268: Kit DesLauriers, First person to Ski the ‘Seven Summits’

This is a special interview with Kit DesLauriers – the person to ski the Seven Summits – the highest mountains on each of the planet’s seven continents.

I read Kit’s book ‘Higher Love’ in the summer of 2025 and was blown away by her bravery, courage, determination and, quite frankly, by her incredible organisation.

During our conversation Kit covers her background in skiing as a former Freeride World Tour champion, as well as explaining the logistical, physical and physiological challenges she faced while tackling the Seven Summits.

This episode is the latest in a series of interviews with high-achieving women in the world of snowsports. Previous episodes in this series have included interviews with Vicky Gosling, CEO of GB Snowsport, BBC Ski Sunday’s Chemmy Alcott and founder of YSE Ski Fiona Easdale, as well as the Team GB freestyle skiers Zoe Atkin and Kirsty Muir.

SHOW NOTES

Read Kit’s book: ‘Higher Love: Climbing and Skiing the Seven Summits’
Kit learned cross country skiing first (7:00)
Skiing in Verbier (9:00)
Chamonix and Alagna (13:00)
Kit worked on the ski patrol at Telluride (14:00)
Moving to Jackson Hole (16:15)
Joining the World Freeski Tour (17:30)
Being sponsored by The North Face (19:00)
Dick Bass gifting his book (21:00)
Mt Elbrus (27:00)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Dan Egan (28:00)
Vinson Massif, Antarctica (29:00)
Using neoprene over boots (30:00)
Aconcagua (31:00)
Mount Kilimanjaro (35:00)
Was Everest always going to be last? (38:00)
‘Complete autonomy’ contract with Dave Hahn (40:30)
Buddhist blessings (44:00)
A call from Megan Carney (47:30)
Jimmy Chin (52:00)
Skiing from the summit of Everest (53:00)
Skiing the Lhotse Face (54:00)
Becoming a parent (58:00)
The Brooks Range of Alaska (59:00)

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