Freeride & Big Mountain

Michelle Parker

• Freeride Skiing

Nationality

United States

Hometown

Tahoe, California, USA

Primary discipline

Freeride Skiing

With rich context. Born and raised in Tahoe, first skied at 18 months old. Early ski racer, then freestyle/park skier who competed in the first-ever X Games for women at 17. A catastrophic knee injury (ACL, meniscus, and MPFL tear) at a competition in Retallack, BC in 2012 nearly ended her career and cost her all her sponsors; she staged one of skiing's most celebrated comebacks, earning Matchstick Productions' Skier of the Year and a spot on Red Bull's athlete roster. Starred in over a dozen MSP films (In Deep, Superheroes of Stoke, Days of My Youth, Fade to Winter, Ruin and Rose, Drop Everything, All In, The Stomping Grounds, Daymaker, All Time, After the Snowfall). Created and starred in Red Bull's 'Originate' documentary series spotlighting women's stories in skiing. In 2025, competed in the first-ever Natural Selection Tour ski event in Alaska, finishing 2nd. Sponsored by Atomic (re-signed specifically to get back on twin-tips for Natural Selection) and Mountain Hardwear; no specific Atomic model publicly confirmed. Longtime advocate for High Fives Foundation, the Washoe Tribe's Cultural and Outdoor Expedition Program, and Protect Our Winters. Personal note not in the flat claim: her father Greg Parker, a major influence in her life, passed away around late 2025/early 2026 following a Parkinson's/Lewy Body Dementia diagnosis; Michelle married Aaron Blatt in August 2025 with her father present.

Sponsors: Atomic; Mountain Hardwear; Red Bull; Palisades Tahoe

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