Writing
In the fourth grade, I developed a love for language and the beauty of words. In the summer of 2015, I interned at Powder Magazine, and now I am integrating writing simultaneously into my athletic pursuits as a way to share my passion and bring people together. My writing has been published by Powder Magazine, Freeskier Magazine, The Ski Journal, and more. Below is a small sample of my writing.
"We Need to Talk About Mental Health in the Mountains"
In this vulnerable, personal essay, I opened up publicly about my mental health struggles and experiences with suicidal thoughts for the first time. I relate my journey to that of the mental health crisis in mountain communities and show how talking about it is the key to addressing the crisis.
“Drew Petersen’s Top Tips for a Day at the Ski Area”
As the guest pro for Freeskier Magazine’s Tip Jar column, I dished nine pieces of advice in my words for what they dubbed “total resort domination.” Included in the advice: start with a burrito and high-fives are free.
Originally published in Volume 22, Issue 2 of Freeskier Magazine. Now available on Freeskier.com.
“The Way It Should Be: Road Tripping Rural Montana”
The soul of skiing burns bright at the mom ‘n’ pop ski areas of Western Montana. In celebration of wicket tickets, brown bag lunches, and slow double chairs, this feature story was an expose of a different side of skiing.
“Eleven States, Eleven Summits: Atop The American West”
My road trip to ski the highest peak in every state of the American West evolved into a lesson in life itself. This feature story was an introspective look into the peaks, valleys, and lessons along 10,000 miles of road tripping in the American West.
“The Land of the Nomads”
Kyrgyzstan, an ex-Soviet country situated in Central Asia is quite literally on the other side of the world. And yet, in a foreign land and the immense Tian Shan Mountains, skiing serves as a vehicle for exploring a melting pot of culture and history. In addition to writing this story, I also shot all the photographs and skied in the accompanying film.
“Park to Park: From Glacier To Yellowstone”
In 2020, I teamed up with Freeskier Magazine to traverse the state of Montana, from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park by experiencing local communities along the way and the characters that call them home. This is a three-story series, with accompanying videos in which I am also the lead athlete, produced in association with Freeskier Magazine and the State of Montana.
“The Burrito Manifesto” on Freeskier.com
“Soak Up the Sawtooths: Skiing McGown Peak to get a taste of Idaho's jagged range” on Powder.com
“Work Hard, Ski Hard” Interview Series on Powder.com
“Passing Through: Alta and Snowbird” on Powder.com
My Author Page, with 30 articles on Powder.com
“Skiing in Japan: Everything Everyone Ever Says It Is” on Salomon.com