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In this episode, the Ski Moms sit down with Cindy Dady, CEO of Sunlight Mountain Resort in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Cindy brings 45 years of ski industry experience — from teaching toddlers on the bunny hill to becoming the first female general manager in Colorado not serving as an owner-operator. She shares what drew her to Sunlight, why this independent mountain is a must-visit for families, and how she's leading the resort through its biggest capital investment since 1966.

Cindy walks us through Sunlight's welcoming terrain (70 trails, 720 acres), its centralized and stress-free base area, and the resort's commitment to unreasonable hospitality. She also opens up about her career journey, the mentors who shaped her, and what a typical powder day looks like when you're the CEO who greets every guest at the lift.

Resources

• Sunlight Mountain Resort: https://www.sunlightmtn.com
• Sunlight Ski & Bike Shop (Glenwood Springs): https://www.sunlightmtn.com/ski-bike-shop
• Indy Pass: https://www.indyskipass.com
• Colorado Ski Country: https://www.coloradoski.com
• Fly into: Eagle/Vail (EGE) – 25 min from Glenwood Springs; Aspen (ASE); Grand Junction (GJT); or Denver (DEN)

Key Quotes

"We provide unreasonable hospitality to every single guest that comes. We're the Cheers bar of ski areas — everybody knows everybody."

"Every single trail leads back to the base. You will always end up in the same spot.

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

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Kristin Ruud is the founder of Northern Classics, an outdoor clothing brand that blends timeless, elevated aesthetics with high-performance technical outerwear for kids. A University of Michigan business school graduate, Kristin's career took her through financial consulting, hedge fund management, and commercial construction before an entrepreneurial spark and three kids under one and a half during COVID led her to launch Northern Classics. In this episode, Kristin shares how she identified a gap in the children's ski apparel market: technical gear that was either purely functional or purely cute, but never both. Kristin opens up about the challenges of building a brand from scratch with no apparel background, the power of community and customer feedback, and what it's like to see her designs "in the wild" on the slopes out west. As a mom of four (twins almost 7, a 5-year-old, and a 3-year-old), Kristin brings both personal credibility and infectious joy to everything she creates.

Notable Quotes:

"I always say I'm selling — I am my own customer."

"I try really hard to keep my kids at the forefront. I mean, they were the inspiration behind this brand."

Resources:

• Northern Classics Website: northernclassics.com
• Retailers: Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Over the Moon, Maisonette, Janie and Jack, select REI stores, and ski shops nationwide
• Instagram: @NorthernClassics

Email: [email protected]

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

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Keep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!
Website: www.theskimoms.co
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Nicole and Sarah spent over a year planning seven days in the Dolomites for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and it was 100% worth every chaotic, confusing, cowbell-confiscating moment. In this episode, they break down everything: decoding the ticket matrix, hunting down hospitality packages on two separate platforms, navigating snowy switchbacks from Venice with skis on the roof, and what it's actually like to stand in the finish area for some of the most historic women's Alpine races in recent memory.

The ski racing delivered in a big way! Federica Brignone won gold on home snow to a stadium full of tiger-suited superfans. Mikaela Shiffrin closed out the women's events with a gold in the slalom that had Nicole in tears. Paula Moltzan won the second run, finished eighth, and later handed out uterus pins in the center of Cortina.

Start planning earlier than you think, use miles, go with another family to split costs, and bring really good shoes. 

Quotes:

"I think it was a complete bucket list trip of a lifetime. It was a tremendous mix of experiencing another culture in a really fun way, having intense American pride while you're there." 

"It was a hundred percent worth it. And we got very lucky with amazing weather, smooth travel — all those things went right."

