The Drew Petersen Podcast

I’m starting off Mental Health Awareness Month with Annekë Efinger, Co-Founder and Director of Community Engagement at Love Like Ky, a mental health non-profit based in the Wood River Valley of Idaho, where Sun Valley is located. Founded by the Efinger family in memory of Annekë’s brother Kyler, their work largely focuses on their local community, but also branches wider, especially to mountain towns across the West.I originally connected with their family when doing speaking events with my mental health films in Sun Valley. We’ve stayed in touch ever since. One of the things I love about Love Like Ky is their solutions are fun, inclusive, and cool, and that’s why I personally see how this impact can spread to so many of the communities we care about.We focused this conversation on those lighthearted initiatives. And while we specifically talk about the power of a chairlift conversation, I hope that you’re left feeling the magic of a chairlift conversation like we both were too.—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Learn more & support Love Like Ky: lovelikeky.orgFollow Love Like Ky on Instagram: instagram.com/lovelikeky_Learn more about TogetherWe (formerly the 5B Suicide Prevention Alliance of Blaine County): togetherwe5b.org—Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen—This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, visit https://salomon.pxf.io/DPP—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://drew-petersen.com/podcast.

Rollie Williams is a climate comedian as well as the creator and host of the wildly popular Climate Town. What’s a climate comedian, exactly? Well, someone who knows how to make a joke out of something very serious in a manner that welcomes people into the conversation to make them care.I’m sharing this episode now to bridge between Earth Day last week and the upcoming arrival of May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. Climate anxiety is personally knocking on my door and I’m also encountering it as a more frequent, more present component of the communities I connect with about mental health. I was excited to have this conversation with Rollie and share it with all of you because I personally use humor as an essential tool of survival.This episode was recorded live on stage at the historic Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, Colorado. The in-person event was a celebration of Earth Day in partnership with Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), Aspen One, City of Aspen, CORE, and POW.This episode is brought to you by Protect Our Winters. To learn more and to join Team POW, visit protectourwinters.org.—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Subscribe to Climate Town on YouTube: youtube.com/@ClimateTownFollow Climate Town on Instagram: instagram.com/climatetown—Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://drew-petersen.com/podcast.—Recorded live at the Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Colorado.Venue partnership courtesy of the Wheeler Opera House, a department of the City of Aspen.

Jason Blevins has been writing about mountain towns and the ski resort industry for over 30 years. Jason is a co-founder and reporter of The Colorado Sun and has rightly become one of the most revered and bonafide experts on many of the most relevant, pressing topics in mountain towns: housing, public lands, economics, and mental health.Rather than just interview Jason about a specific story he’s currently reporting on, I wanted to get to know him as a human a little better, so I asked him about the perspective and lessons he’s learned through his experience. While Jason is an exceptional reporter and journalist, I think any loyal reader will also attest that he puts a noticeable passion into his work.Jason has interviewed me countless times in the past handful of years about the mental health crisis of the Rocky Mountain West. I really appreciate the effort and interest he has put into reporting on this reality, and it’s part of what we choose to talk about for the interview.—This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, visit https://salomon.pxf.io/DPP—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Read & subscribe to The Colorado Sun: coloradosun.comSign up for Jason's newsletter The Outsider: coloradosun.com/outsiderRecent story by Jason about the current mental health reality in mountain towns this spring: coloradosun.com/2026/04/13/mental-health-mountain-towns-offseason/—Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://drew-petersen.com/podcast.

A New Winter reimagines the history of skiing. Sofia Jaramillo’s landmark photography project saw the early depictions of skiing, its narrow vision of who belongs on the slopes, and reenvisioned it by creating vibrant renditions of classic photos, but now with people of color.Sofia Jaramillo is a Colombia-American photographer and director based in the Mountain West. Her resume spans documentary, editorial photojournalism, and prominent commercial work, shooting for publications like National Geographic and The New York Times and clients like The North Face and Ford.A New Winter not only took her professional experience, but also her personal history growing up as a Latina girl in Sun Valley, making it a deeply emotional, impactful, and actualized project. I was first captivated by the imagery, but when I first met Sofia I was equally captivated by the passion, care, and self she put into the project. The story behind it, and the essence captured within its images, makes Sofia’s passion something that can shift culture much further than Sun Valley and much further than the sport or community of skiing.—This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, visit https://salomon.pxf.io/DPP—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Check out A New Winter & Sofia’s website here: sofiajaramillophoto.com/a-new-winterFollow Sofia on Instagram: instagram.com/sofia_jaramillo5—Follow me/the show on Instagram: instagram.com/drewpeterski/Sign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com/podcast.

