By Kate Bartlett
The Blizzard Tecnica Women 2 Women 3rd annual event in Ellicottville will be held next week (February 22 & 23, 2024.) The foundation selected 30 women in 2023 internationally to receive scholarships in order to further their education in snowsports. Ellicottville native Hanna Lee was one of these fortunate women to be recognized. W2W sees education as a way to empower and advance women in the snowsports industry and is one of the key pillars of the program.
Mud Sweat N’ Gears, Hanna
has done a little bit of everything.
She naturally progressed
to ‘hard goods’ including
skis, bindings and
boot fi ttings. Hanna enjoyed
the challenge of fi nding the
perfect boot and took her fi rst
boot fi tting class 3 years ago
in Mt. Snow, Vermont. “I enjoy
learning about different products
and boot fi tting in order
to best serve the customers.
Hanna has always been passionate about snowsports as she began skiing at the young age of 3. Born and raised in the Syracuse area, she frequented Ellicottville to ski throughout the winter months. “My whole family loved skiing recreationally,” says Hanna. “I have many happy memories growing up skiing at HoliMont and Holiday Valley.”
After graduating college in Ithaca, Hanna moved to Ellicottville in order to be closer to the slopes. She started working for her Aunt, Kimberly Reading, at Mud Sweat n’Gears in 2014 and has been there ever since. “I fell in love with working in the ski industry,” says Hanna. “I enjoy working with people and helping them find the best ski equipment.”
Hanna serves on the ski patrol at Holiday Valley, and enjoys ski touring as well. “Touring is putting skins on skis to get up the mountain, then skiing back down again. It’s great exercise; I enjoy getting out early in the morning. It’s a great start to the day.”
Throughout her 8 years at Mud Sweat n’ Gears, Hanna has done a little bit of everything. She began in sales retailing ‘soft goods’, including jackets, snowpants, hats, gloves and the like. She naturally progressed to ‘hard goods’ including skis, bindings and boot fittings. Hanna enjoyed the challenge of finding the perfect boot and took her first boot fitting class 3 years ago in Mt. Snow, Vermont. “I enjoy learning about different products and boot fitting in order to best serve the customers. Everyone’s foot is different and it’s kind of like a puzzle figuring out what product will best suit them.”
Hanna met skiing sensation and Women 2 Women Foundation founder Leslie Baker Brown 3 years ago at the Powder to Prosecco Event with Mud Sweat n’ Gears at HoliMont. She was inspired by Leslie, and encouraged to apply for the W2W Scholarship to advance her career in the ski industry. “Leslie was very relatable and motivating. She encouraged me to apply for the scholarship and has served as a mentor of sorts to me ever since. She’s such a great role model for females in the industry. Leslie paved the way for many of women, breaking the glass ceiling in a field that was predominantly male.”
Hanna applied her awarded scholarship towards her third boot fitting course in Waitsfield, Vermont last year. She gained a wealth of knowledge about foot anatomy and different boot fittings techniques that she utilizes while fitting customers at Mud Sweat and Gears. “I’m very passionate about education and I strive to stay up to date on the latest products and information. I’m always learning in order to best serve the community.”
During the ‘off’ season, Hanna pursues other outdoor passions including hiking and backpacking. She frequently spends her summers on backpacking excursions with the National Outdoor Leadership School. This upcoming summer, Hanna is setting off to explore Wyoming and the Adirondacks, and she has previously backpacked to Alaska and Patagonia. Most of her backpacking excursions last 2-4 weeks, and she enjoys the challenge. “It’s challenging in a different way. I enjoy pushing my limits and connecting to people in the outdoors all while exploring new places. It’s great to meet likeminded people and share our experiences.”
Hanna’s future plans include continuing to advance her career in the ski industry through continued education in boot fitting and the latest products on the market. “I find the anatomy of the foot very interesting and essential in understanding proper boot fitting.” Her ultimate goal is to help customers, and fellow skiers, find the best products to optimize their experience on the slopes.
Stop in to visit Hanna at Mud Sweat n’ Gears, located at 18 Monroe Street in Ellicottville. For more in-formation on the Women 2 Women’s foundation visit https://www.blizzard-tecnica.com/us/en/about-w2w and National Outdoor Leadership School https://nols.edu/en/.