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Cassie Ayoungman
Sponsored Climber, Paramedic, Founder
Cassie (she/her) is based in Canmore.
Their identities and lived-experience qualifications are a crucial contributor to their expertise. These are some that they identify with:
Here's the dynamic range of services they offer with Future Ancestors Services:
This is just a glimpse of the incredible breadth of subject-matter expertise they bring to the table:
Photo provided by Cassie
Cassie Ayoungman is a Niitsitapi climber, paramedic, and mentor from Siksika Nation, Alberta, dedicated to increasing Indigenous representation in outdoor spaces. A Primary Care Paramedic with Siksika EMS and a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Cassie balances her career in emergency response with her passion for climbing, exploration, and community leadership. She is an ambassador for Indigenous Womxn Climb and a strong advocate for reconnecting Indigenous peoples with their ancestral lands through outdoor recreation.
Cassie’s journey into climbing began in her mid-twenties when she noticed the lack of diversity in outdoor spaces, sparking her commitment to breaking down barriers and creating access for Indigenous youth. She co-founded Soul of Miistaki, an initiative that introduces Indigenous youth to climbing as a healing and transformative practice, allowing them to reclaim their presence in the mountains while building confidence and community. She is also a key figure in Blackfoot Fitness, an initiative that brought fitness classes to Siksika Nation in 2014, furthering her commitment to wellness, movement, and self-determination.
We can assure you, they're worth getting to know.
Photos provided by Cassie
How does their lived experience shape their qualification?
This is an excerpt from Canadian Geographic’s feature on Cassie Ayoungman, where she shares how her lived experience as a Niitsitapi woman, climber, and mentor has deepened her connection to the land and shaped her understanding of Indigenous presence in outdoor spaces.
The more I climbed, the more I thought about being in relation to the land. I kept having more thoughts about where our ancestors were. Our native people roamed through these mountains as well. Our people have a spiritual connection to the lands. Now whenever I’m traveling either for climbing or mountaineering, I try to understand: “OK, who’s lands am I on?” We have pictographs and petroglyphs throughout the mountains in the Rockies here. I want people to understand that — those were our stories that were told on the rocks.
I actually put a poll up on my social media saying: “How much do you know about pictographs and petroglyphs?” And the responses that I got were “I want to know more. I don’t know much about it.” First Nations told their stories on these rocks and they’re disappearing over time because the oils on our skin ruin it by people touching them. So all in all,…
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"One thing I love about writing is being able to connect with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Today I got to speak with Siksika Elder Laura Sitting Eagle for my feature on Cassie Ayoungman for Mountain Life Media: Rocky Mountains Edition.
Laura spoke of of her time spent in residential schools, her healing, and how she worked hard to ensure her children and grandchildren (including Cassie) would have success and joy in their lives. She sounded so happy and proud as she spoke about Cassie. She says: "Cassie’s a mentor even to the older people. It’s going to heal people, what she’s doing. She’s a role model."
Jane Marshall for Mountain Life Magazine
Here’s a snapshot of how they bring stories, strategies, and meaningful change to each audience.
A sought-after speaker, Cassie has presented at No Man’s Land Film Festival and the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF), sharing the story of Soul of Miistaki Climbing Camp. She speaks on Indigenous leadership in outdoor recreation, land stewardship, overcoming barriers, and the transformative power of climbing. With her deep connection to land and personal journey of resilience, Cassie inspires audiences to push beyond their comfort zones and rethink what it means to belong in outdoor spaces.
Indigenous climbing with Cassie Ayoungman, Canadian Geographic
Speaker Highlight
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Cassie lives on her ancestral territories, the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising Siksika, Piikani and Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut'ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
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