Though born in Connecticut, Hannah's spiritual home is in Vermont where she has a deep love and connection to the mountains and dirt roads, and especially, Killington Resort. Hannah has made a strong name for herself throughout her seven years on the U.S. Moguls Team and we are thrilled watch her fly high at her first Olympic games later this month.
In celebration of her print Sky Dye, we caught up with Hannah to learn about the foundations of her skiing career, why she's a diehard tie-dye fan, and what tricks she has up her sleeve for this winter.
You grew up in Connecticut but have a deep connection to Vermont, Killington in particular. What do you find so special about Vermont?
"I always joke that I am a nomad, my license says Connecticut, my license plate says Utah, but my heart is in Vermont. For me, Vermont is so special because of the community. Everyone is so passionate about the outdoors and I love the diehard mentality where it doesn't matter if it is rain or shine, people are skiing, biking, hiking, etc with a smile on their face."
And what about your connection to Killington?
"My grandfather started coming to Killington in the 1960s and it has been a family affair ever since. I grew up in Killington's Bear Mountain parking lot going between playing in the snowbanks and taking laps on the iconic Outer Limits. Killington has not only become my community, but my family. My greatest memories are skiing spring bumps with people of all ages until the lifts stop turning and ending the day hanging in the parking lot talking about all the greatest bump lines of the day."
Tell us about your first memory on skis. Do you remember how you started getting into mogul skiing?
"I started skiing at 18 months old, but my true passion was for playing in the enormous snowbanks in the parking lot
at the bottom of Outer Limits at Killington Resort. I would ski until I got hungry, take a lunch break, and the spend the rest of the day in the parking lot with my friends.
I always considered myself a mogul skier. After all, Killington is the mogul skiing capital of the world! Outer Limits, the main mogul run at Killington, was (and still is) my favorite trail and is always covered in moguls. That's all I knew! I honestly didn't know people avoided moguls until I was older and started traveling to other mountains for competitions."
Why did you want to partner with Skida?
"I have always admired the Skida brand and messaging every since I was a kid. Skida is a local Vermont brand started by women – as a little girl who loved Vermont (and cute hats!) it was easy for me to get behind!"
What does the Soar collaboration mean to you?
"I have always wanted my own Skida pattern, I mean literally forever. The design team is phenomenal, and I am so grateful that I can spread my love for freestyle skiing in collaboration with Skida this winter. I have always wanted to leave the sport of mogul skiing better than I found it, and I hope this collaboration adds to my legacy and promotes the sport for the next generation of mogul skiers!"
What's the story behind the tie-dye?
"For me, tie-dye represents the free spirit of freestyle skiing. I grew up wearing tie-dyes and listening to the Grateful Dead surrounded by diehard amateur mogul fanatics that instilled in me the importance of loving what you do. I try to carry this spirit with me as I travel the World Cup circuit and head to the 2022 Winter Olympics and the tie-dye is a visual reminder of my roots and why I do what I do."
What is your favorite thing about traveling on the World Cup circuit every winter?
"My favorite aspect of the World Cup circuit is that I get to see parts of the world that I otherwise would never have seen. Places like Kazakhstan and Siberia aren't places I would have necessarily thought to visit for vacation!"
What are you looking forward to most this winter?
"This winter, I am most looking forward to the Olympics! I am lucky to have pre-qualified for the Olympics before Christmas, so now it is time to focus on going for the gold in China this February!"
Can you give us any details on what new tricks you're working on?
"This winter, I am currently throwing a back grab on the top air and a cork 7 on the bottom. I have been working on a cork grab, so we will see if that makes an appearance before the Olympics! I also have a back full, so you never know when that will be used either. I like to keep it interesting."
Besides skiing, what else do you like to do for fun?
"I love gravel biking. I just bought a new Specialized Diverge and I love telling everyone (obviously!). It is such an awesome way to see the backroads of Vermont while getting exercise with friends and family! Plus, post-ride beers are the best on beautiful Vermont days – and by beautiful days, I mean rainy and mud-covered Vermont adventures!"
Is there anything else you think we should know?
"Come find me on Superstar at Killington for spring bumps – and bring your tie-dyes!"
Learn more about World Cup moguls skier Hannah Soar here »
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