This morning at the Utah State Capitol, world-renowned ski mountaineer and climate activist Caroline Gleich (D) officially declared her candidacy for the United States Senate seat in Utah currently held by Sen. Mitt Romney. Answering Senator Romney’s call for “a new generation of leaders,” Gleich is bringing her passion for the environment, commitment to improving the world around her, and dedication to overcoming big challenges to the forefront of her campaign.
Gleich is a world-renowned professional ski mountaineer, endurance athlete, and activist for the environment and equality. She has summited some of the highest peaks in the world, including Everest/Chomolungma and Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest peak in the world. She is the first woman to have skied all the lines in “The Chuting Gallery,” a steep skiing guidebook to the Wasatch. Caroline is also a committed activist for social and environmental justice. She aims to bring positive change to Utah and the nation through her candidacy. Caroline is based in Park City, Utah, and lives with her husband, Rob Lea.
Gleich’s vision for Utah is rooted in creating positive change, advocating for people and the planet, social and environmental justice, and elevating critical issues such as air quality, gender equity, climate action, and more. Her journey, marked by conquering challenging mountain lines and overcoming personal loss, is a testament to her resilience and dedication to advocacy.
“As I start this climb towards the U.S. Senate, I carry with me the lessons learned from reaching mountain peaks and navigating life’s terrain. My commitment is unwavering—to empower, to protect, and to advocate for a brighter future,” said Gleich in a Monday press release. “I’ve been an underdog my whole life with skeptics questioning my height, strength, and bravery for scaling the world’s tallest mountains. Yet, I’ve summited Everest and Cho Oyu. I’ve broken records and defied limits. Running for the United States Senate to represent the people of Utah is undoubtedly an uphill climb, but I’m no stranger to overcoming challenges.”
Gleich attributes her extensive involvement in activism and understanding of local, state, and federal policy to her role as an athlete and advocate for social and environmental justice.
Gleich initiated her activism journey through a political internship while in college with Ted Wilson, the environmental advisor to the Governor of Utah. This led to a publication critiquing the state’s ten-year energy plan. She has since collaborated with environmental non-profits, addressing issues like fossil fuel extraction and air quality. Recognizing the interconnectedness of climate change, public lands, and social justice, she became a member of Protect Our Winters and testified before Congress on the climate’s impact on mountain sports. As the first-ever Protect Our Winters ski team captain, she led 70 athletes advocating for climate action. Gleich actively participated in efforts to protect Bears Ears National Monument, organizing fundraisers and testifying at federal hearings.
In 2020, she organized a “Climate Rally” to mobilize the outdoor industry against climate change. Concerned about threats to women’s rights, climate, and public lands during the Trump administration, she ran an endorsement campaign for the Biden/Harris administration. While engaging in extreme feats like skiing 31,000 feet in a day, she raised funds for clean energy initiatives. Contributing to the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, she regularly lobbied the Utah legislature on air quality bills.
She also organized a “Run to Redistrict” in 2023, raising awareness about gerrymandering in Utah and supporting a lawsuit. This week, we spoke with Gleigh via email to delve into her motivations for running and explore how her background has uniquely equipped her for the responsibilities of this office. The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Shafer: What prompted the choice to run?
Gleich: I feel overwhelming sadness about the social and environmental issues I see in Utah and the rest of the world today. Inequality, air quality, environmental degradation, the climate crisis, and the end of the Great Salt Lake. Something that gives me hope is working on policy solutions as an activist. I’ve learned to turn my anger, frustration, and sadness into action. Working on local, state, and federal policy and legislative solutions creates solutions to community-wide problems. I am running to represent the issues important to Utahns that our current elected officials aren’t addressing: protecting the environment, advocating for gender equity, cleaning our air and water, expanding access to outdoor recreation, and ensuring Utahns’ voices and concerns are represented in DC.
Shafer: How do you foresee this impacting your career as a professional ski mountaineer?
Gleich: Activism has always been integral to my skiing. Democracy only works if people participate, and I see running as my civic duty and a natural extension of what I do in the mountains. We need more voices from diverse backgrounds at all levels of government. I have to do this work because our air, our snow, our future, and women’s rights are at risk.
Shafer: What is the primary focus of your platform?
Gleich: I am excited to engage the next generation of voters and to give Utah voters a new option. I want to change Utah’s political landscape by registering more voters. Utah has never seen a candidate like me who represents the outdoor culture. Together, we will inspire other outdoors people and different types of candidates to get involved politically. I’ve traveled all over the world and believe our governance system (while it has flaws) is one of the best. We need defenders of democracy because we can lose it in a single generation.
I will focus on advancing environmental and social justice and holding our elected officials accountable. How we treat people is how we treat the planet. Utah elected officials continue to ignore issues around climate action, air quality, and environmental protection, spending billions of dollars of taxpayer money on measures that are harming people and the planet.
Shafer: What challenges do you anticipate in your candidacy?
Gleich: I’m a woman and a Democrat running in Utah. There hasn’t been a Democrat elected statewide since the 90s. There hasn’t been a democratic senator from Utah since 1977. There’s never been a woman Senator elected from the state of Utah. I would be the first.
I know the chances are slim, but I’m not afraid of attempting what other people tell me is impossible. When I tell people about my goals throughout my career, I’ve been met with skepticism. “you’re too small and delicate. You’re not strong enough. They told me my dreams were impossible and either humored me or told me I would die trying. We can’t listen to what anyone else says we are capable of when climbing mountains or running for the U.S. Senate. I do what people tell me is impossible, and you can too.
Why do you believe skiers, in particular, should vote for you?
Gleich: It’s not a matter of whether they vote for me. It’s a matter of if they vote at all. I want to engage more skiers and snow lovers to vote and run for office. Skiers experience the natural environment on such an intimate level. We spent copious amounts of time studying the weather and putting ourselves into the worst weather possible. As we benefit from the outdoors, we have a duty to give back. We need someone who will advocate to protect the outdoors in this generation and for generations to come.
How has your career as an athlete uniquely prepared you for this office?
Gleich: Making a career as a professional athlete is always a challenge. I’m not afraid of doing hard, scary things over and over. Being a human-powered skier involves breaking trails through waist-deep snow. When climbing at high altitudes, every tiny step leaves you winded. I know how to make progress, putting one foot in front of another, even when it feels impossible. I’m also not afraid of working in a male-dominated environment where people are always second-guessing my qualifications. By continuing to show up and speak up, I’m creating a path for future women to become professional ski mountaineers and to run for office in my state and my country.
Caroline will officially launch her campaign in the coming weeks. To learn more about Caroline and her campaign, visit