“We learned to ski as we learned to walk,” says Shaun Raskin-Deutschlander of hitting the slopes at Deer Valley at just two years old. “My grandfather started skiing in the ‘40s and brought us west each winter,” says the native New Yorker.
Shaun's childhood was a constant adventure among the trees, trails, and rocks of rural Westchester County. “It was like the tagline ‘The West Waiting to Happen’ was attached to my childhood,” she laughs. No surprise, then, that today she leads Inspire Summit Adventures, guiding outdoor adventures that help people “connect to themselves,” she explains. “Being in nature means stepping into an unknown and feeling exposed, which causes you to focus on inner strength.” She loves hearing of clients experiencing life-changing moments by “achieving what they did not know they could,” she says.
Shaun's passion for the outdoors extends to expanding her Alaska Ski Mountaineering program this winter and adding “another ski program in Chile” next year. The former telemark pro skier, avalanche educator and lead guide for Park City Powder Cats is also excited about her summer programs at Castle Peak Yurt, which she operates with the USFS in the Western Uintas. Always part of the community, Shaun hosts speakers and seminars on outdoor life at her Gorgoza Pines Road location.
“Parkites love a local business that is passionate and knowledgeable about what they do,” she says of her hometown of more than 20 years. “Plus, we all love fun days in the mountains with family and friends.” For Shaun, that means snowmobiling with her husband and backcountry treks with their young daughter. “I’m also threatening to take guitar lessons,” she laughs, “but I haven’t stopped moving long enough to sit down with my teacher!”
“I’m always happy to chat,” Shaun smiles of her passion for knowing and growing in our mountain playground. “Just email me at info@inspiredsummitcom