Skier/Full Certified PSIA Instructor/Mountaineer/Apprentice AMGA Guide/Sportsman/US Ski Hall of Fame Inductee

The first time on skis at age two had a lasting impression on Glen Plake, he’s dedicated his life to the sport ever since. Growing up in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains it is easy to understand Glen’s unconventional thinking and unique place in the sport of skiing. “California is not your typical place for a skier to be from” as a featured skier in Greg Stumps early films (Blizzard of Aahhh’s and License to Thrill) Glen was exposed to Chamonix and he to the skiing world “I wasn’t trying to prove anything, I just loved skiing and I guess it really showed through on film”.

Ski racing and stints on the US National Mogul Team honed his technical skills mix that with California’s lifestyle and you have Glen. With the success of the films, the possibility of being a professional freeskier became reality, until then the title “pro skier” came only with FIS results. “It never made sense to me that the best “skiers” on the hill couldn’t even get free skis even though everybody wanted to ski like them.” Working with some believers/sponsors Glen began to change peoples perception of pro sports and is often referred as the pioneer of action sports opening the door for many of today's heros. “It has been a great journey and responsibility that I take very seriously and devote every day too, I have been blessed with the ability to inspire people but I have to keep inspiring myself”. Chamonix exposed Glen to the world of mountaineering and following in the traditions of extreme skiing, he has had the success of first descents in Europe, Japan, North/South America, and Asia. “Skiing 50 degree slopes at 20,000 ft is a game where the rules have not changed.”

Glens continual quest to promote the sport also leads him to other unlikely ski places “Americas Heartland”. He and his wife, Kimberly, travel to the smaller ski areas in North America in grass roots form skiing with other skiers at their “home mountains”, “ It gets me stoked to see the enthusiasm at these little hills, we have been to around 200 of them some of which only 200 ft high.” This has allowed Glen to see what skiers need or want and with the support of Elan, Julbo, Leki, Screamer and Mammoth Mountain, this has led him towards the development and design of new products for today's skiers.

In 2011, Glen has been honored by the US National Ski Hall of Fame, he inducted into the “Class of 2010” and is forever a part of ski history.

Glen and Kimberly are skiing vagabonds living continuously on the road and vacationing at their home in Nevada or their apartment in Chamonix depending on the season. Glen is not only a snow skier he is a National Champion Waterskier in both Slalom and marathon waterski racing “skiing at over 100 mph”. He has also won multiple titles in Off-Road Rally Racing including the Baja 1000 and 500, and has participated in the Dakar Rally and is a 508 (endurance cycling) solo finisher.

“Skiing, mountaineering and my other “distractions” can be summed up with one word - Adventurer in snow or when it melts.....”