Aaron Karitis

Aaron Karitis was so much to so many people: a son, a brother, a loyal friend, a dedicated skier, an avid traveler, and a respected ski guide amongst his peers. Aaron, a Bend, Oregon native, grew up with a deep passion for skiing and the mountains. Friends around central Oregon knew Aaron as “Big Haas.” A lean 6-foot-4, Aaron wasn’t built to ski, but his smooth style and perfect technique landed him in magazines and advertisements throughout the ski industry. A shot of him skiing at Mount Bachelor became the cover of Powder magazine in October 2008 (See below). 

After high school, Aaron chose to attend the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he would have easy access to the numerous ski resorts lining the Wasatch range, particularly Alta, where he was a staple during his college years. While working on his degree in the school’s Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management program, Aaron interned at Valdez-based H2O Guides and instantly fell in love with Alaska and the Chugach Range. He worked his way up from office manager to lead guide and eventually director of operations. Aaron began to build his client base during this time, skiing with many of the same return guests season after season as he pushed his own skiing to the upper echelon of the sport. A year before his passing, at the age of 31, Aaron founded his own international adventure guiding operation; Pulseline Adventures. In his first year, he organized trips to Japan, British Columbia, and Alaska as well as a group of surfers to Nicaragua. Aaron’s reputation as a guide was impeccable. Never shying away from a challenge and to be that much more of a true professional, Aaron went to Canada for his avalanche education, where his level-two certification required more rigorous study and testing than it would have in the U.S. 

In work and life, Aaron held himself to the highest standards until his passing in the spring of 2014. Aaron seized every day and encouraged those around him to do the same. To waste time, or to miss out on an opportunity was simply unacceptable. Aaron told one friend that death had taught him something at a young age, and he recalled an old Mae West quote that said, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

The Aaron Karitis Foundation

In March 2014, 31-year-old Aaron Karitis was caught in an avalanche near the Kicking Horse Valley, west of Haines, while guiding heli-skiing clients. His passion and drive for life continue to inspire those who knew him. His family and friends hope to reach those who maybe didn’t know Aaron but hold some of the same characteristics Aaron valued so much: integrity, loyalty, ambition, and passion. The foundation helps support and raise money for two separate scholarships to honor Aaron. 

The first is to the Mt. Bachelor Ski and Snowboard Education Foundation in Bend, Oregon. The scholarship is awarded to a deserving athlete within the organization each year. The second is an endowment scholarship at the University of Utah. This scholarship is available to students enrolled in the University’s Parks, Recreation, and Tourism program who seek financial assistance to study abroad plus meet a set of criteria laid out by the University. Aaron believed strongly in the value of international travel and that while immersed in different cultures, one gains unique perspectives and can experience tremendous amounts of personal growth. By supporting promising young skiers in Aaron’s hometown and ambitious students at his alma mater at the University of Utah, the Aaron Karitis Foundation keeps Aaron’s legacy where it belongs: In the mountains.

Thank you for helping us carry on Aaron’s legacy. If you would like to read more about Aaron, his close friend Tess Weaver wrote a beautiful article about him for Outside Online that can be found here; An Enviable Life. For any further questions please feel free to contact us. Cheers!