The Ski Moms Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, the Ski Moms welcome Kristin Hurd and Karen Musgrave, Canadian ski instructors and co-creators of the Divine ARCS Affirmation Cards , a 31-card deck designed to help skiers connect with the mental and emotional side of the sport. Based at Silver Star Mountain Resort in Vernon, B.C., Kristin (originally from Australia, CSIA Level 4) and Karen (from Southern Califor...

Send us Fan Mail Summer camp season is here, and if your kid lives for mountain biking, skiing, skateboarding, scooters, or just nonstop outdoor adventure, this episode is for you. We’re diving into all things Woodward — the legendary action sports camp that’s helping kids build confidence, resilience, independence, and skills both on and off the bike. Ski Moms listeners can save $150 off Summer 2...

Send us Fan Mail Inside the Portillo, Chile ski experience—from daily life and family-friendly lodging to what makes this independent resort so unique. And for our Ski Moms community, there’s a little added bonus: Enjoy 10% off your stay for bookings between June 20 and August 1 by emailing reservations@skiportillo.com and mentioning SKIMOMS . Last week, we covered how to plan a trip to Portillo....

Send us Fan Mail If a summer ski trip has ever been on your list, this is your sign to seriously consider Portillo, Chile. In this episode, we’re breaking down everything you need to know to plan a Portillo summer ski trip—from when to go (their season kicks off June 20), to how the all-inclusive, ski-in/ski-out experience works, to why it’s one of the easiest international ski trips you can do wi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode The Ski Moms welcome Sage McCririck, marketing and events manager at Loveland Ski Area in Colorado, as the resort approaches its 90th anniversary. Sage shares her three-generation family connection to the mountain, where her father, ski photographer Flip McCririck , taught her to ski and she now teaches her own daughter. Located just 52 miles from Denver, Loveland...

Send us Fan Mail The Ski Moms welcome back Kendra Scurfield (Chief Marketing Officer at Banff Sunshine Village, author, and mom) to share why spring skiing in Banff is a hidden gem for families. They explore what sets Sunshine Village apart—from its high elevation and consistent late-season snowfall to its sunny, celebratory spring atmosphere with longer days, soft snow, and lively après. The conv...

Send us Fan Mail The Ski Moms celebrate Crystal Mountain' s 70th anniversary with Karen Thor (COO, 32 years at the resort) and Brittany Primeau (Director of Communications and new mom). They explore Crystal's evolution from Buck Hills community ski area to today's master-planned four-season resort village with 1,500 acres. Karen and Brittany share their ski origin stories and discus...

Send us Fan Mail 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-vis...

Send us Fan Mail 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 un...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 journe...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Verm...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Boulde...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 sk...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, the Ski Moms welcome Kameron Tucker, Mountain Sports Director at Massanutten Resort in Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Kameron shares her inspiring journey from receiving ski passes in her Christmas stocking as a child to leading mountain operations at the resort where she first learned to ski. Now in her third season as Mountain Sports Director after...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Ski Moms Podcast , we’re joined by Jessica Averett , Utah-based mom of five, former professional ski instructor, and founder of SkiingKids.com , a must-visit site for families who love to ski. Jessica shares her expert tips for teaching kids to ski — without breaking the bank on ski school. She talks through gear must-haves (and what to skip), how to manage...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, the Ski Moms welcome Chemmy Alcott , a British former World Cup alpine ski racer who competed in all five disciplines and represented Great Britain at four Olympic Games. Growing up in London, Chemmy's journey to elite ski racing is extraordinary, she trained on eight-second dry ski slopes made of plastic "hairbrushes" and at age 10 convinced her pa...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we tackle a topic that's been the elephant in the room of the ski world: fear. We sit down with Dr. Carol Porter , a Snowsport England coach with 20 years of experience and a PhD in pedagogical philosophies, and Kimberley Kay , author of the beloved "Ski A to Z" book and advocate for women in snow sports. Together, they reveal findings from their Fe...

Send us Fan Mail Jordan Watts, co-founder and head designer of Jorde , joins the Ski Moms podcast to share her journey from competitive ski racing to creating a modern ski apparel brand. Born in Texas but raised in New Hampshire's ski country, Jordan's path to fashion design began on the slopes. She attended Burke Mountain Academy, where the demanding schedule of academics and training t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Ski Moms Podcast, hosts Nicole and Sarah welcome Rachel Proper, founder of Keep Vermont Wild , for an in-depth conversation about making Vermont's outdoor adventures accessible to everyone, especially families with young children. Rachel shares her journey from posting personal outdoor adventures to creating a comprehensive resource that showcases Vermo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Nicole and Sarah sit down with Rhonda Swenson, founder and creative director of Krimson Klover , a women's outdoor lifestyle brand known for its vintage-inspired illustrated base layers and bold, colorful knitwear. Rhonda shares her journey from Texas ski slopes to building a successful Boulder-based company, emphasizing her commitment to slow fashion, ethica...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, the Ski Moms are joined by Julie Gacnik, co-founder of Pure Mountain Fun and mom of four who turned her family's ski day frustrations into a thriving business. A former university administrator who learned to ski in Iowa, Julie's journey began when her 10-year-old daughter invented a 3.5-ounce ski carrier for a school project. After strangers at Beaver C...