“I am a lifelong advocate for affordable housing, having lived and worked in mountain towns all my life, and great ones: Ketchum, Idaho; Aspen, Colorado; and Bozeman, Montana. Affordable housing is the crisis and the answer to the vibrancy of all three. Mountain living shouldn’t be limited to only those who can meet any rent or purchase price. It also belongs to those doing essential civic and community work, and those ensuring by their very presence that communities retain their character, a rich inner life, some messy vitality, and whatever measure of diversity they can manage. No one should struggle to afford living in the towns they help make great!”
– Christin Cooper
Christin Cooper, 1984 Sun Valley Olympic silver medalist, took an abundance of natural talent, unyielding drive and the support of the Sun Valley Ski Team to earn, a berth on the United States Ski Team at age 16 where she became National Champion at age 17. She went on to earn six National titles and a stunning record on the World Cup circuit of 65 top-tens, 26 podiums, and five World Cup victories. In 1982, Cooper became the first and still only female American triple medalist in a single World Championship series. She competed in two Winter Olympiads, winning giant slalom silver in Sarajevo in 1984, the same year she was inducted into the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. “Coop”, as she is affectionately known, retired from international racing that spring at age 24, transferring her energy and drive to freelance writing and sports broadcasting. As the voice of women’s alpine skiing for 30 years, Cooper called International races and six Winter Olympic Games for the networks. She and her husband, eight-year USST member, seven-year pro, and Aspen native Mark Taché have long supported junior racing and its values. They co-founded the Janss Pro-Am Classic in support of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, and continue to tirelessly give back to the sport that gave them so much. The couple have founded two award-winning restaurants in Bozeman, Montana, grounding the business in their skiing ethos: work hard, play hard, and always share the stoke. With a worldview shaped by skiing, Cooper’s life shows how success can radiate from dedication, reverence for others, teamwork, and celebration of the mountain lifestyle. What better set of values to represent, and for generations of young athletes to emulate?
