Jessi Hackett

• Title: Gear Tester & Contributing Writer
• Email: JessiLuHackett@gmail.com
• Location: Glenwood Springs, Colorado 
• Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Expertise

• Topics of Expertise: Skiing, backcountry skiing, running, trail running, mountain biking, rafting, surfing, hiking, rock climbing, hunting, backpacking
• Years in This Expertise: 10+
• Number Of Products & Number Of Hours Expert Has Tested: 50+, 500+

Experience

Before starting her role as Senior Content Manager at Aspen One (parent company of Aspen Snowmass), Hackett was the ski resort’s first-ever in-house Copywriter. Prior to that, she spent eight years as the Marketing Manager at Warren Miller Entertainment, where she also honed her skills as a freelance copywriter, writer, and gear tester working with high-profile outdoor brands and contributing to publications like SKI Magazine, Backpacker Magazine, and Elevation Outdoors.

Born in the San Juan mountain range of Colorado’s Western Slope, Hackett spent the first part of her life in the town of Norwood, a small ranching community about 45 minutes west of Telluride and void of any stoplights. Her childhood was filled with skiing, rodeoing, hiking, camping, running track, and playing soccer. With parents who were foresters, wildland firefighters, and Telluride Ski Area employees, her passion for gear runs generations deep. 

Hackett studied Journalism and Women and Gender Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder where she was engaged in community activism and volunteer work for organizations like Boulder County’s rape crisis hotline and advocacy group, Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA). During her time at CU, she leaned into her love for the outdoors, travel, and writing by joining the Freestyle Ski Team and the Alpine Club, getting her AIARE 1 certification, studying abroad in Bolivia, and securing an editorial internship at SKI Magazine. 

In recent years, she’s been spotted rafting the Grand Canyon and the various tributaries of the Colorado River; dabbling in SkiMo racing and ultra running; nabbing her hunting lisence; surfing the Mexican and Costa Rican coastlines; and mountain biking throughout Colorado. She’s passionate about industry culture and trends as well as functional and innovative equipment that withstands wear and tear while still looking good. These days, she’s the Senior Content Manager at Aspen One, and can be found in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley working across the four mountains of Aspen Snowmass and partner companies crafting campaigns, copy, and brand messaging while sneaking out to ski whenever possible. 

Career Highlights

• Having the privilege to write longform, community-centered pieces about the Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race, local female photographers and videographers changing the game, world-class contemporary artists leaving their mark on Aspen, and more. 
• Launching Aspen Snowmass’ International Women’s Day Uphill Lunch.
• Assisting in the historic research and trail naming process for Aspen Mountain’s newest terrain expansion, Hero’s, and writing about it here.
• Writing and producing the “Ski Town, Race Town” drone show with Aspen Snowmass and Nova Sky Stories for the 2024 Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Aspen. 
• Researching, writing, and curating Aspen Snowmass’ 75th Anniversary campaign.
• Processing the grief of losing her mom during the global pandemic in this personal essay for SKI Magazine. 
• Heliskiing at Mike Wiegele Heli in British Columbia and writing about it for SKI Magazine and Warren Miller Entertainment.   
• Producing and launching the “Long Underwear” podcast with Warren Miller Entertainment.
• Participating in SKI Magazine’s annual Ski Test for five years.
• Working on eight Warren Miller Entertainment films. 

Education & Certifications

• Education: Bachelor’s of Journalism and Women & Gender Studies, University of Colorado 
• Years of Writing: 10+
• Certifications: Avalanche 1, Colorado Hunter’s Education
• Club or Association Memberships: Board Member for Aspen One’s Environment Foundation
• Awards or Recognitions: 
• Previous Publications: SKI Magazine, Warren Miller Entertainment, Elevation Outdoors, Boulder Lifestyle Magazine, Cherry Creek Lifestyle Magazine 

A Word From Jessi Hackett

Raised in the Rockies, I learned the importance of reliable gear and the sentimentality of well-worn, well-loved equipment at an early age. My passion for media–from newspapers to movies–fueled my desire to write. As a high school newspaper editor at 16, I pursued degrees in Journalism and Women and Gender Studies at the University of Colorado.

I’ve spent over a decade as a writer in the outdoor and lifestyle industries. As a petite woman who demands a lot from her gear, I know that function and fit go hand-in-hand. Whether I’m running or biking on trails, skiing on snow, or rafting its runoff, my gear becomes part of the story I aim to tell. 

I believe in the power of thought-provoking media to inspire emotion, insight, action, and change. My goal is to connect with people, products, and brands by bringing narratives, values, adventures, anecdotes, and the human experience to life through storytelling—and the gear I bring along only enhances the journey.