Stowe native breaks world record for vertical feet climbed on skis

STOWE, Vt. (WCAX) – Three and a half million feet, more than a million meters, all uphill in 365 days.

Exactly one year ago, Noah Dines of Stowe set off to break a world record—conquer three million vertical feet on skis.

“January 1st, 2024, at 12 o’clock, right at midnight, while everybody else was drinking champagne, I was up on the mountain skiing my first lap,” said Dines.

Dines set off to climb mountains across the world, from the U.S. to Europe to South America, all on skis—an action called skinning—for all of 2024.

“Climbing up mountains and skiing down them all day every day,” said Dines.

He says the idea came to him as he was searching for direction.

“A couple years ago, I was starting to ski even more and having fun. And then I was driving back home from Burlington after a bad date and I said, ‘What are we doing with our life?’ and I was like ‘Ah, you should go for Aaron’s record!’” said Dines.

For the past eight years, Aaron Rice held the world record for the most vertical feet climbed on skis after completing a total of two and a half million feet.

Rice is also a Stowe resident, and dines’ friend.

“He was the actual first person when I had this idea, that I went to. And he said immediately ‘Absolutely, I will be your biggest fan,’” said Dines.

“I’ve always said I was excited to watch the next person do it and I never thought I would know that person, so that was a real treat,” said Rice.

The challenges to complete this goal were not just physical. Dines says he received some much-needed financial support as well.

“I’ve been lucky to be supported by awesome brands like Ficsher, and people on the internet who gave just me money because they enjoyed seeing what I was doing every day,” said Dines.

“The support online and in-person, very, very humbling to see that,” said Noah’s mother, Karen Schiff Dines.

Dines says while breaking a world record is exciting, his true goal was to inspire others to do what they love.

“I decided I wanted to do something and I worked really hard to make it happen. So, just like I was able to do this, you can, too,” said Dines.

He says as he figures out his next steps, his 2025 will be for rest and relaxation.

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