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

Support the show

Keep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!
Website: www.theskimoms.co
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Megan Harrod has lived many lives, from being born in a trailer home in Montana to spending nearly a decade as the Alpine press officer for the US Ski Team, traveling the World Cup circuit and managing media for some of the world's best athletes. Now a brand strategist, publicist, and podcast producer working closely with Mikaela Shiffrin, Megan shares her remarkable journey from racing on Midwest man-made hills to the finish lines of Olympic venues. She opens up about the financial barriers in ski racing, the importance of accessibility programs like Share Winter, and how her experience managing intense athlete dynamics has made her a better mom to her two children, Pierce and Stetson, who are just 13 months apart. Megan discusses producing Mikaela's podcast "What's the Point," the powerful Mik 100 campaign that raised nearly $500,000 for ski access, and how she's learned to balance remote work with traveling to World Cup races with babies in tow. Her authentic approach to storytelling and her commitment to making the sport more accessible shine through as she reflects on memorable moments like Beijing 2022 and the importance of mental health in athletics.

Notable Quotes:

"I wouldn't have it any other way. It was such a cool family experience... it was such a strong community and I still have friends from that team growing up."

"In many ways, that was the best thing that could have happened because people really saw who she is at the core. And as hard as it was for everyone, I think that was a really beautiful gift that she shared with the world."

Resources:

• Podcast: What's the Point
• Instagram: @MeganHarrod
• Share Winter Foundation: Supporting ski access for underserved communities

YouTube Series: "Moving Right Along" with Mikaela Shiffrin

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

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Keep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!
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We’re revisiting one of our most meaningful conversations — with Olympic gold medalist, ski mom, and mental performance coach Barbara Cochran.

Why now? On February 11, 1972, Barbara won Olympic gold in slalom in Sapporo by just .02 seconds. And 54 years to the day later, her son, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, won Olympic silver in Super-G in Cortina.

An Olympic legacy — built on a Vermont rope tow.

Barbara grew up skiing at her family’s backyard hill, now known as Cochran’s Ski Area — a nonprofit, community-driven mountain where lift tickets are still affordable, race training happens under the lights, and hot chocolate costs $1.50.

We talk about:

• Growing up in a ski racing family
• Training on the legendary rope tow
• The “Cochran Way” philosophy of excellence without pressure
• Raising an Olympian as a single mom
• And the mindset that wins medals

Barbara’s father believed skiing should be joyful — but that striving for excellence builds character. Before sports psychology was mainstream, Barbara was practicing it. Heading into her Olympic race, she repeated:

“I don’t know if I’m going to win, but I know I’m capable of winning.”

That mindset carried her to gold — and now informs her work helping athletes who “train better than they race” learn to compete with confidence.

We also talk about the financial realities of ski racing, how Ryan nearly declined his U.S. Ski Team nomination due to cost, and the scholarships that helped keep the dream alive.

This episode is about more than medals. It’s about:

• Community skiing
• Raising resilient kids
• Keeping the joy in competition
• And building confidence that lasts long after the finish line

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

Support the show

Keep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!
Website: www.theskimoms.co
Ski Moms Discount Page: https://www.theskimoms.co/discounts
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Join the 13,000+ Ski Moms Facebook Group
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskimoms/

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In this episode Nicole talks with Jill Brabec, President of Nordic Combined USA, about one of the Olympics' oldest sports that still excludes women. Nordic Combined blends ski jumping and cross country skiing, requiring athletes to launch themselves down steep terrain at maximum speed, fly the length of a football field, then immediately race 5K on skinny skis. Despite being in the Olympics since 1924, women were denied entry to the 2026 Games. Jill, a Steamboat Springs ski mom turned advocate, formed a nonprofit with other parents to save the US team when funding collapsed. Her daughter Alexa trains in Norway but can't compete in the Olympics due to gender restrictions. 

The IOC will decide about 2030 inclusion this spring after reviewing 2026 data. Jill draws parallels to women's ski jumping, which faced identical arguments 15 years ago and is now successful. She encourages fans to watch men's Nordic Combined February 11, 17, and 19 to show viewership demand, sign the petition at nordiccombineusa.org, and follow athletes on social media. The sport features 17 World Cups for women who jump the same hills as men and train at Lake Placid, Park City, and Steamboat Springs. Families with adventurous kids can find programs starting at age 5-6 through the website.