A flood of green stickers in the Alta ski community became a movement for mental health that has reached far wider. The seemingly simple text “Hug your homies and tell them you love them” was Dan Parisi’s effort to start difficult conversations following the loss of a friend in the community to a death by suicide. Dan himself embodies the message and the energy. He’s welcoming, quick to flash a smile whenever anyone makes eye contact, and of course dishes out hugs like they’re free stickers. But he also knows personally that these efforts to create an open, vulnerable culture around mental health are what his community needs on a deep level. He channeled his heartbreak and the nature of collective grief in a unique way. I used to live in Utah and called Alta Ski Area my home mountain when I was there. So when I started seeing these stickers all over—online and in-person across the West—I got curious to the story behind them, the positive energy they were spreading, and the impact of their movement. Connecting with Dan on a personal level, linking up for this interview, and chasing him around Alta was indeed pure joy. —This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, visit https://salomon.pxf.io/DPP. —Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Check out, shop, and support Hug Your Homies: https://www.hugyourhomiesworldwide.com/ Follow Hug Your Homies on Instagram: @hug.yourhomies —Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterski Sign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen —Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at https://drew-petersen.com/podcast.

Auden Schendler is one of the most influential and impactful leaders on climate and sustainability in the outdoor world and industry. His latest book, Terrible Beauty, does a brilliant job of addressing climate change head-on, in a frank, realistic manner while being shockingly hopeful, personable, and invigorating.Auden ran sustainability programs at Aspen Skiing Company and Aspen One for 26 years. He was also a Board Member of Protect Our Winters for 10 years, and Board Chair for four of those years. Now, he humbly, confidently, and simply calls himself an author and climate activist. Auden’s leadership within the outdoor world and into society beyond continues on, and we’re lucky he’s leading the charge.I’ve long looked up to Auden for his work, and while we could have talked for hours, I decided to focus this interview on Terrible Beauty. Through the lens of the book, Auden’s ability to tell it like it is about climate change, the fossil fuel industry, corporate sustainability, complicity, and hypocrisy is unmatched and exactly what we need. It’s also why I started this podcast; it’s about being real.—This episode is brought to you by Protect Our Winters. To learn more and to join Team POW, visit protectourwinters.org.—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Buy/read Terrible Beauty: https://audenschendler.com/Connect with Auden for speaking & book talks: https://audenschendler.com/contact—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcasts sponsors any time at https://drew-petersen.com/podcast

For Sierra Schlag, empowering women looks more like welcoming people in and becoming friends than it does competing for a seat at the table. Sierra Schlag is a Japanese-American professional skier and storyteller who is one of the brilliant minds behind Girl Winter Film Tour, Moonrise Creative, and more. Sierra has starred in, produced, and created some of my favorite ski films of the past few years, including Advice For Girls, Nisei, That One Friend, Bloom, and more. Success and genius like that doesn’t just arrive, and it’s really who Sierra is as a collaborator and storyteller that contributed to the wonder of those films. However, it’s her approach to empowering women, such as through the Girl Winter Film Tour, that has inspired me the most. Sierra and I have become better friends over the past year since this interview was recorded and I can confirm that the way she’s brought people along for the ride, as friends, is genuine and in my opinion, what is most impressive. Now, she’s combined that inertia with her friends to form Moonrise Creative, a women-led creative studio. —This episode is brought to you by ZipFit. For 25% off ZipFit insoles, click here.—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Follow Sierra on Instagram: @_schlag_ Subscribe to Sierra’s Substack: https://substack.com/@schlag Watch Sierra’s films: https://www.sierraschlag.com/skiing-storytelling Check out Moonrise Creative: https://www.moonrise-creative.com/ —Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterski Sign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen —Score discounts and connect with all of the podcasts sponsors any time at https://drew-petersen.com/podcast

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, so I’m joined for a chairlift chat by Kelsey Boyer, founder of Save A Brain, who is channeling her experience to shift the brain health of her community. Save A Brain’s mission is to provide education, encourage prevention, and spread awareness about the long-term mental and physical effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and concussions.Kelsey’s magnetic energy, firsthand experience, and ability to build community give a unique voice and perspective to such an invisible injury. We talk about her path from starting the nonprofit, her lessons learned along the way, and what impact work she’s most proud of and makes her heart (and brain) sing.As a longtime fan of the work she’s doing and the community she’s formed at Save A Brain, I knew this was a conversation I wanted to have and share with all of you. Personally, I’ve experienced and navigated serious struggles with my own brain injuries, so this hits close to home and I’m grateful for Kelsey and her work.—This episode is brought to you by I Give A F*ck About Mental Health. For 20% off, use code POD20 at checkout: https://drew-petersen.com/shop—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Learn more and support Save A Brain at https://saveabraininc.com/Follow Save A Brain on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saveabrain/Follow Kelsey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseyboyer/—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcasts sponsors any time at https://drew-petersen.com/podcast

