Wanderer

PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURER KALEN THORIEN SHARES HER LOVE FOR THE OPEN ROAD

- Devon Preston

For Kalen Thorien, having a normal life and career was never an option. Straight out of high school, she moved to Alta, Utah and just two years later, she became a professional skier. However, Thorien’s love for adventure didn’t stop on the slopes. Today, she’s known as a professional adventurer and travels the globe exploring new places, whether by plane or by Harley. She’s a wanderer to her core and has no plan to settle down in one place anytime soon.

How did your childhood help foster a love for the outdoors and what are some of your strongest memories of being in nature as a kid?

I was lucky to be in the pre-smartphone generation. The outdoors were our iPhones, so whether it was sneaking into construction sites to play in mud, climbing trees in my backyard, or swimming in the local river, it was just second nature to be outside. My passion for exploration and adventure didn’t come until my late teens. When I started skiing at 16, that was the catalyst for all things in the mountains. Besides sliding down snow, I wanted to roam the wilderness whenever possible. Wake up in a tent every morning. Go further into the unknown. Outdoor domino effect, you could say.

What led you to become a professional skier and how did that lead you to become a four-season athlete with Salomon?