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Keree Smith

@keree.smith

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@saltydebby First generation fisherm*n
Skier of @4frnt_skis. @wild_rye_
Heli guide @blackopsvaldez
Pilot for fun.
#aviation #ski #alaska #bristolbay

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Returning to this land of giants after nearly a decade and feeling nostalgic…
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Nepal. taken in Nepal by @keree.smith

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2 days ago

Getting running water in my house can probably wait. taken in Alaska by @keree.smith

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3 days ago

Usually it doesn’t bother me… but sometimes the comments linger. For the record, I generally feel super supported in the fishing community and I’d like to believe that the male dominated scene in Bristol Bay has made leaps and bounds in the past two decades regarding inclusivity. Today, so many more badass females crew and run their own boats than ever before.
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I’m not gonna pretend to be a high liner out there, but the ol’ FV Deborah does alright!
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One of my crew members told me this was the comment he received after telling another skipper he was working on my boat. I guess haters gonna hate! Here’s to a great 2026 season. 🍻
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P.S. This is called a “round haul”. It’s really difficult to explain just how many wild sockeye pour into Bristol Bay if you’re in the right place during peak fishing. There’s so many, that they absolutely plug the net and the crew can’t get them on in time, either before the opener closes, or the tide threatens to rip your boat onto a sandbar. We’re forced to haul the net, fish and all, on by hand.
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In this video, we’re charging out of breakers in about a foot of water after possibly one of the biggest round hauls I’ve ever had. The stern constantly bumped bottom with fish in the holds and the 10,000 lb + load on the back deck. We just made it out of the channel in the nick of time. Needless to say, it was a good day.
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🎥 @_dr4ko taken in Bristol Bay, AK by @keree.smith

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8 days ago

Dolly’s words really resonated with me recently. Even though I feel like I’ve put together a pretty a-typical lifestyle and been able to follow my dreams of running a fishing boat (@saltydebby), flying small bush planes and ski guiding in one of the wildest places on earth, I still feel the pull for more. A bigger boat, a better plane, more this or more that.
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When really, sometimes all we need is a reminder to be where our feet are. A reminder to stop and enjoy the dream that we dreamed yesterday and are living today, rather than always looking forward to tomorrow. Thanks for your words Dolly. RIP. taken in Alaska by @keree.smith

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25 days ago

It seems like summer is officially closing here in the northernmost state!

#winteriscoming taken in Alaska by @keree.smith

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a month ago

Sometimes, especially in the summer, when I haven’t posted on Instagram for a long time, I get kind of stuck and don’t know how to post again- as if I’m missing some big chunks of time from my life and I don’t know where to start sharing…
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Then I realize that 90% of the photos on my phone are of my dog, my plane or broken parts on my boat. taken in Alaska by @keree.smith

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a month ago

26/27 4FRNT SKI’s are LIVE!!!
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Whoa. It’s like a blip happened in time and we’re already talking about winter! ❄️
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I’ve been skiing in 4FRNT’s for over 8 years now and I have to say, they offer every type of ski I could ever want. From playful powder to charging big mountain to park to ripping groomers- there’s a ski that will fit the bill.
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I grew up a racer and love a ski that has a lot of energy rebound, one that can carve hard on fresh corduroy, pop out of a powder turn, but also charge through variable chop and crud at noon.
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I’m STOKED to try the 4FRNT Sinister for the upcoming season. 🤘 It features traditional camber underfoot to give tons of playful energy out of turn and keep a grip on hard pack, but is a wider 113mm underfoot to stay afloat in pow. 💥
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Skis are now LIVE on 4FRNT.com.
@4frnt_skis by @keree.smith

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2 months ago

If you know me at all or have seen me ski, you might figure out pretty quickly that I grew up bashing gates in a one piece spandex suit. Yup. I grew up ski racing. Ski racing isn’t known for being the “coolest” version of the sport of skiing. And honestly, sometimes I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I spent 10’s of thousands of hours edging around red and blue poles.
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I would have much rather been able to do a double backflip by the age of 11 🤯, like some of today’s Freeride kids. But we didn’t really have Freeride teams like they do today, when I was growing up.
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Here’s the thing, some racer kids were die hards. They lived in gates and haven’t put on a pair of skis in years since retiring from racing. Then there was the other half. The half that skipped awards ceremony cause it was a powder day. The half that went freeskiing on our days off, the half that were fast, but consistently blew up, DNF’d in the race course and went to huck cliffs on their 65mm underfoot slalom skis, cause it was a weird form of therapy.
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The ones who are still skiing a decade or more after putting away the spandex, are some of the best, well rounded, beautiful skiers I know.
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So here’s a little shoutout to all my former racer homies that are out there absolutely crushing it. The ones that tapped into a deeper love for the sport, for the mountains, the places and the people. I love watching you all livin’ the dream.🤘

@4frnt_skis
@gladeoptics
@wild_rye_

📸 @lestertsaiphotography taken in Alyeska Resort by @keree.smith

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5 months ago

It’s not over till it’s over! But the upcoming forecast has me lookin’ back on the 2026 season @blackopsvaldez.
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Lil photo dump from this year’s endless blue.
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@gladeoptics
@4frnt_skis taken in Valdez, Alaska by @keree.smith

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6 months ago

Stoked to lay tracks down this beautiful little line a few weeks back!
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I was on a scout mission with @sammycarlson1 and crew and Sammy snagged a line at last light.
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I was fortunate enough to come back the following day with a strong group of Polish free riders 🤘 and we were able to lay down some tracks. It wasn’t late enough in the day to get the gorgeous lighting, and I had to chase after Sammy’s turns, but I was pretty happy to dance on this one! ✨
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@blackopsvaldez
@4frnt_skis
@gladeoptics taken in Valdez, Alaska by @keree.smith

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6 months ago

Every season is a “weird season” in Valdez and 2026 has been no exception! The year started with a lot of uncertainty. Alaska was like a polar desert ice box: Cold AF. Windy AF and a thin, snow pack with unknown, questionable stability.
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But the Chugach has a way of making magic happen. I’ve skied more new lines and steeps this year than others. Why? When it’s constantly snowing, we tend to rebate the backyard. More face shots typically means waiting for new snow to settle to get into steeper, bigger terrain.
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We started the year stepping out slowly and cautiously, but the end of two weeks of high pressure required a renowned creativity and I found myself branching out into new zones and runs.
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It’s crazy to say, but there hasn’t been significant new snow here in Valdez the entire heli season. Yet, somehow, the mountains continue to deliver and I’ve skied a few of my favorite lines of all time.
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Should you come to AK this year? All I can tell you is: Must be present to win. Someone probably just had the best day of their life.
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#powderroom #recycledpow #chugachmagic
@blackopsvaldez taken in Valdez, Alaska by @keree.smith

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6 months ago

Being a woman in a male-dominated space can come with its own challenges. But what @keree.smith said here adds another layer that I think a lot of people will relate to.

Sometimes it’s not just about being the only woman.
Sometimes it’s about being the first person in your family, your circle, your world to even try.

No roadmap. No hand-me-down advice. No built-in way in.

In this episode of Tarin It Up, Keree shares her path from ski racing to backcountry skiing to captaining her own commercial fishing boat in Alaska. We talk about injuries, seasonal work, building an unconventional life, and what it actually takes to carve your own way into an industry.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Tarin It Up wherever you get your podcasts. by @keree.smith

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7 months ago