Q: When did you start skiing?

AA: I learned to walk and ski simultaneously. My parents are both prodigious skiers and inducted me into their way of life from birth forward. Growing-up in Park City, UT, I had access to world class training programs and terrain, which gave me an excellent technical background from a very young age.

 

Q: When did you decide to make skiing something you did more full time?

AA: Even though I am blessed with sponsorships and have the ability to pursue my goals as a skier, I still don’t consider myself a professional skier. I have a full time corporate career that fortunately still allows me to ski on a near-daily basis. Skiing is part of a lifestyle for me. It’s not a hobby or a profession; it’s a form of self-expression and a way to engage with nature. My decision to go after sponsorships really arose from a desire to go after some harder-to-access projects and push my own limits more, which requires support from brands like VROU.

 

Q: If you were trying to tell someone what a day in the life of Annie Agle is like, what is the first thing that comes to mind that you would want them to know?

AA: Mountains. Whether I’m on skis, running up a trail, or dangling on a rope, I spend a part of every day on a mountain.

 

Q: Who inspires you? Any women in particular that have helped drive you and motivate you to be the person and entrepreneur you are today?

AA: Too many women to name have inspired me, but I am going to try any way: My mom, my sisters, my mentor, Phyllis Chesler, my brilliant friends from Barnard, the female professional skiers and climbers who opened doors for girls like me, Amelia Earhart, Rosita Forbes, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ella Fitzgerald, my friend and former boxing coach, Heather Hardy. I think every woman has an aspect that I find inspiring.

 

Q: Do you consider yourself a role model for young skiers and young athletes?

AA: Oh boy. Next generation’s athletes could do better. No-but really, I would prefer to inspire young athletes (particularly young girls) to identify and pursue their own passions. If I hadn’t found skiing, I would be a half-manifested version of myself. I want to provide girls with an example of someone who chose to walk a different path and found success in that process.

 

Q: Have you ever had a moment where you thought to yourself “Whoa, this person looks up to me?” If so, what was it like? Can you describe that feeling?

AA: Yes. I had a 14-year-old girl contact me through my website to ask how I got into backcountry skiing and thank me for inspiring her to push her own boundaries. It was very humbling.

 

Q: Growing up, what was the response from your family and friends to your love and passion for what some people see as a dangerous sport?

AA: Good question! I am fortunate in that my parents are also active skiers. So, I have always enjoyed their understanding as a big-mountain skier. I will say I’ve had several significant others complain about me getting up at 4:30 in the morning on Saturdays to go ice climbing, or who weren’t able to accept that I require managed risk to be happy. That’s why I like to date climbers.

 

Q: What advice would you have for young girls who are just starting to find their interests and passions?

AA: Don’t ever limit your passion. Don’t look to other people to tell you what interests to cultivate. Look to yourself. Girls are told from a young age that the essential thing is to be likeable. Work on liking yourself. Live a life you can take pride in. Be your own source of happiness and self-worth.

 

Q: How did you become connected with such inspiring women’s brands like Outdoor Women’s Alliance, Dirt Barbies and VROU?

AA: One of the reason’s I feel passionately about the outdoor community is its intimacy. It’s a small family and you bump into everyone in the mountains. It’s an honor working with venues and brands that are working to give girls an equal-footing in outdoor and extreme sports.

 

Q: Why VROU?

AA: I am proud to work with a company that is committed to making health accessible to women. Too often, women are told that health is measured on a scale or by a jean size. Health is waking-up every morning with energy, in a body you like to inhabit. VROU helps women achieve true health.

 

Q: When not out on the slopes, where can we find you?

AA: At the best local coffee shop with espresso and the New York Times or Economist. I love reading the news.