Merrick Mordal

Ambassadörer

Merrick Mordal

Born and raised in Alaska, Merrick have only had one lifestyle, the outdoor kind. She came to Norway for work in 2009 and told herself she would stay for 2 years maximum. 10 years later she's still here, living the outdoor life in Tromsø together with her Norwegian husband and their 2 kids.

I have only had one lifestyle and that is the outdoor kind

What is your life motto and how did you end up as a mountain guide?

One of my life mottos is `Heaven on Earth.´ There is peace in the mountains and honesty in harsh weather. I want to share my passion of the mountains, so I took a career change. I started the minimum 3 year Norwegian International Mountain Guide program called Nortind. Supposedly, I will be the first mother under qualifying in Nortind. I know it will be a challenging road, but I hope through the supportive networks such as Norrøna, I will balance my way through it.

There is peace in the mountains and honesty in harsh weather. I wanted to share my passion of the mountains, so I took a career change.

I have only had one lifestyle and that is the outdoor kind. With my mother, I began ice climbing at age 8, climbing loose Chugach rock at 9, and summited Denali (N.America highest peak) at 12.

In addition to enjoying the outdoors, I am pursuing projects that turn presumed waste to resource. I am writing a Masters thesis on synergies between Norway and Alaska salmon by-products at UIT.

I love the speed in skiing, the mind game in climbing, and the puzzle piecing of guiding.