Caroline Gleich enjoying the colors and textures in a small art shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Leslie Hittmeier photo.
Caroline Gleich has been a fixture in the backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering world for the last five years (at least). She started out shooting epic powder shots with legendary photographers Lee Cohen and Jay Beyer at Alta and eventually found that she was interested in bigger mountains and bigger lines. Gleich is notoriously goal-oriented and she managed to show the outdoor community, through her actions alone, that a Utah pow skier could become an accomplished ski mountaineer.
She has traveled the world—Chamonix, Slovenia, Ecuador, Alaska and beyond—in pursuit of human powered adventure and just last week she completed her long term project of skiing all the lines in The Chuting Gallery (a 90-page steep skiing guidebook to the Wasatch by Andrew McLean). She was the fourth person and first woman to complete all the lines.
Gleich has always shared her journey with the mountains and skiing on her social channels and has gathered quite the following for it. But when you have 120,000 followers, some of them are bound to be assholes. Last week, Gleich took to Facebook to ask her followers to help her find one of these assholes, who has been harassing her for three years.
Gleich finding a sneaker line in the Santa Fe backcountry. Leslie Hittmeier photo.
Gleich wrote on her Facebook:
"For the past three years, I've been dealing with a series of abusive and harassing comments from one particular user on Instagram. On Thanksgiving, it crossed the line when he found my phone number and left me a voice message. After the last bout of attacks, I decided I'd had enough. The current methods for reporting and combating cyber harassment are inadequate, so I decided to speak publicly about my situation, to be an example for other people who are dealing with this."
Gleich in her natural habitat. Leslie Hittmeier photo.
"I will no longer continue to be silent. I will no longer ignore the internet harassment happening to me and many others. I can tolerate the occasional naysayer, but I will not continue to endure years of systematic harassment and bullying from one individual. I have to stand up for myself. I've removed most of the profanity from these posts, but here's a taste of what I've been dealing with:
'how many d*&ks did you have to suck to get those cover shots? I know it wasn't based on the merit of your skiing!'
'who triggers an avy intentionally besides patrol? answer gumbies that don't belong in the mountains... that's why you are going to end up like Liz. Egotistical stupid little girl. and when someone tells you like it is you block them bc you can't handle the truth or criticism! that's why you suck!'
'you're unintelligent misinformed jerk and when you end up like Liz we are going to have a huge party! Just go away @carolinegleich!'
This person even went to the extent of finding my phone number and leaving me this in a voice message...
'I know I don't have the same big mountain dreams you do, but may you can highlight some ideas I haven't noticed and teach me how to be a silver spooned spoiled bitch with an awesome Instagram feed because that's what I really want.'
'So stoked for our girl! because she enjoys a large trust fund and isn't burdened with a silly job she decided to follow her #bigmtndreams and ski all the chutes listed in the "chuting gallery"!'
I'm tired of dealing with this, brushing it under the rug and pretending it's ok. It is not ok. I have a police report filed and the case is being monitored. The current procedures for reporting harassment through the social networks are inadequate. I want to find and expose this person. And show other people that are dealing with similar harassment that they don't need to hide how it makes them feel. That there are other people going through the same thing. And we're working to find solutions.
If this is you, stop harassing me (and consider seeking professional help).
If you have any information about this person's identity, please pass that on to me.
If you know them, ask them to stop and assist them in seeking professional help."
Through this Facebook post Caroline was able to identify the person behind these messages and is currently pursuing her legal options.
About The Author
stash member Leslie Hittmeier
Leslie is a freelance writer and photographer. Storytelling is her focus and she spends her time following badass skiers and climbers around in their natural habitats. As an obsessed skier and climber herself, she plays and trains in the Tetons.
Mats Rydsbo
April 17th, 2017
Sad to read about the jellous idiot that’s been harassing you. Great to read that you put it in the open and fantastic that the idiot was identified! Go and pursue your dreams!
DIGITALDEATH
April 18th, 2017
i can help with this problem, i only ask for a 5 day chopper op package in return
robrox
April 18th, 2017
Best of luck with the legal side, your work will probably help others as well as yourself. In the meantime…
Happy trails,
Rob
twobuddha
April 19th, 2017
You have my sympathy. I went through a similar dynamic many years ago on usenet. The sick freaks stalked, lied, defamed, threatened, and tried to drive me off the net, and all I did was continue to tell the truth. Wouldn’t surprise me if your stalker was one of the freaks who harassed me. Hang in there, and good luck with putting the scumbag in prison.
fumando
April 19th, 2017
It’s so easy for someone to hide behind a keyboard and monitor and spew this type of garbage at people. Things that no one would ever have the courage to say to someone’s face. As exciting as the internet has become for showcasing the amazing adventures people follow, it opens the door to every manner of troll. Thanks for the story and I hope that Caroline knows we are all proud of her and support her adventures as a woman and incredible skier/mountaineer.
skideeppow
April 21st, 2017
if the legal avenue fails, you should go on the TGR site and out him. Probably not the most mature thing to do, but I am sure the Maggots would put him in his place.
Good luck.
byates1
April 23rd, 2017
he most likely missed the ted talk, about a half decade ago, talking about the internet passport.
Emilie is a friend of mine and a great ambassador of people everywhere, great to hear of your recent ski and good for you!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpyBPwCmfn0
yo, you fuck w me and my friends, i’ll just hit up my boy silent bob and his friend jay.
pm me w an ip address and we’ll take it from there.
twobuddha
April 24th, 2017
Out of curiosity, took a look at the TGR forums. A bunch of despicable, vile, dishonest, laughable regulars were taking cheap shots at me. None of them know me, none of them were involved in the original terrorist conspiracy, yet they decided to believe the vilest of lies and made up their own. Stalked me and quoted a freaking OKCUPID profile, of all things, which none of them were smart enough to understand. Called me a sociopath, narcissist, stalker, a misogynist, etc. While hiding in anonymity, of course, because none of these internet cowards has ever done so in person. The ability to hide behind their computers and vent their rage from anonymity unleashes the worst in some people. I am struck by the irony that TGR ran this supportive story yet allows such disgusting and amoral behavior in their own forums. Maggots is right.
Marty Cooke
October 3rd, 2017
Hey Caroline,
Never mind this poser’s comments. He obviously has no taste, no class and no respect for others. I, for one, think that you are awesome and should be proud of your accomplishments. I hope I grow up (age 46) someday to be close to as badass as you are.
Respectfully,
Marty Cooke
A fellow backcountry skier in your neck of the woods (SE Idaho)
Cori
October 4th, 2017
Holy sh*t. That is beyond unacceptable. I hope Caroline gets the legal results she deserves, and that that asshat pays dearly. Public shaming is a powerful tool. Rock on, sister.
alexpaul
March 27th, 2018
She is right about the inadequacy of legal combating against these cyber harassments. Most of those Instagram celebrities do face such harassments and bullying every day. Most of them remain silent about those and it is actually a confidence for these morons to carry on with what they are doing.
private louvre museum tour
html5 games
December 7th, 2020
She is very strong. The mountains were dangerously high and she could even pass, so this was a simple matter for her. Try playing puzzle jigsaw