Nikki Champion
Mountain Guide, Ski Guide, Avalanche Forecaster
Salt Lake City, UTslow down
Nikki works as a mountain guide during the summers, primarily on Denali, and across the Cascades. Nikki has spent winters all over the west working as an avalanche professional. She currently spends the off-season in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she can be found mountain biking, skiing, ice climbing and cooking while working as an Avalanche Forecaster for the Utah Avalanche Center, and Ski Guide.
Discipline: Outdoor Recreation
Specialty: Backcountry skiing, mountaineering, avalanche safety, mountain biking, trail running
8 Denali summits, often involving glitter, and maybe some mullets. 12+ years as a mountain guide, including nearly 100 summits of Rainier, with experience across Alaska, the Northwest, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. Avalanche professional, educator, ski guide, and mentor, working in the avalanche space to open doors and bring more women into the fold.
Nikki Champion's Expert Gear Recommendations
Ski Touring
From ski guiding to avalanche forecasting to just ripping around with friends, this is the day-to-day kit that keeps up with all of it.
- LF 30L by Raide Research — The daily driver pack that gives me quick access to my probe when I’m digging a pit or checking snow depth. Thoughtfully built, and the back panel makes it easy to grab snacks and layers without digging around.
- Cirque 50 Backpack by Black Diamond — When I need something for bigger ski days, guiding on Rainier, or an overnight this is the pack I reach for.
- Transfer Shovel by Black Diamond — I have a variety of shovels. For longer person days, where I am not just planning to move a ton of snow, this is what I find in my pack. Bonus points, pink.
- Quickdraw Pro Probe by Black Diamond — An easy-to-use 320 probe. Probe is something I never want to skimp on. Get the 300 or longer...
- Barryvox S2 by Mammut — Beacons are like a cell phone; you want one that is new and up to date, fits well in your pocket, and you're comfortable with. That's this for me.
- Snow Saw Pro by Black Diamond — Love that this saw can be used to isolate a column early season, really low profile and easy to store in the pack, and I can confirm - it will also cut a small tree when necessary.
