Climber/Skier
What MH are you wearing now?
The Sajama Pant.
Which season do you enjoy most and why?
This question is impossible. I would not love winter so much if it were not for summer, nor fall without spring. I like the variety.
Beer or Wine?
Wine. Red.
One guilty pleasure?
Cappuccinos in the morning.
What's your favorite meal in the outdoors?
I think I was most impressed when a girlfriend cooked me a birthday cake over her camping stove. You put the batter in a pot with a tight fitting lid, then put the pot in a bigger pot with boiling water in it. Then you say a few magic words and voila! If you really love somebody, you would try it too.
Is there one thing you always take with you on your adventures?
I'm not superstitious although I have tried to bring the same necklace or the same little climber figurine on expeditions- but then something doesn't go so well, and I determine that it must be bad luck instead of good.
Do you have a dream project?
The dream is an ever morphing evolution. Right now it is to carve perfect turns down an untouched peak in British Columbia. In the summer, I imagine climbing an untouched ridgeline to the summit of Waddington.
How did you first get started with climbing? How old were you?
I first started climbing when I was sixteen. It was in the Sierra Nevada, and I remember being totally comfortable on the rock. I was a gymnast, so there was a natural transition.
Any advice for folks wanting to become involved in climbing or skiing?
Know that your mind is your greatest obstacle- follow your dreams- live the life you always wanted to.
But, learn how to be safe in the process.
Favorite quote?
“Work like you don't need money, Love like you've never been hurt,And dance like no one's watching.”
Personal Highlights:
Meeting my baby brother (born two years ago).
Being able to breathe after lung surgery removed a tumor blocking my left lung.
Passing my AMGA Alpine Exam.
Career Highlights:
The Grand Traverse of the Tetons only six months after lung surgery.
First descent of Chris Spencer in the Waddington Range
First ascent on Hickson in the Waddington Range.
Recent Activities:
Just returned from an awesome trip to Slovenia and France skiing and climbing. Check it out at my blog
julianiles.com. Next up, my full ski exam with the AMGA in Valdez, Alaska.
Bio:
Julia Niles is a climber, skier, and guide. She is currently based in Squamish, British Columbia surrounded by snowy mountains that keep her playing hard. Having just returned from a climbing trip exploring the “country routes” of South Africa and soon heading to Alaska, she does not allow much time for sitting still. She was the first female to on-sight solo the Grand Traverse of the Tetons in a day, part of the first all-female team to ski the Grand Teton in a day, and she has climbed El Capitan six times. Her recent skiing pursuits had her choking on powder on first descents in the Waddington Range and the Canadian Rockies. After completing her AMGA Ski Guide Certification, she will be one of the few American women certified by the IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Association). She hopes to go back to Patagonia next year and is crossing her fingers for better weather.
Follow Julia on her Blog!