Part of our 10 Women Who Inspire Us series celebrating a decade of Gutsy Girls Adventure Film Tour
When Christina Lustenberger represented Canada at the Winter Olympics as an alpine ski racer, most people would have called that the pinnacle. The dream achieved. But Christina saw it differently—she saw the starting line of something far more extraordinary.
Today, she’s one of Canada’s most respected ski mountaineers and guides, known for first descents in remote ranges and a quiet mastery of some of the most technical terrain on the planet. Her journey from the regimented world of racing to the wild freedom of exploratory skiing is exactly the kind of story that fires us up at Gutsy Girls.
The Pivot That Changed Everything
Growing up in British Columbia’s Columbia Valley, where her family ran the ski shop at Panorama Mountain Resort, Christina was destined for the mountains. Her talent on skis was undeniable—she rose through the ranks to Canada’s National Alpine Ski Team and competed on the world’s biggest stage.
But the structure, the pressure, the constant chase for fractions of a second—it wasn’t feeding her soul. When repeated knee injuries required multiple reconstructive surgeries, Christina found herself at a crossroads. She could fight her way back to racing, or she could listen to the voice that had always whispered: I want freedom.
She chose freedom.
Finding Her True Line
Christina relocated to Revelstoke and immersed herself in the backcountry. She earned her ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) ski guide certification, mastering avalanche science, rope systems, and expedition planning. This wasn’t just a career shift—it was a complete reimagining of her relationship with mountains.
“Exploratory skiing sparked a unique interest in exploring wild spaces,” she explains. “Learning to say no, understanding what was important to me and having a laser focus toward that.”
The transition from gates to glaciers meant trading podiums for something more valuable: the chance to be first down untouched lines, to move through big alpine terrain with creativity and precision, to wake up each day and choose her own path—literally.
Adventures That Speak Volumes
Christina’s resume reads like a dream expedition list. She’s tackled first descents in Canada’s most remote ranges, spending years returning to the same objectives, waiting patiently for conditions to align. Her approach is methodical and deeply respectful—she doesn’t chase lines for ego, but rather builds relationships with mountains over seasons and years.
Her work has taken her across technical alpine faces that demand equal parts physical skill and mental fortitude. She’s become known in the ski mountaineering community not for fanfare or social media glory, but for her calm presence in serious terrain and her unwavering technical competence.
What She’s Doing Now
Here’s where Christina gets really interesting. Despite an extraordinary career spanning Olympic racing and world-class ski mountaineering, she’s currently in transition—and she’s not afraid to say it.
“At this moment I am feeling more lost than ever. I think I am transitioning or looking for more creativity.”
While adventure has given her confidence and inspiration for years, she’s now creating space for evolution. She’s exploring what comes next, staying curious about where her path might lead beyond the mountains that have defined so much of her life.
That honesty? That willingness to admit uncertainty while still moving forward? That’s what makes her a role model.
Why Christina Inspires Us
At Gutsy Girls, we don’t just celebrate women who summit peaks—we celebrate women who have the courage to redefine what success means on their own terms.
Christina walked away from Olympic glory to find genuine fulfilment. She refused to conform to anyone else’s definition of achievement. She navigated a male-dominated field with grace and skill, proving herself through action rather than words. She’s shown that strength includes vulnerability, and that evolution is ongoing—you don’t arrive at some perfect destination and stay there forever.
Most importantly, she’s lived by her own compass. From that initial pull toward freedom as a young racer to her current willingness to explore new creative directions, Christina has consistently chosen authenticity over expectation.
Her advice to young adventurers captures this perfectly: “Stay curious about your own potential; chances are, it will surprise you.”
The Gutsy Girl Spirit
Christina Lustenberger embodies what we’ve celebrated for 10 years at Gutsy Girls Adventure Film Tour: women who push boundaries not because they have something to prove, but because they’re following what genuinely lights them up. Women who understand that hard days are part of the process. Women who know that “I don’t know what’s next” can be just as powerful as “I summited.”
She chose wild spaces over World Cups. She chose patience and preparation over shortcuts. She chose to be completely herself, even when that meant walking away from what looked perfect on paper.
That’s the kind of gutsy girl who doesn’t just inspire us—she reminds us why we started this tour in the first place.
