Andrew McLean - Ski Mountaineering Resume
Updated: Jan 2008
BACKGROUND
Born: 24 February 1961
Home town: Bellevue, Washington - USA
Education: Rhode Island School of Design – BFA Industrial Design 1985
Occupation: Product designer, writer and photographer specializing in the outdoors.
Skiing experience: • 42 years on snow & skis
• 20 years of Ski Mountaineering
• 16 years of USSA & FIS Racing - Juniors & Master - SL, GS, SG & DH
• 3 years of Ski Racing Coaching
CERTIFICATES, AWARDS & MEMBERSHIPS
• Hans Saari Memorial Fund – Board of Directors
• United States Ski Mountaineering Association – Board of Directors
• Explorers Club - National Member
• International Ski Mountaineering Council (ISMC) - North American delegate
• ISMC International Judge
• Avalanche Forecaster - 2003/04 Utah Avalanche Center, SLC, Utah
• Polartec Challenge Grant 2002 winner - Baffin Island Expedition
• Polartec Challenge Grant 1999 winner - Shishapangma Ski Expedition
• American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) - Level II & III
• American Avalanche Institute (AAI) - Level 1 & II
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certificate – 2002
• Wilderness Emergency Care (WEC) certificate – 1994
• USSCA Level One Coaching Certificate
MEDIA
• ABC “Good Morning America” – Interview for the movie “Steep”
• Men’s Journal profile, Sept 2007 – Style & Design Issue
• Voted one of “The 48 Greatest Skiers of our Time” Powder Magazine, Dec 2006
• Salt Lake Magazine profile, Sept 2005 -
"10 Innovators"
• The New Yorker Magazine profile, April 2005 - "
Dangerous Game"
• Outside Magazine profile, May 2005 - "
Thrill Daddy Dreams of Powder Dawn"
• Skiing Magazine profile, Nov 2003 - "
11 Reasons NOT to Ski With Andrew McLean"
• GreatOutdoors.com profile - "Andrew McLean"
• Voted one of "North America's Top Ski Mountaineers" - Powder Magazine, 2004
• “Best Ski Mountaineering Adventure” - Baffin Island. Nat Geo Adventure Magazine
• "Best Expedition of the Year - 2002" Arcs Over the Arctic - Baffin Island. Skiing Magazine
• Voted one of “
North America’s 25 Best Skiers” by Skiing Magazine - Feb, 2001
• Voted one of the “25 Best Outdoor Athletes in the World” by Outside Magazine - Dec, 2000
• Author “
The Chuting Gallery - A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains”
• Couloir Magazine - Cover photo, Nov 2002 & Oct/Nov 1995. Numerous articles & photos.
• Powder Magazine - Photo Annual centerfold, skiing Mt. Superior, 1993.
• Black Diamond Equipment Ltd. - numerous catalog photos & articles
• Writing & photo contributor for Backcountry, Couloir, Powder & Skiing magazines
FILMS:
• “Steep” – A Sony Pictures Classics documentary on steep ski, 2007
• “Trapped in Ice” - WGBH & NOVA account of climbing Antarctica’s Vinson Massif, 2002
• “Shishapangma - A Celebration of Life” - NBC Premier of a North Face/AAP film, 2000
• “The Greatest Snow on Earth: Utah's Skiing Story - 1999
RELATED INTERESTS & ADVENTURES
• Mountain unicycling • Sailing
• Caving • Rock climbing
Andrew McLean \ 395 Crestview Drive, Park City, UT 84098 \ [email protected] \ 435.615.7124
RACING & COMPETITIONS
• 24 Hours of Sunlight – Climbed & skied 37,224’ in 24 hours
• Course setter, safety coordinator & judge – Black Diamond PowderKeg 2002-2007
• 2nd Place overall 2003 Life-Link Randonee Rally series
• 1st Place - Alaska Pipeline Raid 2003 - Ski Mountaineering Race
• Randonee Rally - Alpental 2002 - 1st Place. 2003 - 1st Place. 2004 - 3rd place
• Derby de la Meije 1994 - La Grave, France 7,000’ free for all. 25th out of 500
• Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme - Blackcomb, Canada
1st Place 1987 - Class 1 ~ 2nd Place 1988 - Class 1 ~ 3rd Place 1990 - Class 1
• Peak to Valley - Whistler, Canada
