Allison first started backpacking 34 years ago at the age of 16.  Her first trip was a five day slog into the Mt Thompson area of the trinity Alps.  At the top of the mountain she met a naked man meditating!  Her pack for that trip weighed 55lbs at the start (she weighed 110lbs at the time)!!  She was later to return to this peak at the age of 19 on a solo trip where she tripped and fell down an icy slope, ending her slide on a pile of rocks with a broken femur.  That was her first experience in emergency mountain medicine and rescue…After several happy years living just outside of Yosemite (in a little town called Midpines), she developed passions for backpacking, cross-country skiing and rock climbing.  At the age of 22 she moved to the South Island of New Zealand where her passion for outdoor activities was renewed, and added activities such as kayaking (river and sea), ski-mountaineering, snow-boarding and sailing to her list of fun things to do.  Allison has lived there happily ever since.  She moved to lighten her load due to the wear and tear of aging, and the movement to UL has become her newest passion.  She likes to make some of her own gear, loves to test gear, and also modifies almost everything she touches, always looking to improve designs.  UL philosophy invades everything Allison does, including her UL dogs which weigh in at 8lbs each.  In spite of their tiny size, they accompany her on many of her outdoor adventures.

Home: Christchurch, New Zealand

Age: 50

Favorite training grounds: Lewis Pass and Arthur’s Pass.  Both of these areas offer access to some of the most spectacular mountains, rivers and valleys that NZ has to offer.  The whole of the South Island is a backpacker’s paradise, and there really are forests and mountains that feel like Lord of the Rings. Plus they’re close to her home. It’s her idea of paradise.  It’s also a superb testing ground for UL gear, as nature can throw just about any kind of conditions at you any time of year.  “Three Season” hiking becomes a little meaningless.

Current plans: It’s mid-winter there, and Allison is using her outdoor adventures to test the limits of her newest cuben/down sleep system consisting of a 12.7oz quilt, 3oz cuben momentum bivy bag and 1.5oz balaclava.  So far, so good!  The dogs think it a winner.