Empowered and Unstoppable

The first time I met local professional skier and beloved town sweetheart, Madison Rose Ostergren, I remember the Hollywood-esque narrative in my head: ‘Who is that? I need to meet her.’ Her wild hair, colored like pale strawberries, bounced in time with her dancing; she was almost solely responsible for the crowded dance floor and its enthusiastic revelers that night. It is a colorful life she leads, and the vibrancy follows her from the dance floor to intimidating peaks, from her social media to challenging rock climbing routes and yoga mats, from a tight-knit friend group to quieter days alone with her guitar, resting between bouts of great adventure and physical hardship. Her skiing is as daring as it is joyful, but beneath her high-octane persona lies an unwavering commitment to holistic wellness so that she can better handle the craziness of living, working and competing in a place like Jackson Hole.

“Every year is a new opportunity to learn about yourself,” Madison recently reflected. “And I want to show myself that I can do hard things, and I would love to show a younger generation that you can also do hard things no matter what you look like or who you are: male, female, whatever.” Her social media is rife with smiles as big as her backcountry objectives, bright colors and costumes, and goofy yet inspirational refrains. “It’s definitely an uphill battle as a female in this industry sometimes,” she admits. “My ultimate goal is to inspire people to go move their bodies outside. Especially for the younger generation of women: go do hard things and charge… Do what makes you happy!”

Madison explains that she has struggled over the years, especially early on, with addiction and disordered relationships with food and her body, something she is very open and willing to discuss in the interest of awareness and helping others. “I try to focus on words like ‘look how capable my body is’ or, ‘wow I’m so proud of my body for allowing me to reach my goals.’” She focuses on more compassionate, loving and proud self-talk instead. “I think it’s incredibly cool that we are now showcasing athletes as role models instead of all these skinny models,” she explains, showing me an Instagram post about rugby athlete phenom Ilona Maher, her strength and positive body image messages, and how she is infiltrating mainstream media and body image conversations the world over. Madison isn’t far behind.

Her approach to skiing and mountaineering goes beyond the thrill of tough ascents and steeper descents. “You have to know what you need,” she explains, detailing her lengthy physical regimen that helps keep her body healthy and prepared for impossibly long days in the mountains. “When you’re a high-performing athlete, your body needs a lot of attention. My body essentially pays the bills, so I have to constantly keep it in a very high-performing state.”

It’s not all intense workouts and chiropractics and physical therapy, however. She also prioritizes mental wellbeing throughout her athletic journey. In addition to an incredible tight-knit group of friends that surround and unconditionally support her, she explains that “moving my body is a huge part of staying mentally stable. If I move my body, I’m ok, even if it’s mellow: yoga, meditation, stretching, walking or short runs. It’s like using the love language that you want to receive from a partner,” she explains. “But if you give it to yourself, your body and mind will be so much more at ease in the world.”

Madison’s journey certainly embodies a celebration of strength, wellbeing and the joyous spirit of adventure, even in the face of mountains, be them natural or mental, external or internal.

“Whenever someone doubts me, I find that fire inside me and I freaking capitalize on it.”