Steamboat Resort in Colorado is adding a new ski trail for the 2026-27 winter season, honoring a hometown Olympic legend who helped shape the ski town’s history.
The new green-rated trail, named Barrow’s Bend, will connect Rendezvous Lodge to the Sunshine Peak lift. It honors the late Jim “Moose” Barrows, a Steamboat Springs native who competed for the United States at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France.
The addition brings the mountain’s total number of named trails to 184 and provides another beginner-friendly route through its Sunshine area.
Honoring Steamboat Olympic Legend Moose Barrows
Barrows grew up skiing in Steamboat Springs, where he began ski jumping at Howelsen Hill at just 5 years old. He developed into an accomplished alpine racer, competing for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and the University of Colorado before joining the U.S. Ski Team.
In 1967, Barrows finished third in the first World Cup downhill race held in the United States, earning a place on the 1968 Olympic team. His Olympic downhill ended with a spectacular crash that later appeared in ABC’s Wide World of Sports coverage.
Barrows went on to compete professionally and coach the U.S. men’s downhill team. He was inducted into the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1996.
Beyond his accomplishments on the mountain, Barrows was known for supporting young athletes in his hometown. He helped establish the Moose’s Loose Golf Tournament, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund scholarships for young skiers.
Barrows died June 28, 2024, at age 80. In a tribute published following his death, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club highlighted his decades of contributions to skiing and the local community.
Steamboat Preparing for the 2026-27 Ski Season
The new trail is among several improvements coming to Steamboat this winter. The resort is also offering free public access to its Buckaroo Carpet beginner lift and introducing a guided experience designed to prepare advanced skiers and snowboarders for heli-skiing terrain.
Steamboat has a long tradition of honoring local ski pioneers through its trail names. The resort’s Olympic heritage includes more than 100 athletes with ties to the community who have competed at the Winter Games.
The resort is scheduled to open for the 2026-27 ski season on November 21, weather and conditions permitting.
