Stories from the Field: Caroline Gleich, McKenna Peterson, Anne Wangler, & Sierra Schlag

This powerful episode of the Blister Podcast features an all-women's panel at the Blister Summit in Snowbird, moderated by filmmaker Sierra Schlag. The conversation centers on the multifaceted lives of professional skiers McKenna Peterson, Annie Wangler, and Caroline Gleich, alongside activist and mountaineer Caroline Gleich, who recently ran for U.S. Senate and is training for the Boston Marathon. The panelists share intimate stories from their recent trips to Alaska, reflecting on injury recovery, fear management, and the transformative power of female camaraderie in high-stakes mountain environments. They candidly discuss systemic challenges in the ski industry, including gender disparities in equipment, leadership, parental protections, and the emotional toll of misogyny—highlighted by a distressing experience at Silverton Mountain where an all-women film crew faced sexist comments and exclusionary attitudes. The discussion also explores how women are reshaping the industry through advocacy, representation, and demanding equitable opportunities, while calling on men to use their privilege as allies in creating inclusive spaces both on the slopes and in boardrooms. Key takeaways include the importance of trusting intuition and embracing fear as a tool for growth, the necessity of female-led leadership and inclusive product design, and the urgent need for systemic change around parental leave, pay equity, and institutional support. The panel emphasizes that confidence is often faked until it’s made, and that women’s stories—and bodies—deserve to be centered in outdoor culture. The episode closes with a call to action: men must actively advocate for women, challenge toxic behavior, and support structural change. This is not just a conversation about skiing—it’s a blueprint for equity, resilience, and collective empowerment in outdoor sports.