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Sarah Hueniken

@huens

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@mountainmuskox executive director @avalanchecanada ice climbing ambassador
@freya_mountain_rescue_daschund
@arcteryx @scarpana @sterlingrope
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Meet our 2026 Summit of Excellence Award recipient: Sarah Hueniken (@huens) šŸ§—ā€ā™€ļøšŸ—» Since 1987, the Summit of Excellence Award has recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to mountain life in Canada. This year, weā€™re celebrating Sarah Hueniken, a certified ACMG Alpine Guide whose more than 25-year career in the Rockies has helped shape both climbing and the broader mountain community. Sarah was the first North American woman to climb the mixed rock-and-ice grades of M11, M12, M13 and M14. A former North American Ice Climbing Champion, she has completed first ascents around the world, from China to Iceland. For Sarah, however, climbing has always been about more than personal achievement. For more than a decade, she has created and led women-specific mountaineering programs that encourage women to develop confidence and leadership skills in the backcountry. She also co-founded the Mountain Muskox Mentorship Program after losing a close friend in an avalanche. The Bow Valley non-profit provides professionally facilitated peer support for people navigating trauma and loss in the outdoors. Under Sarahā€™s leadership, the program has grown from one pilot chapter to six across Western Canada, reaching hundreds of people. Sarahā€™s work has also helped make ice climbing safer. In 2020, she became Avalanche Canadaā€™s first Ice Climbing Ambassador and co-created the Rockies Ice Climbing Avalanche Atlas, an information system that brings together community knowledge to help climbers better understand avalanche exposure on ice climbing routes. Her contributions have also been recognized with the ACMG Gold Distinguished Service Award, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, and a place among Canadaā€™s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. šŸ† Sarah will receive the Summit of Excellence Award on Saturday, November 7 during the evening show in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre. Learn more at the link in our bio. šŸ“øJohn Price #SummitOfExcellence #MountainCulture #CanadianRockies #IceClimbing #BanffMountainFestival #AvalancheSafety by @huens
102
4 days ago
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Catching up on a couple amazing summer experiences at the @arcteryxacademy in Chamonix and in Squamish. Sometimes I struggle to travel in the summer because I love it here in the Rockies so much, but who can complain when they get to go to Chamonix and Squamish and share the activities they love with psyched people in beautiful places? A huge thanks to @arcteryx for the privilege of attending these academies and thanks to all the very psyched participants who always come to learn and laugh and become better at the things they love! And a huge thanks to all my Arc buddies who make me look forward to our yearly reunion on the dance floor, the trails or the rock! Sometimes I really have to shake my head and realize what a privileged life I get to live. Now if summer could just last a weeeeee bit longer? by @huens
6
25 days ago
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When things go sideways, know what to do. Rock Rescue 101 with Sarah Hueniken (@huens) was all about thinking fast, staying calm, and having the skills to get yourself and your partner out of a tough spot. ā€ØšŸŽ„: @mediabadboy / @sunday.stdios taken in SįøµwxwĆŗ7mesh by @huens
5
a month ago
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Join one of the most accomplished ice and mixed climbers in the world, Sarah Hueniken (@huens), as she guides this clinic designed for female-identifying participants, through a day of ice climbing in the mountains. Known for her calm and supportive approach to teaching, sheā€™ll share tips and tricks around foot placement, pick placement, improving your speed, movement repertoire, and placing gear efficiently. ā€Øā€ØBook your spot via the link in bio šŸ”— taken in Chamonix, France by @huens
14
7 months ago