Website: nordiccombineusa.org

Instagram: @NordicCombinedUSA

NOTABLE QUOTES

"It's really hard to see one sibling able to go to the Olympics and the other sibling not able to go simply because of gender."

"What this fight is for is for that next group of girls that are coming up and their chance to pursue it. And whatever other girls are out there looking for a sport that just fits."

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

Support the show

Keep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!
Website: www.theskimoms.co
Ski Moms Discount Page: https://www.theskimoms.co/discounts
Ski Moms Ski Rental Homes
Join the 13,000+ Ski Moms Facebook Group
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskimoms/

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In this episode Annie Fast, Oregon-based freelance writer and former professional snowboarder, joins the Ski Moms to discuss two critical barriers facing ski families: accessible childcare at resorts and mothers competing at elite levels. Annie's investigative work for Ski Area Management revealed a troubling trend of resort daycare closures post-COVID, including Vail's Small World, Jackson Hole, and Bridger Bowl facilities, while highlighting success stories at Mount Bachelor, Mount Hood Meadows, Brundage, and Tamarack with year-round programs. She explains why finding childcare information on resort websites is nearly impossible and how this impacts both visiting families and employee retention. Annie also previews her coverage of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, spotlighting Olympic moms competing with young children and the challenges of decentralized venues. The conversation covers practical advocacy tips for ski families, the reality of split-day skiing for toddlers, and why true "family-friendly" resorts must offer guest childcare. 

Keep up with the latest from Annie!

• Website: https://anniefast.contently.com
• Instagram: @anniefast

Key Quotes

"If you're going to call something a family-friendly ski area, it has to have childcare for guests. I just can't imagine how that works otherwise."

"Let them know that if you do decide not to go to the resort because there is no childcare, that was a deciding factor. Otherwise they just won't know that's something that's missing."

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

Support the show

Keep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!
Website: www.theskimoms.co
Ski Moms Discount Page: https://www.theskimoms.co/discounts
Ski Moms Ski Rental Homes
Join the 13,000+ Ski Moms Facebook Group
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskimoms/

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In this episode, the Ski Moms head out west to explore Mount Bachelor with Lauren Burke, Director of Marketing and Communications at one of the Pacific Northwest's largest ski resorts. Lauren shares her unconventional path into the ski industry, from growing up in San Diego with childhood trips to Mammoth, to falling in love with mountain life at University of Colorado Boulder. After over a decade at Mammoth Mountain, Lauren made the move to Mount Bachelor in Bend, Oregon, where she discovered a unique ski destination unlike any other.

Lauren paints a perfect picture of what makes Mount Bachelor special: affordable lodging in nearby Bend and Sun River, free parking, 410 inches of annual snowfall and 360-degree skiing on a dormant volcano with over 4,000 skiable acres. She emphasizes that spring is the absolute best time to visit, with the whole mountain open through Memorial Day and sunny weather that allows families to combine skiing with mountain biking, hiking, and outdoor concerts.

For families, Mount Bachelor offers year-round daycare, Kids Ski Free passes, extensive beginner terrain on both base areas, and affordable lesson packages. Lauren also highlights the resort's four-season offerings including downhill mountain biking, zip tours, whitewater rafting and fine dining experiences at the mid-mountain lodge.

Quotes:

• "There is no winter destination quite like Bend, Sun River, Mount Bachelor. I just cannot find a comparable ski destination that is anything like this."
• "My number one tip for families visiting Bachelor is come in the spring. It is so good in the spring. The whole mountain's open. The weather is good, you get snow, but when it's not snowing, you get sun."
• "The summit of Mount Bachelor is a true bucket list ski experience. It's skiing from the top of a dormant volcano... you can ski a true 360 degrees around the mountain, which you really can't do anywhere else."

