From Cuties to V2: The Story of Sisu Ski Retreat

It all started one night in the garage, when my dad shaved the fish scales off a pair of kids’ classic skis with a hand grinder.

I was only five years old, and had already grown accustomed to long days outside in the wet winters of the Pacific Northwest. We would regularly spend Saturday mornings on the John Wayne Trail, fueled only by cuties and the urging of my dad and his forever mantra: “It’s just around the next corner!” (Of course, I’m not sure what “it” referred to, and there are no corners on this trail. This could be partially why these excursions seemed to have no end.)

In those years I never quite took to skating, despite the influence of my six-foot-two dad’s effortless technique. His purple tights and bright yellow Salomon boots were a vision of epic 90s style and confidence. He would ski off without pause into the distance, snow flakes obscuring his perfect fresh tracks until he finally turned back to check on me. Looking back, I think a more substantial lunch and a bit of technical advice would have gone a long way. But at the time, I met his enthusiasm with gangling glides and pole plants, keeping up as best I could.  

When I moved to Colorado after college, I realized I needed to find a way to love winter. And Alpine skiing was way too expensive, but even worse, ridiculously overcrowded. I didn’t want my winter workouts to feel like a frat party—I wanted them to be peaceful, out in nature, just like those times on the John Wayne Trail with my dad. I entered my first skate ski race a year later. Despite having completed a custom three-month training plan and being in the best physical shape of my life, I came in dead last in my age group—and the age group above. 

That’s when I learned that, as it turns out, there’s more to skate skiing than a V1.

Skiing with Dad at 75 years young

Several seasons of lessons later, I launched Sisu Ski Retreat. Designed as a getaway for like-minded women who want to learn a new winter skill and have fun while doing it, we are now in our seventh season in two locations: Colorado and my original home, Washington State. We do yoga, eat delicious home-cooked meals (BYO cuties!), and pass the evenings in hot tubs and around crackling wood-burning fires. Everyone leaves with a solid understanding of skate ski technique and if they want, the ability to pursue it into the season and beyond. 

Sharing this sport with other women has become a living legacy to my dad. He’s now 85, and we still get out together every now and then—purple tights included. But now I can do a V2.

This story first appeared on skinnyski.com in November 2025 thanks to our partner, Salomon.