by Sarah Petelinsek
Who Am I?
The madame behind the madness
Hi, I’m Sarah Petelinsek
This Is My Story & I'm Sticking to it.
My name is Sarah Petelinsek, and for as long as I have been alive, two things have been true; first, no one can pronounce my last name, and second, adventure fuels me. Whether it is backpacking in the Northern Talkeetna Mountains of Alaska, or dancing in the streets of Park City, I am the kind of person who finds the fun. That is why I created this website. I found the fun, now I want to share it with the world!
I am the youngest of four passionate and determined cornfed children from the Midwest. I was born and raised about two hours north of Chicago, in Southeastern Wisconsin. In a little town called Oconomowoc, my family made our community. In this suburb of a suburb I learned how to ski, the critical importance of layering clothing, and most importantly how to find the fun no matter where I was.
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As beautiful as Wisconsin is, the weather is not exactly ideal for someone who loves to be outside. We were often faced with temperatures so cold the state would cancel school because it was unsafe to be outside. On the flip side, sometimes it would be so blisteringly hot outside, that you could literally bake cookies on the dashboard of your car. These sub-optimal conditions taught me two things; First, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. Secondly, I learned how to appreciate a beautiful, and how to make the most out of a rainy day.
I firmly believe that there is a piece of my soul that belongs in the wild. When I was young, I remember pointing out almost every sunset to my mother, in awe of the world that I lived in. I have always been a nature baby. As I got older, this connection to the earth around me became even more clear. That is why I jumped on the opportunity to leave my small town, to attend the National Outdoor Leadership School. After graduating High School, I packed my bags and headed to the Northern Talkeetna Mountains of Alaska, where I and fifteen strangers learned to survive with only what we could carry on our backs. My experience with the National Outdoor Leadership School taught me a lot about who I was, and what I was made of. I learned basic wilderness first aid, I learned about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude even in the face of adversity, and mostly, I learned the true power, beauty, and wonder that is Mother Nature. This trip was truly the catalyst to discovering my kinship with the wild.
After graduating from the National Outdoor Leadership School, I returned to my home state to attend the University of Wisconsin - Madison. During my time as a Badger I had an incredible amount of fun. I skied for the University's Alpine Race team, ate cheese curds, and Jumped Around. As wonderful of a time as I had as a Badger, I knew that my soul needed to be more connected to nature than the Capitol City could provide. That is why two days after completing my undergraduate degrees, I packed my car, and headed for the mountains.
After 20 long hours in the car, I found myself in Park City, Utah, where I now call home. Since moving to Utah, I have continued to feed my love for nature. In this beautiful mountain town, I constantly seek out new and exciting outdoor adventures.
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When I am not running up mountains, exploring the hiking trails that cover the Wasatch, or finding my balance in yoga, I work for a local mountain resort where I am an on ski emergency first responder. As a ski patrol, I am blessed to get to spend my days plugged into nature, helping to ensure that the mountains that I love are safe for all to enjoy.
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