Connor Ryan

A proud Hunkpapa Lakota and passionate skier, Connor Ryan was born and raised on the Arapaho, Cheyenne and Ute homelands at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. He considers these places among his biggest inspirations and closest relatives. In the last two years, Ryan has joined the teams of Patagonia, Salomon, Smith, IKON Pass and Hestra Gloves. His articles have been featured in Powder, Protect Our Winters and REI. Ryan seeks to decolonize, reconnect and learn to better honor all his relations through adventure and activism. Skiing is his dance and prayer, a ceremony of its own. Lakota traditional ecological knowledge helps Connor understand the true value of the sacred land and water we ski on in deeper and more tangible ways, which he shares as the subject and co-director in the film The Spirit of the Peaks (Mountainfilm 2022).