Mountain Mayhem: Celebrating U.S. Ski & Snowboard

On a balmy summer night in mid-August, a winter-centric event took place on the rooftop of Catch Steak in Aspen. On behalf of the board of trustees of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Board Member Lizzie MacLean Larned and her partner, Tom Engelman, hosted the intimate reception to bring athletes, parents, patrons, and friends together.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard comprises 10 sports with more than 240 athletes and a mission to foster the growth of snow sports at every level and develop world champions. The event in August was held to raise awareness for the U.S. Freeski Team in particular, which currently has six athletes who hail from Aspen, all of whom trained with Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club (AVSC). Among this esteemed group, Olympians Alex Ferreira and Hanna Faulhaber were the honorary guests at the reception, taking part in a discussion moderated by fellow Olympian Chris Klug.  

They spoke about being raised in the valley and the importance of the support and guidance U.S. Ski & Snowboard provides for them and fellow athletes who receive no direct government support. Established in 1905, the nonprofit organization relies entirely on the generosity of donor funding.

There’s a strong U.S. Ski & Snowboard alumni presence across all 10 disciplines in Aspen who are helping this next generation of current athletes pursue their dreams, as they train and compete around the world.

Founded in 1937, AVSC is the Roaring Fork Valley’s oldest and largest youth nonprofit. Several AVSC board members and leaders attended the event.

This winter, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, in partnership with X Games, will bring freeski and snowboard athletes to compete in the U.S. Grand Prix and Big Air at Copper Mountain and Aspen, marking the return to Aspen for the first time since 2019.

There will be opportunities this winter to help fund freeski athletes and take part in local events surrounding the competition. To learn more, visit usskiandsnowboard.org.