Devon O’Neil is a journalist and author of The Way Out. A gripping, consuming read, The Way Out chronicles a 2017 backcountry ski trip in the Colorado Rockies that ended in both tragedy and miracle—and changed a community forever. Set in small towns and towering mountain ranges, it is at once an ode to high-country life and a dissection of what that life costs.After reading the book, I was left with a profound feeling that it’s a story any member of our outdoor-loving communities should read. Devon’s writing is so much more than a page-turning story. He explores and examines the saga of the accident, but also life in the mountains at-large, with nuance and emphasis on the emotional and communal realities.Devon himself lives in Breckenridge, Colorado and is a longtime reporter of life in the mountains, our adventurous pursuits, and the psychological realities faced by folks in these communities. He also moonlights as a mountain hutmaster, and in many ways, he became the perfect person to dive into the untold story from this harrowing accident in a true, relatable manner. In the interview, we get into the human side of his writing, the book, and what the process was like to immerse himself in a difficult story.—This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, click here.—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Buy and read The Way Out wherever you get books: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-way-out-devon-oneil—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcasts sponsors any time at https://drew-petersen.com/podcast

Cam Smith just competed in the sport of skimo’s Olympic debut in the Milano Cortina Olympics, including a 4th-place finish in the mixed relay. Cam is an 11-time US Ski Mountaineering national champion, holds course records for The Grand Traverse, Gothic Mountain Tour, and Power of Four, and has also represented Team USA at the Mountain & Trail Running World Championships. As a professional mountain athlete, both in the sport ski mountaineering and as an elite professional trail and mountain runner, Cam has smashed records and established himself as a favorite in the sports for both his performances and how he carries himself as a person. I had the opportunity to talk with Cam less than a week removed from competing, immediately after he arrived back in the U.S. His reflections from the Olympics are fresh, candid, and personal. In our conversation it is abundantly clear that Cam’s recent success, and the ascendance of skimo, is the result of well over a decade of building up to this Olympic moment. His commitment to that process in the bigger picture shines through admirably.Cam told me he said yes to my interview request so soon after returning stateside because it was on a chairlift, not a Zoom call—so you know I loved hearing that. We linked up in his home of Crested Butte, Colorado. Everyone I talked to was so excited for him, proud of how he represented their community, and lauded him for so much more than being an Olympian. —This episode is brought to you by Protect Our Winters. To learn more and to join Team POW, visit protectourwinters.org.—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Follow Cam on Instagram: @camfromcb —Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com/podcast

Alan Henceroth has worked at Arapahoe Basin since 1988. Now the President & COO, Al has been a core part of the history of one of North America’s most legendary, unique ski areas. His leadership has helped to shape not just the ski area itself, but also the soul, charisma, and identity that’s given A-Basin its ardent following and community.Al and I ride Pallavicini, so of course, we talk about the Pali chair. It becomes the vehicle of the conversation into what makes A-Basin what it is and how keeping the soul alive matters, both at A-Basin and in the sport of skiing. Yes, A-Basin has undergone a lot of change, but traditional ski media has covered that exhaustively. I take this opportunity to bring you along for a chairlift ride that’s actually personal and instead focuses on what hasn’t changed.Of course, this conversation, episode, and chairlift are especially meaningful to me personally. I grew up at A-Basin. My skiing was shaped by the terrain off Pali and my life was shaped by conversations on this chairlift. Alan and I have also known each other for two decades, all the way back to when I was a little kid.—This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, click here.—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Read Al's Blog here.—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com/podcast

Zoe Atkin is competing for an Olympic medal. She is the reigning 2025 World Champion in the halfpipe and also just grabbed *another* gold medal at X-Games. This week, in Livigno, Italy, Zoe enters the 2026 Olympics as a top contender in the halfpipe.While her prowess on skis is truly world-class, Zoe is also a student at Stanford and approaches the halfpipe with a conscious approach and wisdom beyond her years. After taking a mental health break following a disappointing 2022 Olympics, Zoe dove into school and also sports psychology. After our conversation, I was left with a devout belief that she is extremely well prepared mentally for the Olympics. And of course, it only takes watching one run to see she is prepared physically too.This conversation is from a late-season training camp in Mammoth last spring. Despite her meteoric success, it was an honor and a wonderful opportunity to connect with Zoe on a calm, simple, personable level.—This episode is brought to you by I Give A F*ck About Mental Health. For 20% off, use code POD20 at checkout: https://drew-petersen.com/shop—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Follow Zoe on Instagram: @zoeaatkin—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com/podcast