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This popped up today from 10 years ago. 2016 in Japan with @realwillgadd and @johnpricephotography with the fast finger pics. We were at a new to us area, off a ski hill, and Will ventured up the main pillar. Ironically- we spoke at length about where I should belay from. Didnā€™t seem safe on the ledge due to the hang fire, but also didnā€™t want to be miles away. This was where I ended up. A few swings into the dagger and the whole mass settled. You can see the settlement on the ground around the ice and as that happened, things fractured higher up including this big dagger that nearly buried me. I had little time to think, and because of that, instinct took over and as I got thrown back I kept my hand on the brake strand. This would have been good had Will had a screw inā€¦ but he didnā€™t! Luckily enough he had a ā€œtruckā€ - in Wills terms- tool and took the blow of my weight cascading down the hill. Fortunately we all left unscathed, minus one tool that was buried until spring under a few tons of fallen debris. In hindsight I was either in the worst or best place to beā€¦ Iā€™m still not sure where I ā€œshouldā€ have belayed from. A beautiful place but I donā€™t think I need to go back thereā€¦šŸ™ƒ. @arcteryx @scarpana @sterlingrope @onwardup_campus by @huens
33
8 months ago
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The latest from Arcā€™teryx Presents is here. ā£ ā£ For renowned alpinists Ines Papert (@inespapert) and Sarah Hueniken (@huens), who have a combined age of 102, thereā€™s no ā€œaging outā€ of climbing. Thereā€™s only getting stronger. ā£ ā£ ā€œFifty ā€” Fiftyā€ takes us along for the climb, following Sarah and Ines as they navigate new projects and share their secrets to success (hint: trusting your partner, lots of experience, and a desire to keep climbing ridiculously hard). ā£ ā£ Watch ā€œFifty ā€” Fiftyā€ now, link in bio šŸ”— ā£ ā£ #arcteryx by @huens
59
8 months ago
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Alcatraz in a day! Appreciation post to @arcteryx for supporting their athletes with an amazing coach @joelunema ! I had tried Kabuki (D13-/12+ grading subjective as always!) at Alcatraz a couple times in the past and always thought Iā€™d injure myself on it so I walked away. The moves and releases felt too hard on my body. Since September Iā€™ve had the pleasure of working with Joel. Unlike years past, I havenā€™t been hanging off my tools much but instead, doing garage weight workouts and climbing in the gym. Iā€™ve felt motivated and strong and my body feels resilient. What a great feeling at 51!!! After surprise sending Kabuki in November, I couldnā€™t get the idea out of my head to try and do all the Alcatraz routes in a day. My buddy @frzngreg had done it (DTS no less!) but I never thought I could because Kabuki was so hard for me. A couple days ago on a glorious sunny day and with a good buddy @nickbaggaley , somehow it just happened! Thanks for lending me your gloves and for the stoke! Route grades are always a tough one with this type of climbingā€¦ but compared to other routes in the area and staying on the route builders intended path, Iā€™d say I climbed D8+, D10+, D13-/12+ X2 (took two tries to send!), D11+/12-, D10+, D10, D8, D7+, D5 Crazy to be feeling stronger at this age than I was in my 30ā€™s I really enjoy link ups. They are a great physical challenge but mentally I love how I have to force myself into the present moment to stay focused on the task. Such a cool process! These are some photos on Kabuki from the first day in November from @caro.and.apex ! Thanks to all the route builders, and to the amazing sunny and warm January so far! @arcteryx @arcteryx.alberta @joelunema @scarpana @sterlingrope @onwardup_campus by @huens
93
9 months ago
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With first ascents around the world, M14 and 5.14 ascents under their belts, and a combined age of 102, pro climbers Ines Papert (@inespapert) and guide Sarah Hueniken (@huens) prove that climbing doesnā€™t belong to the young. ā£ā£ ā£ā£ Climbing better now than ever, these two athletes remind us that there's no ā€œaging outā€ of the mountains ā€” thereā€™s only gaining experience and finding new lines to climb.ā£ā£ ā£ā£ Read the ā€œThe Shape of Timeā€ on Lithographica, link in bio.ā£ā£ ā£ā£ #arcteryx by @huens
35
9 months ago
