Flylow athlete and all-around badass Kelsey Wittels is competing for the title of Ultimate Mountain Athlete across climbing, skiing, and mountain biking. We think she has what it takes to win. 

In Outside TV’s second season of Ultimate Mountain Athlete, four men and four women are competing for the chance at a hard-earned title and a $20,000 grand prize. The contest: Find the athlete who’s the most well-rounded skier, rock climber, and mountain biker. Each contestant competes in a series of judged, timed, or scored events—ranging from a ski-mo uphill to a speed climb to a freeride contest—and the winner is the one with the highest overall score. 

The show was filmed last spring over a 10-day period in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains and is appearing online now in eight episodes, with the final one airing on July 20. Tahoe’s Kelsey Wittels, a big-mountain skier, is our vote for the women’s title. The Flylow athlete and structural engineer is a former winner of Red Bull Raid and her proficiency across the three sports makes her a clear favorite in the contest. We called up Kelsey to chat about behind-the-scenes surprises and how she fared—no spoiler alerts allowed.

Kelsey Wittels during the filming of season two of Outside TV's Ultimate Mountain Athlete.

How in the world did you end up competing in this?
Kelsey Wittels: When the first season of Ultimate Mountain Athlete came out, I thought, that looks like my dream. I’m a big-mountain skier, but in the summer, my favorite things are rock climbing and mountain biking. I also love competition, so I thought, how cool is this? I have to apply. To get a spot, you had to get the most votes and I’m not an influencer by any means, but my community really rallied for me. My doctor from my ACL surgery was reposting it, I had friends’ parents who voted for me every day, and the Tahoe freeride community really showed up for me. I got enough votes to go compete.

Why this contest?
A lot of people can claim they’re a great skier, biker, and climber, but it really takes a lot to do all of these sports well. Just being a climber takes a lot of effort, so it’s crazy to throw these three things together. 

How did you stack up compared to the competition?
I can’t tell you how I ended up—you have to keep watching! Everyone competing was an incredible all-around athlete, but a lot of people came in with different specialties. One woman was on the U.S. national ski-mo team. She blew us out of the water on the uphill. The competition aspect was the best part for me: I love the mindset of competing, honing in and focusing, trying to do your best.

It all sounds exhausting.
It was. We were doing a competitive activity every day. We had one rest day, which didn’t really end up being a rest day. So, you’re giving it your all for 10 days straight. But it was so fun showcasing what you can do on TV.

What was the hardest part for you?
Being on camera. Having to be camera ready at all times. Having to talk about your successes and failures. That part was tough for me.

Kelsey Wittels in her Moonlight Shirt during the bike portion of the contest.

What was going on behind the scenes?
They didn’t showcase this, but all of the athletes stayed in one bunkroom in this remote backcountry lodge. It was all of us sleeping in one area. So, we had to wake up together, there was no time to ourselves. We were all stuck with each other. When we weren’t out competing, we were at the lodge playing the dice game Farkle, or sitting in the sauna, or playing Farkle in the sauna.

What piece of Flylow gear did you wear most during the contest?
My hooded Moonlight Shirt. That baselayer is just the best. I wear it mountain biking and ski touring.

Stay tuned to Ultimate Mountain Athlete’s season two to see how Kelsey does. The final episode airs July 20. You can follow Kelsey's journey here.