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Ingrid Backstrom

@ingridbackstrom

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Skier, mom, writer, general enthusiast
@thenorthface_snow @thenorthface @volklskis @pacificcrestcoffee @theapproachfilm @safeasclinics

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This shot never made it into a ski movie, yet it’s one of my favorite ski shots because of what it helped me understand about skiing.

This line, in a zone called Velvet Curtain with @chugachpowderguides, was intimidating with several rollovers and a bergshrund at the exit, but I knew the snow was good. I was psyched to ski it.

I dropped in the turns felt easy, the spine naturally guiding me where I wanted to go. At one point, I slowed down over a rollover but then could see my exit and found a slough-free runout. Skiing out the bottom, I was exhilarated—I’d finally skied a line I had dreamed about for years!

I found out a few months later that the line didn’t make the movie. I wondered why, but ultimately the editor makes the movie and sometimes the line doesn’t fit. At the time I was disappointed, but by the time the following winter rolled around, I saw things differently.

I realized that what mattered is that I wanted to ski the line and I skied it—that’s all. The feeling I had at the bottom of the line skiing out was mine, and it didn’t matter if anyone else ever saw it or not.

It reminded me of why I had set out to ski big lines in the first place: simply because it was something I wanted to accomplish and a challenge to work towards. Over the years, skiing professionally, at times it’s been easy to get caught up in external factors like what others think or expect of me.

However, the second half of my career, after losing people I love, recovering from injuries, becoming a parent, and other life changes, I’ve been re-learning how to approach skiing from a place of internal motivation, skiing for who I am now and what I want. It’s this ongoing process of constant learning that keeps me motivated.

Clearly summer has me thinking too much. 😜 by @ingridbackstrom

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3 months ago

This is my second run of the 2010 FWT contest at @palisadestahoe. The first run, thankfully not shown, I had been terrified to compete (since I was the one filming with @mspfilms at the time I wanted to show I was worthy!) and had picked a mediocre line and skied it even worse. I was in the back of the pack heading into the second run so I just figured what the heck, I’ll ski something just for fun, just for myself.

I had seen Shane McConkey hit this air, and knew it had a high GNAR score in the Squallywood book by @robbgaffney, of which I had a signed copy and studied nonstop at the time. The rollover is major and intimidating and it took me a while to get down to where I could even see the takeoff, let alone the tiny landing. I tried my best to ignore the crowd and just focus on whether or not I could do this. I took my time and inched down until I knew I had it, took a deep breath, and dropped. The landing was super smooth and felt like I didn’t even take off—the best kind. Thanks to Robb for showing what was possible, in skiing and in life. My memories of Tahoe and this community are so amazing and a huge part of who I am today. ❤️ by @ingridbackstrom

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3 years ago

For a long time in my ski career, when people I worked with would ask if I wanted to have kids, I would say “I’m not sure, I’m leaning towards maybe not.” Which wasn’t a lie exactly but it wasn’t the truth. The truth was that deep down I knew I hoped to have a family one day but I didn’t dare admit it to myself, let alone to anyone in the ski industry. To me at that time, something so simple as wanting kids seemed too basic, too predictably feminine, not badass, not hot, totally not cool and definitely career-ending.

Despite being raised by a badass skier mom and knowing lots of other amazing moms who skied (like @jessaktahoe, @jennberg_ and @wendyfisher, to name a few), at that time I couldn’t see a viable path for me to be both a mom and a professional skier.

If I could go back in time I would tell this version of myself two things:

—sweet dance moves! sick one-piece! buy some bitcoin & sell it in November of 2021! 😉

—listen to yourself for what you want and go after it. Don’t feel like you have to squeeze into preconceived ideas of what is available to you, no matter if it’s cool or not.