1st Place Class 1 1989 ~ 2nd Place - Class 1 1990 ~ 3rd Place - Class 2 1991
• Ground Hogs Day 1994 - Telemark racing Alta, Utah, 1st place Men’s Open
• Coaching - Team Alpental/Snoqualmie - 1988 - 1991, Juniors & Adults
• Head of Development & Evergreen Cup Team
• Coach of the Year Award – 1989
• Mission Ridge Ski Racing Academy - 1979/80
EXPEDITIONS & SKI DESCENTS
Mt. Damavand Iran Descent from Iran’s high point
Wrangell-St.Elias Mtns Alaska Expedition Leader
High Atlas Mountains Morocco Expedition Leader
NZ Southern Alps New Zealand Expedition Leader
Trollaskagi Peninsula Iceland Expedition Leader
Southern Patagonia Ice Cap Argentina 7 first descents
Cortex Couloir Great Basin BP, Nevada First Descent
Ramen Couloir / West Rib Mt. Hunter, AK First descent of Mt. Hunter
Messner Couloir Mt. McKinley, AK From 20,320' summit
Orient Express Mt. McKinley, AK From 19,500'
Mt. Mohl Ellsworth Mtns, Antarctica 1st Ascent & Descent (solo)
Shastina - East Face Mt. Shastina, CA
Avalanche Gulch Mt. Shasta, CA Nonstop - 24 minutes
Mendel Couloir Mt. Mendel, CA 2nd Descent
Northeastern Fjords Baffin Island, Canada 19 First descents
Central Ice Bulge Mt. Fay, Canada 2nd Descent?
The Gargoyle La Grave, France 1st Descent
The Y Couloir La Grave, France
The Big Bang La Grave, France 1st Descent
Mt. Reagan - SE Face Sawtooth Mtns, ID
Becky/Chouinard Route Glacier Peak, MT 1st Descent
Project X East Rosebud, MT 1st Descent?
Whitetail Peak Beartooth Mtns, MT 2nd Descent
The Flashlight Room Beartooth Mtns, MT 1st Descent
Piccolo Couloir Sacagawea, MT 1st Descent
Terminal Cancer Ruby Mtns, NV
The Ice Tooth Shishapangma, Tibet 1st Descent
Great White Icicle Wasatch Mtns, UT 1st Descent
Lightning Bolt Couloir Wasatch Mtns, UT 1st Descent
Medusa Face Wasatch Mtns, UT 1st Descent
Montgomery Wasatch Mtns, UT 1st Descent
The Triangle Wall Wasatch Mtns, UT 1st Descent
Dromedary - North Face Wasatch Mtns, UT 1st Descent
The Fang Provo Canyon, UT 1st Descent
The Fuhrer Finger Mt. Rainier, WA
The Edmunds Headwall Mt. Rainier, WA 1st & 2nd Descent
FordStettner Couloir Grand Teton, WY
Hossack/MacGowan Grand Teton, WY 2nd Descent
The Enclosure Couloir Grand Teton, WY 1st Descent
Molar Tooth Couloir Grand Teton, WY 1st Descent
Andrew McLean \ 395 Crestview Drive, Park City, UT 84098 \ [email protected] \ 435.615.7124
BIOGRAPHY
Andrew McLean has been pursuing steep skiing challenges in remote locations for
over two decades and has accumulated over 100 first descents. In 2007 he
completed a decade long quest to capture first descents on all seven continents
when he traveled to Morocco to ski in the High Atlas Mountains. McLean’s specialty
is ski mountaineering, which involves climbing up peaks before skiing down them.
This process allows him to ski mountains where motorized access is forbidden or
impractical. His passion for this sport has led to him being voted as one of the
“Greatest Skiers of Our Time” by Powder Magazine and a featured segment in the
Sony Classic Pictures 2007 film entitled “Steep.”
Outside of skiing, McLean’s interests include design, writing and photography. After
graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, he worked at Black Diamond
Equipment for thirteen years, creating products such as the Camalot, wire gate
carabiners, Whippet, Peckers and Talon rock hook. His writings and photography
have appeared in Skiing, Powder, Backcountry Magazine and numerous outdoor gear
catalogs. He lives in Park City, Utah with his wife Polly who holds the world record
for the greatest amount of vertical climbed and skied in 24 hours. They have a
daughter named Mira, one good dog and one bad dog.
SPONSORS & AFFILIATES
Andrew McLean \ 395 Crestview Drive, Park City, UT 84098 \ [email protected] \ 435.615.7124
