In this episode, we chat with mountain athlete—which, in this case, we’ll define as trail running and ski mo’er—Sarah Burke.
At 31, Burke is a lifelong athlete who was born and raised in New Hampshire. She began her early forays into the hills with her father and eventually developed into a collegiate runner. After college, during a long jaunt on the Appalachian Trail, she realized she had an innate knack for moving fast over long distances over rugged terrain. Something clicked, and she began to see the potential of her cardio engine.
She’s fast. She currently holds the FKT for the south climb (round trip) on Mount Adams, the FKT for the south climb’s ascent, and the FKT up Mount Shasta (a blazing 2 hours).
Along the way. Burke, who didn’t grow up skiing, moved to Bend, Oregon, and started hauling herself and a hefty pair of Lange boots uphill. It wasn’t long until she became proficient, realized fast and light required light, and was hooked. She is now part of the US National Skimo team—she’ll be spending part of this season in Europe contesting World Cups.
She is known for speeding up the local volcanoes, making mighty fine coffee, and having a soft spot for fine food. Play your cards right, and you might earn yourself a fresh espresso atop the South Sister, courtesy of Sarah.
We’d like to thank Patagonia, CalTopo, ATK, Folkrm Poles, and Cripple Creek Bike and Backcountry for supporting us.
The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Bozeman-based band Jampoke. We are psyched to feature young creative folks. Jam and twirl and tour on.
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