Our public lands are the foundation of healthy watersheds and strong communities. From remote trout streams to working forests and rangelands, these places provide clean water, vital trout habitat and public access for all Americans. But pressures like efforts to sell off and privatize public land threaten what makes them so valuable.
This blog series highlights the people and places at the heart of these landscapes—and the practical, local perspectives keeping them accessible, productive and resilient for generations to come.
After growing up in the flatlands of Ohio, Karenna Elliott seeks every opportunity to spend time at elevation. Whether competing as an aerial skier for the U.S. Ski Team, working as a fly-fishing guide in the offseason or earning her private pilot’s license, she continuously chases after high-flying pursuits of perfection.
As the saying goes, however, what goes up must come down.
After an otherwise successful 2024-2025 season—where she ranked 4th in the world—she suffered a heartbreaking knee injury that prevented her from competing in the final event of the season and breaking into the top 3 positions, which would have pre-qualified her for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
Now back on the mend from surgery to repair her ACL, Trout Unlimited speaks with her about her goal to get back in time for the Olympics and how public lands and waters are contributing to the recovery process.
TU: First off, how’s the knee doing?
KE: Better than it was before, but I’m still in the beginning phases of strengthening the ACL and leg again. I had surgery on April 9th and am hoping for a six-month recovery timeline before I can compete on skis again. In the meantime, I’ve been staying motivated and continue to work with my doctor and trainers to get ready before the Olympics. As of right now, I can’t walk too far yet, but I can get in the water and fish as long as I’m less than knee deep in the river and avoid slippery rocks.
TU: After such a successful season last year where you won a World Cup event and earned podium finishes around the world, what crossed your mind when you realized you injured your knee?
KE: As you might expect, it was initially devastating. After learning that I could recover in time for the Olympics, however, it reignited my motivation to work hard at rehab and continue to work towards that goal.
It’s a setback for sure, but I also remind myself that I had an ACL surgery on my other leg when I was 16 and have been through this before. Plus, this time I have a team helping to support my recovery.
TU: How do you remain optimistic despite these setbacks? Any advice those of us not competing for the Olympics can take away or something for those frustrating times fishing?
KE: The biggest suggestion I can make is really just choosing to pursue your goals. You’re going to have setbacks regardless, so you might as well choose something you like to do and go after it. At this level of athletic competition, you gain access to sports psychologists who really teach you how to focus on the task at hand. It’s especially useful for aerials, because you only have about four seconds to complete a series of complicated moves. You could spend that entire time just thinking a single thought, so a lot goes into mental preparation.
The same can be said about fly-fishing, as both aerial skiing and fly-fishing are just really technical pursuits of unattainable perfection. Because of that, my advice during frustrating times is just to take a step back and remind yourself that you’re out there because you genuinely enjoy it.
TU: Is that drive and focus how you ended up in Utah?
KE: Exactly. I started doing gymnastics in Ohio when I was young and was eventually recruited to try aerial skiing at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid. From there, I performed well enough to get invited to compete in Park City. I wasn’t on the U.S. Ski Team yet, so I lived with a host family and worked to support myself while I tried to make the national team. I worked to pay for equipment, ski passes and other needs to be able to train. Sometimes I’d even have to skip training I’d already paid for to go to work to keep earning enough money to keep training.
It made a huge difference when I finally made the national team because I was able to train more regularly and gain access to more resources. Before then I was just trying to do as much as I could, but like anything else, it makes a difference when you can practice consistently.
TU: How did you get into fly fishing?
KE: Like skiing, I also didn’t grow up fishing. It wasn’t until I moved to Park City and met Eric Loughran that I learned how to fly fish. It was kind of our first date, and we’ve been together ever since. He took me to the Provo River, taught me the basics, and I ended up catching my first fish there—a brown trout—which is why you’ll see a sticker of one on my competition skis! Because of the memories associated with that day, brown trout remain my favorite trout and the Middle Provo is still my favorite river in the world to fish. Not only is it a Blue Ribbon stream, but because of the close proximity to Park City it gets a decent amount of pressure, making the fish smarter and the fishing more challenging at times. Even though I’ve fished all around the West and world since then, it still holds a place in my heart simply because it’s my home water.
TU: Is it fair to say then that you’ve made your career from our public lands and waters?
KE: Absolutely. Our public lands and waters are so important because they create access and opportunity to pursue both my Olympic dreams and fishing career. Most ski resorts in the United States sit on leased land from the U.S. Forest Service, and I make my living in the summer guiding on our public waters in Utah. For someone who grew up in Ohio, I didn’t fully understand the magnitude of our nation’s public lands until I moved here and began exploring them through fishing. Seeing the variety of our public lands and waters in Utah made me realize I didn’t want to live anywhere else.
I’m looking forward to being on those lands and waters as an additional method of training to help strengthen my knee while guiding. Not only will the cool water help my knee, but it will hopefully also help me recover faster, mentally and physically.
TU: How can TU members support you as you continue your recovery and try to make the Olympics?
KE: For the next couple months, I’m not going to be able to work or do much outside of my recovery plan, so I’m trying to put all my energy there and stretch my savings as much as possible. During this time, you can follow my recovery on Instagram, where I post updates and videos and respond to people who post supportive messages. I can’t tell you how much it helps to see words of encouragement on days when I need some extra motivation.
I’m also hoping to start guiding again in September once I get approval from my doctor and trainers. My favorite thing about guiding is showing people different public lands and waters they can access and explore in Utah. If that sounds interesting to you, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram!