Mike joined The Heuga Center’s Board of Directors in 2004. As a CPA, world-class climber and expedition leader, filmmaker, and motivational speaker, Mike brings a range of gifts to the Center. He currently serves on the Finance Committee and also organizes the 24 Hours of Sunlight event, an “uphill-downhill” endurance ski race, which benefits The Heuga Center.
Mike is recognized as one of the world’s best extreme skiers. Mike and his twin brother, Steve, became the first Americans to climb and ski from 8,000 meters, as well as the first Americans to ski from the death zone on Mt. Everest. In addition to Everest, his climbing and high-altitude skiing experience includes over 30 expeditions, including Mustagh Ata, a 24,757-foot peak in western China; Mt. Shishapangma in Tibet; a ski expedition to Peak Lenin in Kyrgystan; Broad Peak, Pakistan; four trips to Mt. Rainer, Washington; Mt. McKinley, Alaska; and ski expeditions to Tupungato, Argentina and Ojos Del Salada, Chile. Mike has climbed most of the 14,000+ peaks in Colorado, and also competes in elite mountain bike races, winning several competitions in recent years.
Mike received his BS in Accounting in 1987 from Saint Mary’s College in California, where he was played NCAA division baseball. Mike is an alumnus of KPMG Peat Marwick and currently works in a successful financial planning/CPA practice in Aspen with his brothers. His professional background and lifetime of mountain adventures take him around the country for speaking engagements. Mike’s skiing and climbing have taught him that in business and life, good things often do not come easy or by shortcutting, and Mike incorporates these core values into his motivational speaking. His presentations demonstrate that a pure approach, a team effort, and hard work can result in success at all levels. More importantly, with this approach, nothing is left to question.
Mike’s first feature film was entitled Skiing the High Himalaya, which he presented at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival in 2006. His second feature film, Natural Progression, was recently among 200 entries accepted into the International Mountain and Adventure film festival in Graz, Austria. Mike’s next film will focus on another expedition to the Himalaya in spring of 2007. He and his climbing team plan to climb and ski 26,906-foot Choy Oyu, 30 miles west of Everest. Mike also plans to venture to Everest again.
Mike’s deep Aspen roots run back to late 1800s; his great-grandparents were some of the early residents of the area, where the family ranched and owned a number of businesses. The ski gene is definitely embedded in the entire Marolt family: Mike’s father, Max, was a racer in the 1960 Olympics, and his uncle, Bill Marolt, has been President and CEO of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association since 1996.
Mike lives and skis with his wife Shelly and two young daughters, Tallulah and Flora.