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

Support the show

Keep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!
Website: www.theskimoms.co
Ski Moms Discount Page: https://www.theskimoms.co/discounts
Ski Moms Ski Rental Homes
Join the 13,000+ Ski Moms Facebook Group
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskimoms/

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The Ski Moms welcome legendary skier Wendy Fisher, whose name is synonymous with both Olympic racing and big mountain freeskiing. Wendy started skiing at age 2 in Squaw Valley (now Palisades Tahoe), chasing her older brothers down the hill. After losing one of her brothers in a tragic accident, she poured her grief into skiing—eventually making the U.S. Ski Team and competing in the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Wendy opens up about the emotional toll of elite racing, how fear of failure held her back, and what finally pushed her to walk away at age 23. A soul-searching road trip led her to Crested Butte, where she entered her first big mountain contest and redefined the sport by skiing bold lines no woman had attempted before. She went on to become a two-time World Extreme Skiing Champion and star in iconic films by Warren Miller and Matchstick Productions.

Now based in Crested Butte, Wendy shares how she’s reinvented herself many times—becoming a mom of two, ski instructor, DJ, and event coordinator. She talks about teaching through Vail Resorts' “Ski with an Olympian” program and her ongoing love for skiing and community.

Resources:

• Website: WendyFisher.me
• Ski with Wendy: Available at Crested Butte and Epic Pass resorts
• DJ Services: DJ Red for events and weddings
• Après Ski: The Beckwith (formerly Elevation Spa), Crested Butte Mountain Resort base area

Notable Quotes:

"I felt so much guilt for losing the love of skiing, because by the end of my racing career, I just dreamed of when I was 7 and skiing at Squaw, having fun, hitting jumps, playing. Like, skiing used to be so fun. Where did it go?"

"When that crowd noticed where I was going, they just started screaming and roaring. I was just like, oh, my God. Like, this is crazy... And everyone surrounded me. They're like, we've never seen a girl do that."

"My thought in my head of raising our kids is I just want to get to the point where we can ski the world together."

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

Support the show

Keep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!
Website: www.theskimoms.co
Ski Moms Discount Page: https://www.theskimoms.co/discounts
Ski Moms Ski Rental Homes
Join the 13,000+ Ski Moms Facebook Group
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskimoms/

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In this episode, the Ski Moms welcome Tallie Lancey, a Big Sky real estate expert with 18 years of experience representing buyers and sellers in Montana's premier ski destination. Tallie shares her journey from Ohio to Big Sky in 2005. She provides comprehensive insights into Big Sky's unique geography, explaining the three distinct areas: the Mountain (base area with ski-in/ski-out access), the Meadow (six miles away with walkable amenities and better value), and the Canyon (the scenic Gallatin River corridor). Tallie details lodging options from hotels to Airbnbs, private clubs and the ultra-exclusive Yellowstone Club. She offers practical travel tips including flying into Bozeman's charming airport, renting a car and stocking up on groceries before the drive. The conversation covers Big Sky Resort's impressive infrastructure including bubble lifts, double bubble magic carpets for families, a new gondola, and the largest contiguous ski area in the US. Tallie discusses real estate opportunities and emphasizes hiring a local buyer broker due to Big Sky's unincorporated status. The episode explores must-do experiences including the Enchanted Forest, Lone Mountain Ranch's sleigh ride dinner, skijoring events in February, and summer activities.

Resources:

Website: https://www.reallybigsky.com
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tallielancey

https://bigskyresort.com 

Notable Quotes:

"The greatest thing about Big Sky is that it's hard to get here... we barely have a million people in the entire state of Montana."

"Walkability is the new ski in, ski out. I just had some clients here last week who came out with their four kids, and they said, we've been here for a week and we haven't gotten in our car."

"Come here in the summer first, and you'll fall in love with it and you'll understand how the town works... and then come back to ski and you'll feel so much more confident."

Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations.

Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own!
 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals

Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.

Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot.

Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. 

Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. 

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Support the show

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