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@saralilleey (aka Strong Sara) and I managed to have a dream team onsight of the Real Big Drip M8 WI 6 200m in the Ghost on New Years Day. Having approached this climb numerous times in years past and been turned around due to wetness, wind and other lame excuses, I really didnā€™t go into this day with much hope and therefore had a bit of a casual start time! Iā€™d also heard rumours of it being very difficult to onsight so I wasnā€™t expecting a lot. But when conditions lined up for a wind free and warm dry day, and Sara led the first pitch clean, it seemed like the day! I got the 2nd and 3rd/4th pitches and a motivated Sara led a 70m rope stretching last pitch seconding by headlamp while the coyotes howled in the distanceā€¦ Magic! A true beauty of a climb that had us both engaged but still type 1 fun other than the lack of draws that I brought and the extreme rope drag without a midway anchor on pitch 3. A HUGE thanks to @frzngreg for the retrofit. A huge effort and super appreciated. Check out his feed to see the state of these bolts prior to the retro. And thanks to first ascent team 25 years ago! @canmoron_sean Dave Thompson, Kefira Allen and Eric Dumerac. Awesome opportunity to climb this with Sara on such a perfect start to the new yearā€¦ but please tell her to start wearing some more colourful clothing. šŸ˜‚ Shout out to @joelunema for helping my 51 yr old body feel more capable than years past! @arcteryx @arcteryx.alberta @sterlingrope @scarpana @onwardup_campus @saralilleey by @huens
59
9 months ago
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Delicate and smooth with @huens. Fun little day out at Physiotherapy in Evan Thomas Creek this past weekend. Do you imagine yourself with such fine foot work or do you find yourself bashing your feet into icicles? #mwestlakephoto #arcteryxalberta #arcteryx #iceclimbing #iceclimbingimages #iceclimbingadventures #iceclimbingphotos #iceclimbing_pictures_of_instagram #iceclimbingcanada #mountainsports #climbinglife #climbingphotography #climbinginspiration #climbingmountains #climbingismypassion #climbingnation #climbingday #mountainsports #mountainlife #adventureculture #adventuretime #reelsinstagram #reelsinsta #reelsvideo #reelsvideo #reelsviral #reels taken in Canadian Rockies by @huens
7
9 months ago
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Some fun shots by the talented @westlake.photo ! Thanks Matt for some sweet pics and for showing my dedication to good footworkā€¦šŸ˜‚! Maybe I could ā€œkickā€ it? An awesome day with @saralilleey who tested this nice little dagger before me on her sweet onsight of Physiotherapy! Yeah! Congrats to her and canā€™t wait to climb more together! Havenā€™t been posting much, but enjoying winter this year and all its offerings. A shout out to @arcteryx for their continued support and for letting us work with the uber talented @joelunema who has helped me feel stronger and more capable this winter. Looking forward to the days getting longer!!! Merry Merry everyone! @arcteryx @scarpana @sterlingrope @onwardup_campus by @huens
17
9 months ago
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One month ago, the @arcteryx Winter Tour arrived in Milan, offering a cinematic exploration of contemporary mountain culture. In this final editorial focus, we delve into the personal histories and enduring friendship of two icons of womenā€™s climbing: @huens and @inespapert. Through their shared journey, they chart not only their own evolution, but also that of the wider climbing movement, as they stand on the threshold of fifty. ā€˜Fifty-Fiftyā€™ is both a climbing documentary and a manifesto. From frozen summits to late-night conversations, the film follows the two climbers as they engage with themes of risk, friendship, time, and ambition, with the same intimate precision they bring to their ascents. Link in bio or visit athletamag.com to explore the bond and philosophy of two of the most compelling voices in modern climbing. - Un mese fa, lā€™@arcteryx Winter Tour ha fatto tappa a Milano, esplorando la cultura di montagna contemporanea attraverso lā€™arte cinematografica. Per questā€™ultimo focus editoriale, abbiamo approfondito la storia personale e lā€™amicizia tra due leggende dellā€™arrampicata femminile: @huens e @inespapert, che hanno saputo raccontare la loro evoluzione e, allo stesso tempo, quella dellā€™intero movimento dellā€™arrampicata, sulla soglia dei 50 anni. ā€˜Fifty-fiftyā€™ vuole essere contemporaneamente un documentario sullā€™arrampicata e un manifesto: dalle vette ghiacciate alle chiacchierate notturne, il film segue le due arrampicatrici mentre affrontano temi quali il rischio, lā€™amicizia, il tempo e lā€™ambizione con la stessa intima precisione che riservano allā€™ascesa sulle pareti. Link in bio o visita athletamag.com per comprendere il legame e la filosofia di queste due enormi interpreti dellā€™arrampicata. #arcteryx #wintertour #winter #events #film #premiere #milan #climb #climbing #climbers #climblikeagirl #athletes #womenathletes #visualpoetry #sportphotography #sportstory #storytelling #wintersport #interview #snowsport by @huens
4
10 months ago
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