Chris Davenport is a professional skier, ski guide, and true legend of the sport. The multifactorial chapters of his career—from winning the World Extreme Ski Championships in 1996 all the way to his film career, skiing Everest, numerous first descents around the world, authoring the Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America, and more led to him being inducted into the US Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame.Dav is one of my biggest childhood heroes. I personally most vividly remember when he became the first person to ski all of the fourteeners in Colorado in one year. Like he was one of my childhood heroes, in the interview he exhibits the joy in still living out his childhood dreams.Over the past two decades since then, the longevity and evolution of his career and skiing lifestyle has inspired me to continue learning from Dav. Through conversation, he shows that longevity comes from an evolved relationship with risk, keeping pursuit rooted in passion, and finding purpose in facilitating experiences for others. Connecting with him for this conversation was also a joy because we linked up at Aspen Highlands last spring, and in the time since, I’ve moved to the Roaring Fork Valley and made Aspen my new home mountain.—This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and Salomon ski gear, click here.—Listen / watch / subscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApple Podcasts—Follow Chris on Instagram: @steepskiing—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter: https://substack.com/@drewpetersen—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcast’s sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com/podcast

This chairlift chat on The Drew Petersen Podcast is with Caroline Gleich, a professional ski mountaineer who ran for the U.S. Senate in 2024. As an athlete activist, she has climbed Everest, was the first woman to ski all 90 lines in the Chuting Gallery, a guidebook to skiing in the Wasatch Mountains, climbed and skied Cho Oyu, and is pursuing her goal of climbing the Seven Summits.But in 2024, she pursued her most audacious goal yet: running for U.S. Senate in the 2024 election. As the Democratic candidate in deeply red Utah, the odds were stacked against her but she committed with full resolve. Personally, I was amazed seeing her at her first campaign fundraiser to watching her consistently show up through the election.Naturally, I was curious to hear what that whirlwind was really like. We linked up for this conversation in April of 2025, far enough removed from the election, but fresh enough that her takeaways were poignant and inspiring.–This chairlift chat episode is brought to you by Protect Our Winters. To learn more and to join Team POW, visit protectourwinters.org.–Watch the full video version on YouTube–Follow Caroline on Instagram: @carolinegleichSign up for Caroline’s Substack here—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter here—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcasts sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com/podcast

In the winter of 1972/73, Powder Magazine was founded by Jake and Dave Moe. In the decades since, Powder became the Bible of skiing, defining the culture and helping shape the track of the sport. Fortunately for us, Jake also just happens to be one of the most passionate skiers I have ever met. This episode felt like the right fit to kick off the podcast. First, Jake is hilarious and so joyful. In a broad sense, this episode feels reflective of my relationship with the sport of skiing, media, and my professional career. I idolized Powder Magazine as a kid, interned in the office a decade ago, and now, here I am, starting this podcast as a continued exploration of storytelling blended into my ski career. So of course, I had to interview the Founder of Powder himself. –This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the Arcane Prime MIPS helmet, and all Salomon ski gear, click here. –Watch the full video version on YouTube—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter here—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcasts sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com/podcast

Angel Collinson surprised most everyone when she retired in 2021. She was, and likely always will be, one of the greatest female big mountain skiers of all time. This episode was actually filmed all the way back in February of 2024. It was one of Angel’s first times back on skis. I’m also choosing to start the podcast with this episode because it illustrates that I’ve been wanting to create this for a very long time. And it’s true to the compass of the podcast: real, genuine conversation and connection with a great human being. –This episode is brought to you by Salomon. To check out the QST line of skis, and all Salomon ski gear, click here. –Watch the full video version on YouTube–Follow Angel on Instagram: @angelcollinson—Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter here—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcasts sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com/podcast

Welcome to The Drew Petersen PodcastRecorded on a chairlift with a ski pole microphone, professional skier, runner, and mental health advocate Drew Petersen cuts through the small talk in honest, unfiltered conversations with professional athletes, artists, authors, and more.Launching February 3 wherever you listen to, or watch, podcasts.–Watch on YouTube–Follow me/the show on Instagram: @drewpeterskiSign up for my Substack/the podcast newsletter here—Score discounts and connect with all of the podcasts sponsors any time at drew-petersen.com