Footage from Claim by @mspfilms by @ingridbackstrom

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3 years ago

Fall weekends fueled by fair food, Peelerz, fabulous friends and many trail games of My Grandma’s Underpants. ❤️🧡💛 by @ingridbackstrom

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8 days ago

September means Fall is here! This month we sit down with Chris Steinkamp, Executive Director of Mountain Towns 2030, to talk about how mountain communities are becoming the test labs for real climate solutions — from resilient infrastructure to the climate tech actually getting deployed on the ground. Malone also nerds out hard on geothermal energy, because obviously the onsens had to come up. We also break down the Mountain Towns 2030 Summit — Oct 13–14 in Sun Valley, ID — where 600+ people from 80 mountain communities and 50 ski resorts show up to build what's next for climate action in places like ours. Anyone can attend, not just industry — register at mt2030.org. New episode is live now — link in bio to listen or watch.

#MountainTowns2030 #ClimateResiliency #ClimateTech #ProtectOurWinters #SunValley #Geothermal #MountainTownLife #SkiIndustry #ClimateAction #OutdoorAdventure #AllMountainPodcast by @ingridbackstrom

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13 days ago

@mspfilms has been documenting the best freeskiers in the world for as long as @evo has been selling the best gear. We share roots - both MSP and evo were born in Washington. And most importantly, we share a passion - skiing. Celebrate with us together at the evo 25 Years of Film Watch Party. It’ll go down like the good old days; antics, hootin’ & hollering, prizes, athlete shenanigans, and rumour has it @brycephillips is gearing up for some crowd surfing.

With appearances from athletes @ingridbackstrom, @pepfujas, @addisonrafford, and more. This is one you don’t want to miss.

🎟️ Get your tickets now! Link in bio to grab ‘em 🎟️

October 2nd. 6-9pm. evo Seattle Campus. taken in evo by @ingridbackstrom

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16 days ago

50 seconds of perfect effortless powder brought to you by an extreme amount of luck, a summer of trying to squeeze in training, a well-placed one-of-a-kind four person platter lift plus excellent ski patrolling and mountain management @skiportillo, and the best colleagues and campers at #superstarscamp . NBD. 🍀

@steepskiing
@elysesaugstad
@mikedski
@codytownsend
@coopercampisi

#agosto #polvo #augustisforpowderlovers #chile by @ingridbackstrom

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a month ago

We had our cake and ate it too!

@skiportillo for the annual Superstars Camp was one for the books—many thanks to all of the amazing coaches and campers and everyone at Portillo for going above and beyond to make this week special.

@steepskiing
@mikedski
@elysesaugstad
@codytownsend
@ahbloss
@coopercampisi 🎥

#superstarscamp taken in Ski Portillo Chile by @ingridbackstrom

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a month ago

Summer is flying by, but we've got a new episode to remind you about the importance of WINTER! We sit down with Erin Sprague, CEO of @protectourwinters — the org turning outdoor people into climate advocates.
We get into how POW is mobilizing skiers, riders, and trail runners into a political force, what shrinking snowpack actually means for mountain towns like ours, and what any of us who live for winter can do beyond just recycling our beer cans.
Also: Erin once ran a marathon in Antarctica. We talk about that too. 🐧
🎧 Link in bio — or find All Mountain Podcast wherever you listen.
#protectourwinters #climateaction #allmountainpodcast by @ingridbackstrom

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2 months ago

When the skiing is so good your legs don’t even get tired! One run from last August in @skiportillo chasing @mikedski during Superstars Camp week. Forecast is shaping up and there are a few spots left to ski with @steepskiing @mikedski @codytownsend @elysesaugstad and me! Contact @steepskiing or @mikedski for more info.

#ski #chile #southernhemisphere by @ingridbackstrom

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3 months ago

Spring was for the birds! 🐥 🐥 Currently heading full sprint into summer. by @ingridbackstrom

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3 months ago

How I feel about winter, 2026 edition. The conditions weren’t always great but the skiing was always amazing! I love winter people and winter, people. 🥰

@thenorthface_snow @volklskis @pacificcrestcoffee by @ingridbackstrom

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4 months ago