Beyond the Peak: Creating Inclusive Spaces in Mountaineering - Online Classroom

In the high, wild places of the world, the stakes are real—and so is the need for spaces where everyone feels they belong. In this presentation, Victoria  shares her journey as a woman in mountaineering and guiding, from breaking into a male-dominated field to founding Upward Transitions Institute, a women-owned and operated mountain education and guiding company based in Bellingham, WA. Drawing from years of leading women’s and non-binary affinity programs, she will explore why these spaces are essential, how to create them with intention, and the transformative impact they can have. Attendees will gain insight into fostering environments where participants feel safe, respected, and valued—while still being challenged to develop advanced technical skills. Ultimately, this talk is about more than climbing mountains; it’s about building the skills, confidence, and community needed to bring more diversity and equity into the sport.

Presenter

Vic has been passionate about outdoor activities for as long as she can remember. She was raised in Northern California and spent her winters as a child exploring the Austrian Alps. This is where she became passionate about spending time in the mountains and off-piste skiing. She began outdoor guiding in her teens, taking groups trail riding on horse-back. After moving to Washington for college, she continued in her outdoor pursuits through ski patrolling, backpack guiding, and leading outdoor clubs. She began guiding glaciated mountains and backcountry skiing shortly after. 

Through her experiences working for several different companies, she noticed an extreme lack of female representation in leadership, overworked and underpaid guide staff, and therefore less quality experiences for students and clients. She founded Upward Transitions Institute in hopes to create a change in the guiding industry by promoting a better environment for women and underrepresented gender identities, a sustainable career for guides, and quality holistic experiences and education for participants. She is especially passionate about creating access for all in outdoor spaces, and helping aspiring mountain athletes learn new skills to achieve their goals. 

Victoria’s personal mountain endeavors have taken her from the top of Aconcagua in Argentina, to the end of the Haute Route in Switzerland.

6:30-7:30pm PST via Zoom Meeting
Meeting link will be sent to registered attendees the day of the session.