Nelson was born on December 13, 1972, in Seattle, where she grew up and started skiing at
Stevens Pass at the age of three. She was a mother of two sons, and resided in
Telluride, Colorado. She was a team member on the 2012
Montana State University Everest Education Expedition. Nelson was a
National Geographic Explorers grant recipient, a member of over 40 expeditions, and had first ski descents on
Baffin and
South Georgia Islands, Argentina,
Kamchatka, Russia, and the
Tetons. Her writing has been featured in such publications as
National Geographic Adventure,
The Ski Journal, and the
Outside Journal.
Notable accomplishments • First ski descent of the Dream Line (from summit), Lhotse Couloir, Nepal, 2018 • First female descent of Makalu La Couloir, Nepal, 2015 • Skied from the summit of
Denali, Messner Couloir, USA, June 16, 2011 • First female descent of Bubble Fun Couloir, Tetons, USA ==Death==