Field Journal

In Conversation with Jess Clark
Written by Daniel Neilson // Photography by Luke Jarmey

When adventurer and model Jess Clark wanted an adventure with her mum, they chose a gentle ski-touring trip in the French Alps. Jess’s adventures were also being influenced by something else: she happened to be pregnant. In this conversation with Sidetracked, we discuss the unique relationship between mother and daughter, especially two whose lives revolve around thrills in the mountains, and how a baby will affect their lives.

The kind of words you’d throw around when describing the Refuge de Loriaz would be along the lines of ‘rustic’, ‘traditional’, and ‘charming’. Loriaz is a series of stone huts high above the Vallorcine valley in the French Alps near Chamonix. In winter, when the snow deadens the sounds of nature, Vallorcine seems even more secluded, quieter, more peaceful. It’s a U-shaped valley among the Aiguilles Rouges massif, whose jagged peaks form an imposing skyline. And in the distance, framed by the valley, Mont Blanc and its neighbours.

On one day in February, through the low-lying forests, the rhythmic ‘shhhh, shhhh, shhhhh, shhhh’ of skis slowly skinning up a gentle incline could be heard through the forest.

‘Loriaz does feel wild,’ Jess Clark says. ‘It’s a straightforward ski-touring route through the forest, and then you come out on the gorgeous plateau looking out on the Mont Blanc massif and then you see this beautiful collection of stone houses of the Refuge de Loriaz.’

Jess, and her mum Jane Gould, shook off their skis and walked into the refuge. ‘We were greeted with a nice warm tea, a slice of cake, and warm slippers. It was lovely,’ Jess recalls.

So far, so lovely, but anyone who knows Jess will also know this isn’t her usual MO. The inclines are usually steeper – much, much steeper. Jess is normally found climbing near vertical inclines, only to ski down them again as fast as she can. Ski mountaineering is her preferred winter activity. ‘I normally want somewhere as remote as possible. I want to really rough it,’ she explains. But this day, in the Refuge de Loriaz, she’s with her mum. Oh, and she’s heavily pregnant. A cup of tea and cake will do perfectly.

To give a bit of context, we should introduce Mum Jane Gould. Jane isn’t your average 58-year-old mum, either. She’s an ultrarunner for starters. A very, very good one, and still competing at the highest level, winning – yep, winning – the 140km Oner for her age group, the only female finsher in 2023, and she used to be on the GB Iron Man team (but as far as we know, hasn’t got the tattoo). Ski touring, however, is something Jess only introduced her mum to in the last couple of years.

‘She introduced me to skiing as a little girl,’ Jess says. ‘She was a very competent, sensible skier. She was one of the mums at the back of the group picking up the kids falling all over the place. We used to affectionately call her “the sweeper”.

‘When we went skiing together more recently, it became apparent that I’d got a lot better, and her reaction was kind of “f*ck it”, I can do what I want now. “If I break my leg now, it’ll be your responsibility to get me down. I don’t have to look after you any more.” It was like this switch just went where she suddenly realised I’m not responsible for me any more. “You’re fine without me”.’

Jess and Jane spend a lot of adventuring together. ‘There’s been a lot of us going off and doing activities together; I love it, it’s great fun. I would say our relationship is kind of somewhere between mother and daughter and friends. I can bring her skiing with my mates and she gets involved in everything. It’s very easy to have her around.’

They go away together every year, with Jess introducing her to a new sport each time. Surfing off the French coast, mountain biking around Lake Garda, rock climbing, trail running, and now ski touring. After their skiing adventure above Vallorcine, Jess and her husband Philip – who had been living in Chamonix for the last five years – decided to be closer to Mum in Compton Abbas, Dorset.
‘I remember phoning my mum up all emotional saying, “I just want to come home at 31 years old.” And she’s like, “OK.”’

And is she imparting valuable advice?

‘Yes, but I guess you have to take some things with a pinch of salt. She ran the day I was born. I have a lot of people saying to me: “Gosh, I think it’s ridiculous that you’re still doing any form of exercise.” And my mum’s there asking, “Why are you still not running any more?” But I think she’s very ready for that kind of grandma chapter of her life.’

Jane has already bought a Thule pram to run with and is planning ski-touring adventures with ‘Junior’, tag teaming adventure. Jess crewed for her mum in ultra races, and now it’s Jane’s turn to crew for Jess.

After living in Chamonix, exploring the mountains summer and winter, writing for magazines (including Sidetracked), modelling, being a sponsored athlete, and living an enviable life, is she ready to have a slightly more settled existence?

‘A friend recently asked me: “Are you struggling with not going ice climbing?” And I said, “No, it’s fine. It’s really quite nice stopping for lunch.”’