If you’ve been following us this season, you know we are in the thick of The Descent to Rise Above Challenge. A ski and ride challenge to collectively reach ONE BILLION vertical feet in a single season. Our guests and staff have been putting in the effort to track in the Ikon and Sugarbush apps and we are well on our way to our goal. We’ve been so impressed by the numbers you’re hitting in the name of your own personal journeys you’ve been on. This week we are proud to highlight, Tracy Bingaman, otherwise known on social media as Tracy Untamed. She’s shared her story of how skiing saved her.
How Skiing Saved My Life: From Burnout to Freedom on the Slopes ⛷️
Burnout nearly stole everything from me. My joy, my energy, my health, my identity.
I was exhausted. Chronically sick. My body screamed at me to slow down—pneumonia, insomnia, even an autoimmune disease. But I pushed through, because isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?
Then one day, my 2-year-old daughter looked up at me and said:
“Mommy, you’re stupid.”
She wasn’t being mean. She was hurt. Because I was on call—during my 24th hour of work—with plans to return to the hospital for another 12 hours—instead of snuggling her.
That was it. That was the moment that broke me. I quit my job as a Surgery PA-C the next week.
Suddenly, I had space in my life—but I had no idea who I was outside of medicine. My entire identity had been wrapped up in being a PA. From the age of 16, a PA was all I wanted to be.
So, I did something I hadn’t done in over a decade.
I bought a ski pass.
And that decision changed everything.
The First Time I Clicked Into My Skis, I Felt Like Me Again
Skiing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My dad started me on skis at just two years old, skiing down a tiny hill in our backyard in rural Maine with my older sister. What began as a fun family pastime quickly became a passion—I went on to race competitively through middle and high school, with my dad as my coach.
Back then, skiing was about speed, competition, and pushing limits. It was a sport that demanded precision, strength, and the drive to be the fastest down the mountain.
But when I returned to skiing after burnout, it became something much deeper.
In a time of darkness and depression, feeling adrift and having quit my job, skiing became my refuge. My reset button. My lifeline.
Skiing pulled me outside when seasonal depression threatened to take hold. It gave me movement, fresh air, connection, and community. It reminded me that I could still learn, grow, and have fun.
It was something just for me.
Not as a PA. Not as a mom. Not as a wife.
Simply as Tracy.
Skiing as a Family: A Tradition That Spans Generations
One of the most incredible things about skiing is that it’s a sport for every generation.
This year, my 6-year-old daughter spent the day on the mountain with my 72-year-old dad—her grandfather, who she calls “Pop-Pop!” What other sport allows three generations to ski together, laugh together, and create memories that will last a lifetime?
Skiing has woven itself into the fabric of our family. It’s not just about the sport—it’s about shared experiences, connection, and adventure.
Recently, my 8-year-old son looked at me and said:
“Mom, you’re faster than me now, but when you’re old and your hair is completely grey, I’ll be faster than you.”
And honestly? I hope he’s right. Because skiing isn’t just about speed anymore—it’s about longevity. It’s about continuing to chase joy, even as the years pass.
I’m 35 this year. I’m planning to be skiing with my kids’ kids when I’m 85. How? By continuing my movement. By focusing on strength and mobility and by refusing to slow down!
Finding Community on the Mountain
Skiing isn’t just a sport—it’s a way to find your people.
This season, I attended a Ski Moms getaway and met someone who quickly became my skiing bestie. We connected at Sugarbush on the slopes and over aprés cocktails and mocktails at Tucker Café, then reunited for the Women’s Discovery Clinic later this season.
Another time this year, riding on the lift, I rode with an gentleman who had recently lost his wife of 53 years. He shared their life story, their adventures, and the way skiing had shaped their family’s memories.
That conversation stuck with me.
Because skiing is about more than just carving turns on your way down the mountain—it’s about the stories, the moments, and the people we meet along the way.
That’s why I feel comfortable letting my 8- and 10-year-old sons ski together on their own. The mountain is a place of independence, but also of support. There are no strangers on the hill—just future friends waiting to share a chairlift ride.
Mental & Physical Strength: How Skiing Changed Everything
Skiing is more than just a winter activity—it’s medicine for the mind and body.
When I clip into my skis, everything else fades away.
- No stress.
- No to-do lists.
- Just the rhythm of turns, the crisp mountain air, and the feeling of complete presence.
Physically, skiing is demanding—strength, endurance, balance, and control. But it’s the mental benefits that have meant the most to me.
Skiing helped me through burnout, through stress, and through seasons where I needed to feel strong again.
There’s something about the challenge, the speed, and the outdoors in a season that can feel so long and dark that recharges my soul.
Skiing keeps me moving. Keeps me outside.
Keeps me grounded.
The Descent to Rise Above Challenge: Why I’m Tracking My Vertical Feet
This year, I set a goal: 50 days and 500,000 vertical feet.
So far? 41 days down, 9 to go.
Programs like The Descent to Rise Above Challenge can be the push you need to show up even on the tough days—when the weather isn’t perfect, when the conditions could be better, when the excuses creep in.
But every single turn, every single day outside, adds up.
It adds up in positive impact in my mental health.
It adds up to heal my heart and ignite my passion.
Because skiing isn’t just about tracking numbers.
It’s about tracking joy.
A Message to Moms and Women in the Outdoors: You Belong Here
If there’s one thing I hope to share through this journey, it’s this:
Moms belong in the outdoors.
Women belong on the mountain.
You can learn, improve, and love skiing at any age.
I’m a mom of five—ages 22 to 6, four boys and one daughter—and skiing is one of the few things that truly brings us all together.
This sport isn’t just for kids, or pros, or men—it’s for anyone who wants to experience the magic of the mountains.
So if you’re thinking about getting outside, trying something new, or setting a challenge for yourself—do it.
⛷️ The mountain is waiting for you.
🌟 Join me in the challenge and track your own vertical feet! #BeOneOfABillion
