Currently based in Salt Lake City, UT, Kim Havell started her career as an alpine ski coach in the Telluride valley. From there, she gradually made the transition to climbing and ski mountaineering, and has since been an instructor and/or guide for Ice Axe Expeditions, San Juan Outdoor School, CVA, and Babes in the Backcountry, tail-guided for H2O Heli Guides, and been a twelve year member of the San Miguel County Search and Rescue Team (and Advisory Board member), with medical and rescue certifications.

Kim has skied on all 7 continents, with 1st descents on 4, and adventured in over 50 countries. During her travels, she has climbed and skied big peaks in the Himalaya & the Karakorum, the highest mountains across the US, with 1st descents both at home and abroad including in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Kim has numerous first female descents in Southwest Colorado, climbed and skied both the Grand Teton and Mt. Moran in a 2 day period, completed multiple ascents and ski descents of 13ers & 14ers, and cut lines on peaks in France, Italy, Canada, Switzerland, Alaska, Russia, and Japan. She has climbed numerous peaks in the Himalayas including Lobuche (6553m) and Ama Dablam (6888m) in Nepal, as well as an expedition to Gasherbrum II (8032m), Pakistan, with some skiing from 7315m, a womens expedition that skied from the summit of Denali (6194m), an Argentina trip of multiple ski descents in the Horcones Valley and on Aconcagua, a ski exploration expedition to Morocco’s Central High Atlas Mtns with 6 summit ski descents, and a complete ski descent from 7,400m on Shishapangma in Tibet in 2010. Kim spent the summer of 2011 on ski expeditions completing first descents in Norway and skiing the high peaks and volancoes of Bolivia, and just returned from ski adventures and guiding in Antarctica this past November.

Kim is an athlete for Alta Ski Resort and Snowbird, was a 12yr ski guide/athlete & model for the Telluride Ski Resort, is a host for Live Sauce Media, and works as a Freelance Writer. She placed 7th in her first Big Mountain Freeskiing Competition in 2005, and among other contests and pursuits, she has a great passion for climbing the desert rock of Indian Creek, UT.

Kim is the only woman (& one of less than 5 people) to ski all the direct couloirs of the infamous Little Wasatch Ridge, Telluride, CO:

~ Heavens Eleven- 3 descents- 1st female descent

~ Grandfather Direct Couloir- 2 descents, 1st female descent

~ Oblivion Bowl to Grandfather- 3 descents- 1st female descent

~ The V Couloir- 1st descent with ski partner Josh Geeter

~ Hairy Banana- 1 descent

~ The North Y Couloir- 1 descent- 1st all female team

~ The Why Couloir- 10 descents

~ The Daisy Duke- 1 descent- 1st female descent

~ nearby San Juaquin Couloir- 20+ descents, 2 solo descents, Silver Chute- 6, & the Wire Couloir- 2, Ballard Pk West face Couloirs- 3 descents

photo: james kleinert

Writing: 

Outside Television

The Ski Journal

Elevation Outdoors

Powder Magazine

ESPN Freeskiing

Wardrobe Wire

Osprey Packs

Ski Magazine- France

Outside Magazine

National Geographic Adventure

 

Expeditions/Ski Trips:

Japan

Morocco

Pakistan

Bolivia

Alaska

Argentina

Norway

Nepal

Tibet

WY- Grand Teton/Mt Moran

WA- Rainier

Canada- Selkirks, Whistler, Revelstoke, Kicking Horse

Russia

France

Italy

Switzerland

Antarctica

Eastern Sierra & Mt Shasta

 

Filming:

“The Edge of Telluride”~Moving Cloud Productions

Various spots for Telluride Ski Resort, NBC, PlumTV

“Solitaire” ~ Sweetgrass Productions ~ Fall 2011

“Breaking Trail”~ Powderwhore Productions

Berber Turns~ Salomon Freeski TV

Selkirks Ski Touring~ Salomon Freeski TV

Svalbard Norway edit~ ICEAXE TV~ Powderwhore Productions

High & Tight ~ WidsixTV

Osprey Packs- Kim Havell athlete

 

Skiing US 14ers:

Pyramid Peak

Mt Wilson

Wilson Peak (3x north face)

El Diente

Crestone Peak

Crestone Needle

La Plata

Elbert

Humboldt

Quandary

Sneffels (3x The Trilogy)

Mt Shasta, CA

Mt Rainier (camp muir)

 

Born in Tehran, Iran, Kim was raised abroad in Hong Kong and then moved to NYC at the age of eleven. She is a graduate of Choate Rosemary Hall and Brown University, and has lived in Telluride, CO for the past fourteen years.

 

random history:

former competitive swimmer (10 years), rower (6 years), judo- green belt & NY state competitor (1st place in 1987), kempo karate orange belt, jumpers class- horseback riding competitor (4 years), alpine ski racer (8 years), and past bungee jumping & tandem sky diving. Captain- Choate Rosemary Hall Ski Team and Crew team, Coaches Award for both. Captain- Brown University Ski Team (2yrs).

Kim also serves on the advisory boards for the San Miguel County SAR team and the Institute for Altitude Medicine.

 

certifications:

OEC- Outdoor Emergency Care Technician

Rigging for Rescue- 2009 Technical Rope Rescue

Wilderness First Responder

Rigging for Rescue- 2010 Instructor Rope Rescue

Rescue 3 International- High to Low Angle

Rescue
Avalanche Levels I & II

Swiftwater Level I

First Aid & CPR

Incident Command Training