probably the ugliest vehicle to ever exist), and I wanted to be doing normal things on the weekend, like going to dances with my friends. But then I made some friends at the mountain and started enjoying skiing with them, not just racing, but freeskiing. That really made me enjoy it, the freedom of skiing. I realized it would be my life after college, when I just couldn't bring myself to move out of the mountains to get a "real job."

How has being a girl affected competing in a "male" sport and how have you overcome those obstacles?

I think I've been very lucky in that I was brought up to believe I could do anything that my brothers could do, and that other boys could do. Occasionally, when people don't know me or haven't skied with me, they just assume I'll ski a certain way, or speed, or certain runs, or they'll try to get in front of me because they think I'll be slow. But then after we make a few runs, I usually get their respect. In other words, I try to overcome people's stereotypes by just doing what I do-if you follow your course, people will usually see that you're real about it.

How do you feel about the new generation of girl skiers that are coming on the scene?

I'm really impressed and inspired by all of the younger women skiers who are up-and-coming-they can do tricks as well as ski lines, and it is so cool to see. It just makes me want to get better!

If you have a dream experience in regards to skiing what would that be?

A dream experience would be to have perfect conditions filming while heli-skiing. Often you get many variables in place and then the conditions are less than ideal – still amazing, but it's the best feeling in the world when the snow conditions are perfect for doing whatever you want. I've only had it happen one day heli-skiing, and I can't wait for it to happen again.