Steamboat Springs and U.S. Ski Team legend Jim "Moose" Barrows passed away on June 28, 2024 at 80 years old after a long battle with cancer.  

He was born on April 25, 1944 in Los Angeles, California and moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado with his family and two brothers in 1950. He began skiing for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, coached by Olympian Gordy Wren, where he excelled at both ski jumping and alpine skiing. 

He enrolled in the University of Colorado in 1982, coached by famed CU and U.S. Ski Team coach Bob Beattie, becoming an NCAA four-way contender and champion. Beattie gave him the name "Moose," named for both Barrows' attitude and large stature. Barrows lettered three times and became one of the nation's premier four-event skiers in both alpine and nordic events. 

Barrows joined the U.S. Ski Team in 1960 and competed in the first ever World Cup downhill in the United States at New Hampshire's Cannon Mountain in 1967, landing on the podium in third. He ended the season placed seventh in the FIS downhill rankings and qualified for the 1968 Olympic team. While he raced in the 1968 Grenoble Olympics, he did not finish, having a spectacular crash that has lived on in infamy.

After retiring from the U.S. Ski Team, he skied on the pro circuit in the 1970s before coaching for the U.S. Ski Team men's downhill team. He also taught a course on the history of skiing at Steamboat's Colorado Mountain College and was eventually inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1996.

Apart from skiing, he had a passion for flying, golfing, playing poker and working on his Yampa Valley ranch, dubbed JASDIP (Just Another Sh*tty Day in Paradise). Moose's legacy lives on through the Moose's Loose Golf Tournament, which he started in 1984 to support the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club scholarship fund, helping to fund young competitive skiers and snowboarders. 

The annual Alpine Fundraiser for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team was a massive success. The fundraiser almost doubled the initial goal of $100,000. The event is a staple for the alpine team helping raise additional funds for the program as the team competes to be the best in the world. 

The event was held at long time alpine donors Karen and John Arnold’s beautiful home in Vail Colorado where they hosted over 40 guests. Those in attendance ranged from donors, trustees, ski team alumni and a group of current team athletes. The list included Olympic silver medalist Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Olympians Nina O’Brien and Katie Hensien as well as the giant slalom Junior World Champion Ryder Sarchett. Alumni in attendance included Drew Duffy, Karen Ghent, Cindy Nelson, Brenda Kirwood and Alice Duran. 

“The Alpine Fundraiser was once again a reminder of the incredible ski racing community that supports our athletes on the Alpine team,” said Olympian and Stifel U.S. Ski Team alumna Alice Duran. 

Vail Valley Foundation’s Mike Imhoff also made an appearance where he spoke on the excitement the local area has for the upcoming men’s and women’s Stifel Birds of Prey World Cups presented by United Airlines. This season is notably the first year that the women will compete on the famed Birds of Prey super-G and downhill tracks. 

Guests mixed and mingled touching upon the program's strengths highlighted with a Q&A session moderated by Duran. The athletes spoke to their own stories with the team as well as answering Duran’s thoughtful questions. 

“I was struck by how people showed up from every facet of the sport to lend their support both with their dollars, and time dedicated to the sport. A big thank you to Karen and John Arnold for hosting, the athletes that attended and all the donors that chose to support! GO USA,” said Duran.

The alpine team is now in a large gym prep period before they hit the snow across the world. The alpine team's World Cup schedule kicks off in Sölden, Austria on October 26-27 with a pair of giant slalom races. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team alpine skier Allison Mollin is on the rise within the alpine circuit. The Truckee, California native and former Palisades Tahoe skier completed her first rookie season with the national team in the 2023-24 year and did not disappoint, claiming both the super-G and downhill NorAm Cup titles as well as second place in super-G at the U.S. Alpine Championships. Mollin is one of the team’s up-and-coming speed skiers and has already made her debut on the World Cup stage in Crans Montana, Switzerland. Mollin will be one to watch in future seasons. 

We sat down to ask her a few questions about her background, her most recent success, and her goals for the coming seasons.

Q: What initially drew you to this sport?
ALLISON MOLIN: I fell in love with skiing before I fell in love with ski racing. I would take part in ski school on Fridays while my parents worked from home. I then went on to do my first Kinder Cup races at six years old and never looked back. 

Q: When you were younger and getting into the sport, what were your goals?
AM: My goal as a kid was always to be on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and to win a FIS Crystal Globe. 

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment?
AM: One of my proudest achievements thus far was winning the downhill and, more importantly, super-G NorAm Cup titles. In the previous season, my best standing in NorAm super-G was 15th, so winning that title felt like a tangible way to see my progress since being named to the team. 

Q: What is your ultimate goal?
AM: My ultimate goal is to win the FIS Crystal Globe in downhill. 

Q: Can you describe a particularly emotional moment? 
AM: Standing in the start of my first World Cup last season in Crans Montana felt surreal. Having watched countless World Cups on TV growing up, standing in the start felt like a ride at Disneyland that’s based on your favorite movie. 

Q: Who are your heroes?
AM: Growing up, I always idolized Daron Rahlves. For me, winning Kitzbühel was the coolest thing ever. I continue to look up to him now because he was able to maximize his skiing as one of the smaller guys in the field. I have learned a lot from that because it's super applicable to me.

Follow Allison on social media here.