Karen, a former Chicks owner, grew up Germany and moved to the United States in 1995. She has a M.S. in Physics and competed as a professional athlete in road cycling and ski mountaineering. Her passion is being in the mountains. She has climbed in many areas, including the Black Canyon, Indian Creek, Red Rocks, Yosemite, the Tetons, the Cirque of the Towers, and the Moose’s Tooth in Alaska’s Ruth Gorge. She skied many of the Colorado Fourteeners, the Grand Teton, and Denali, along with trips to the Canadian Rockies, the Coast Range, Valdez, AK, the European Alps, and the high Andes in Chile.

In 2010, Karen began guiding on the West Buttress of Denali and now guides year-round in the mountains. She started guiding for Chicks with Picks in 2012 and loved the Chicks clinics and the amazing positive energy from climbing with a group of women. She also works for Exum Mountain Guides, San Juan Mountain Guides, Valdez Heliski Guides, and Mountain Trip. Karen is an AMGA/ IFMGA Mountain Guide and Avalanche Level III certified. When she’s not out skiing powder or climbing rocks, you might find her on the couch with a cup of coffee, knitting headbands.