The Legacy of Liz Daley
Liz Daley is best known a true mountain professional—someone equally at home on rock, ice, snow, and perhaps most importantly, on a splitboard. Her snowboarding wasn’t a side hobby; it was another expression of the same qualities that defined her climbing: precision, judgment, and an appreciation for moving well through complex terrain. She rode with intention, choosing lines thoughtfully and treating the mountains as something to work with, not conquer. Style mattered, but survival mattered more.
Liz was a sponsored athlete with Patagonia, Jones Snowboards, Julbo, Arcade Belt, Petzl, Karakoram and Eddie Bauer. She was known for completing high-end descents in the Alps and in the Andes, but while she spent a lot of time in Chamonix, France over the last few years, her home range was here in the North Cascades and in the Mt. Baker backcountry. Her high-end local descents included the first female splitboard descent of the Coleman Headwall on Mt. Baker, the northwest couloir on Mt. Shuksan, the north face of the Northwest Ridge on Mt. Adams, and the Kautz Headwall on Mt. Rainier.
Liz was a beloved mountain guide at the American Alpine Institute. And guiding demands more than personal skill—it requires communication, empathy, patience, and the ability to make conservative decisions when ego is begging for a different outcome. Liz was known for exactly that kind of leadership. She taught people how to think in the mountains, not just how to follow instructions. Whether on a rope team or a skin track, she emphasized systems, preparation, and shared responsibility. The goal wasn’t just a summit or a descent; it was competence and confidence that lasted long after the trip ended.
Liz Daley’s legacy as a snowboarder and mountain guide mirrors her impact as a climber: understated, rigorous, and deeply human. She proved that excellence in the mountains isn’t about bravado or speed—it’s about judgment, care for partners, and moving through wild places with respect. And doing it well enough that others learn to do the same.
Liz passed away in an avalanche in 2014. Since that time, the Liz Rocks foundation has honored her memory with youth scholarships to get kids outside.
Recently, the Live Like Liz foundation cut the ribbon for a new climbing wall entitled, “Liz Rocks” at the Tacoma Pearl Street Family YMCA. This climbing wall celebrates the life of Liz Daley and shows kids what it means to Live Like Liz.