Caroline Gleich Announced as Keynote Speaker for 2025 Annual Wilderness Risk Management Conference in Portland, Maine

June 26, 2025

Professional ski mountaineer, endurance athlete, and environmental activist to share her lessons learned from tackling the world’s highest peaks at the 32nd annual conference on Thursday, October 2, 2025

PORTLAND, Maine (June 26, 2025) /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – The 32nd Annual Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC), presented by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Outward Bound USA, and the Student Conservation Association (SCA), has announced that professional ski mountaineer, endurance athlete, and environmental activist, Caroline Gleich will be the keynote speaker at the annual event, being held September 30-October 2, 2025, in Portland, Maine. The renowned conference brings outdoor professionals, educators, guides, and risk managers together to address challenges, share current practices, and enhance safety and risk management in wilderness settings.

As the keynote speaker, Gleich will explore the lessons learned from tackling the world’s highest peaks and how they apply to leadership, risk management, and resilience. In the keynote address, titled “High Altitude Leadership: Stories from the Summits,” she will share experiences such as managing life-threatening high-altitude pulmonary edema on Cho Oyu and tearing her ACL weeks before her Everest ascent. These experiences underscore the importance of assessing risks, striking a balance between ambition and safety, and knowing when to adjust strategies. Gleich connects these insights to her run for U.S. Senate in Utah, demonstrating how perseverance, preparation, and purpose are essential in overcoming challenges.

“Caroline’s keynote comes at a critical time,” stated Stuart Slay, WRMC Steering Committee Chair. “The current social and political climate is directly affecting key aspects of outdoor and wilderness programming, including land management, conservation programs, inclusion efforts, and weather forecasting. We are thrilled to have Caroline join this year’s WRMC to share her timely perspective, informed by her experience as an athlete, activist, and political leader.”

In addition to Gleich’s keynote address, the WMRC will feature various workshops, presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. Attendees will have the chance to learn from industry experts, participate in interactive sessions, and gain valuable insights into risk management strategies.

Registration is open for this year’s WRMC and is open to the public.

WRMC INFORMATION | HERE

WRMC REGISTRATION | HERE

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About Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC)

The core objective of the Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) is to offer an outstanding educational experience to help industry professionals and the community mitigate the risks inherent in exploring, working, teaching, and recreating in wild places. The WRMC, held annually and now in its 32nd year, is held in collaboration with NOLS, Outward Bound USA, and the SCA.

About Caroline Gleich

Caroline is a professional ski mountaineer, endurance athlete, and environmental activist who currently resides in Park City, Utah. She’s climbed and skied some of the biggest mountains in the world, including Mt. Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, and Cho Oyu, the sixth highest peak in the world. In 2019, she successfully summited Everest/Chomolungma, six weeks after fully tearing her ACL. She was the first woman to ski all 90 lines in “The Chuting Gallery,” a steep skiing guidebook to her home mountain range, the Wasatch. Caroline has testified to the House and Senate about how climate change is impacting mountain environments and works with a variety of local and national nonprofit organizations to advocate for clean air and climate action. Caroline continues to merge sport and activism to inspire people to get outside, live a healthy, active lifestyle, and protect the places we love to play.
https://carolinegleich.com/

About National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)

Founded in 1965 in a small cabin in Sinks Canyon, Wyoming, by Paul Petzoldt, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is a nonprofit global wilderness school that seeks to help individuals step forward boldly as leaders. We believe that anyone can be a leader; it’s our role to provide the environment and training to help them discover their full potential. We do that in classrooms close to home and remote wilderness areas worldwide. The scope of NOLS’ mission and impact is broad, with 14 campuses across six countries and educational opportunities worldwide. The school enrolls over 28,000 students and employs more than 1,000 full-time and part-time staff and instructors, with an annual budget of approximately $40 million in a typical year. NOLS currently has more than 366,000 active alumni.
For more information, visit nols.edu | @nolsedu | 800.710.6657

About Outward Bound USA
Outward Bound, founded in 1941 by educator Kurt Hahn, is a non-profit educational organization that serves people of all ages and circumstances through challenging learning expeditions that focus on character development, leadership and service. In the U.S. Outward Bound is a national network of schools and is the leading provider of experiential and outdoor education offering over 1,000 courses throughout the year, across the U.S. and internationally. Outward Bound helps individuals and teams discover strength of character and an aptitude for leadership needed to serve others in their community and care for the world around them. Outward Bound serves 40,000 students annually, many of whom receive scholarship support and has a nationwide community of more than 1 million people.
To learn more, please visit: www.outwardbound.org

About the Student Conservation Association (SCA)
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is the largest provider of hands-on environmental conservation programs for youth and adults. Program participants protect and restore national parks, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks and community green spaces across the country. The SCA is devoted to building equitable access to nature, providing green job opportunities for young people, and teaching members how to become environmental stewards. Founded in 1957, the SCA is committed to building the next generation of conservation leaders dedicated to the lifelong protection of the environment and the communities we serve. For more, visit www.thesca.org

MEDIA CONTACTS

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
Kelli Lusk
kelli_lusk@nols.edu

OUTWARD BOUND USA (OBUSA)
Caitlin Cowan
communications@outwardbound.org

STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION (SCA)
Sarah Hoye
shoye@thesca.org