Basecamp podcast: Kim Reichhelm hasn’t forgotten her roots at Stratton

Kim Reichhelm graduated from Stratton Mountain School in 1978. (Kim Reichhelm Photo)

Nearly every weekend during the 1960s, George and Carol Reichhelm would make the trek from their Westport, Conn., home to any number of ski resorts in Vermont to spend the weekend on the slopes. George was determined that the Reichhelms were going to be a skiing family, but he was having a difficult time finding a ski area to call home. 

“He just wasn’t that happy with the service and was concerned about the safety of us as little kids,” daughter Kim Reichhelm said. “Until we went to Stratton.

“We got to Stratton — this was like 1963 — and he just loved it. He loved the mountain, the hospitality, the way the lift ops were really courteous and helpful getting us on and off the lift. He really felt a warm greeting from them.” 

The Reichhelms would wind up joining with a few other parents to establish the Stratton Mountain Ski School in 1972. Kim graduated from there six years later and would go on to become an NCAA All-American for the University of Colorado, a professional ski racer, and two-time world extreme skiing champion. 

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In 1989, not only did she make an appearance in Greg Stump’s “License to Thrill,” but also she started her own ski touring company. Ski With Kim began as a way for women to hone their skills during small group camps. Today, she tailors unique adventures to suit every person’s need. Some of the destinations she’s headed to this season include Aspen (Reichhelm splits her free time these days between Aspen and Baja), Japan, Alaska and Greenland.  

While her instruction in those locales might differ from tips she honed during her time in Vermont, Reichhelm still had a few pointers for New England skiers beginning their seasons. 

“If you’re going to ski early season, slow it down,” she said. “Ski on narrower skis, ski on shorter skis, just get your feet underneath you and don’t try to set any big records right from the beginning. Especially when there’s no place to escape. Just slow it down.”

Reichhelm said it’s always good to take a lesson early on, even for a half-day, “when somebody can give you maybe three things to work on,” she said. “Balance stance, looking ahead, and full plants, so that when you’re out there you have skills to focus on. Then you build it through repetition. As we get more snow, you can go to a little bit wider ski, a little bit longer ski, start skiing a little bit faster. But your basics are already set.” 

Drills, much like the ones she remembers doing at Stratton Mountain School, can help to build overall confidence. “We skied on our uphill ski. We skied on one ski. We did hop turns. We did skid turns. We did pivot turns. You do all these different things on your skis to build balance, coordination and timing. So when it starts snowing and we have great conditions and you can let it go, you’ve got all those things in place.” 

As for mentally preparing oneself for the season, Reichhelm said that fear is what keeps us alive. “If we didn’t have fear, we’d be driving our cars like maniacs and jumping off cliffs and acting like a bunch of idiots and getting hurt,” she said. “So fear is based off of what we don’t know. ‘I don’t know if I can ski that steep terrain. I’m not sure I’m good enough.’ Well, you don’t just say, ‘Go for it.’ You’ve got to bring it back. You’ve got to make sure that the person has the skills to ski it so that they have the confidence.

“Fear is just something that we overcome through practice, and you don’t just dive right in, you go bit by bit.” 

Reichhelm’s adventures already are booked for this season and she is taking reservations into 2025 and beyond at skiwithkim.com. 

“The skiing part isn’t what I love as much as the clients,” she said. “I love what I’m doing for people in skiing. It’s incredibly rewarding. Sharing my passion and my experience and my knowledge with other people and turning them into passionate skiers is what really makes me high.” 

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The podcast can also be streamed at skijournal.com/podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple, Spotify and Amazon.