Caroline Gleich (Photo credit: Jay Beyer)
October 28, 2026
Caroline Gleich (pronounced GLIKE) is a Green-Sports Unicorn: Retired professional backcountry skier and ski mountaineer, 9X marathoner, ultramarathoner, Everest summiteer, climate activist, former US Senate candidate, and anti-data center campaigner, and more.
Her warrior mentality, pioneering spirit, commitment, and decency led EcoAthletes to name Caroline Gleich as the sixth inductee to its Hall of Fame. She joins Cory Booker (former Stanford tight end, current US Senator from New Jersey), Kyle Clark (former pro ice hockey player, CEO of pioneering electric aviation company Beta Technologies), Dr. Katharine Hayhoe (climate scientist, climate communicator extraordinaire), Dr. Allen Hershkowitz (a founding father of the Green-Sports movement, environmental science advisor New York Yankees), and Leigh Steinberg (legendary agent to NFL quarterbacks, climate advocate)
Caroline Gleich skis pristine powder (Photo credit: Jay Beyer)
“It’s just an incredible honor,” shared Gleich. “I mean, in my heart, I’m just this kid from Minnesota who dreamt of becoming a pro skier, lived that dream, and who now wants to make a difference by protecting nature, the land, our bodies of water. Sometimes it feels like a David versus Goliath kind of battle so I appreciate the recognition by EcoAthletes and am humbled to join such a legendary group of Hall of Famers.”
Gleich’s path to pro skiing took her from the frozen flatlands of Minnesota to the peaks of the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, where she moved with her family when she was 15.
“I just fell in love with the mountains and then committed to seeing what the world looked like from the top of mountain peaks,” she recalled. “When I turned 18, despite never having been a competitive skier, I turned pro, taking an untraditional path by doing films, photo shoots, and storytelling. I did content creation before there was such a thing as content creators!”
While she was in high school, Gleich first experienced the impacts of environmental degradation, as she saw her uncle suffer from exposure to industrial pollution. That started her on a path towards environmental advocacy and activism that would involve both sports (“protecting powder, snow and ice”) and politics (“I saw the government pander to polluters, which had lasting effects on families and I decided I wanted to see how we can do better and how we can make polluters pay”).
After graduating from the University of Utah and going full-time as a pro backcountry skier, Gleich became Protect Our Winter’s first ski ambassador. She made several trips to Capitol Hill, leading POW delegations to lobby members of Congress from snow states on pro-climate, pro-environmental policies and legislation.
Fast forward to early January 2024, a decade or so after her first lobbying trip. Gleich had taken a candidate training course, and she had a big decision to make.
Caroline Gleich testifies in front of the US Senate
“The filing deadline for the US Senate seat in Utah was coming up and there wasn’t a strong Democratic candidate who had filed,” recounted Gleich. “So, I stepped up. Why? If not now, when? And it was important to show proof of concept: That a political outsider, an athlete, and a young woman, could do it.”
After earning the nomination Gleich lost the general election decisively yet predictably in deep red Utah. And while running for the US Senate was the hardest thing she’s ever done, Gleich does not regret it. And, perhaps most importantly, she says that other pro climate/pro environment athletes should not be afraid of the politics of the issue.
“The longer I’ve gone on my journey as a climate advocate, the more I’ve seen how important it is to elect climate and public lands and environmental champions into office,” she asserted. “And I feel that if we have the privilege to pursue sport at a high level, we have a responsibility to future generations to speak up and advocate for cleaner energy, clean air, for protected public lands.”
Then Gleich added this one important coda: “Don’t let the trolls silence you!”
We are certain — and very glad — that neither the trolls nor anyone else will never silence our newest EcoAthletes Hall of Famer, Caroline Gleich!
You can follow Caroline on her website and Instagram.