By Shannon Lukens. Courtesy photo: The CMC Alpine Ski Team is ready for the 2025-26 season.

 

The Ski Team at Colorado Mountain College is transitioning to an athlete-supported funding model. The 40-year-old CMC ski racing program based in Steamboat Springs was set to be disbanded after this upcoming season, due to a loss of institutional funding from state and federal budget cuts. But close to $500,000 has been raised through fundraising and donations. Another $500,000 has to be raised by June to stay on track. And the 21 athletes on the team will each contribute $10,000 each year.

An event for the “SkiGles,” as they call themselves, will be held Feb. 7.

For more information, contact Olivia Goldsworthy, at  ogoldsworthy@coloradomtn.edu.

To donate to the Skigles campaign, go to https://cmceagles.com/ski-team/.

 

Press Release from Colorado Mountain College; November 17, 2025.

 

Momentum builds as CMC Ski Team fundraising races forward

Additional $500,000 needed by June 30

 

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS – Last spring, the Colorado Mountain College Eagles Alpine Ski Team was facing an uncertain future. Affectionately known as the Skigles, the 40-year-old Steamboat Springs-based racing program was set to lose its institutional funding due to state and federal budget cuts impacting the college. Without $250,000 of annual operating costs covered, the Skigles would be disbanded after this year’s 2025–26 season.

 

As it turns out, a lot of people don’t want to see that happen. The CMC Foundation partnered with parents, alumni, community members and the student-athletes themselves to launch a fundraising campaign. With an aggressive goal of raising $1.5 million by June 2027, the campaign saw early success toward its first benchmark of $300,000. An anonymous donor almost immediately stepped forward with a $150,000 match, and the campaign raised nearly $500,000 well before the first deadline of Nov. 30.

 

“We are thrilled to have not only met but exceeded our initial fundraising goal,” said Kristin Heath Colon, CMC vice president for advancement and foundation CEO. “It’s gratifying to continue to learn how much the college and the ski team are respected and valued.

 

Looking ahead, the team must secure another $500,000 by June 2026 to stay on track.

 

“These next six months of fundraising are critical for the longevity of this great program,” said Colon. “We’ve got the momentum needed, and like every race, finishing strong is the key to success. We’re excited about the continued support from donors, sponsors and the broader community as we work to secure the team’s future.”

 

From Glenwood to Burke to CMC

 

“I wouldn’t have come to CMC without ski racing as the catalyst,” said Sam McDermott, a CMC junior from Glenwood Springs who grew up skiing with the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club before attending Vermont’s Burke Mountain Academy. “Speaking to the development potential of CMC skiing, we have slope access that no other college team has. We get to train as much as we want on watered snow and the coaching staff is great.”

 

With a 12-to-one student-to-faculty ratio, CMC’s academic offerings are also unique. McDermott is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in leadership and management with an associate degree in ski and snowboard business where he builds skis and organizes on-snow equipment demos.

 

A launchpad for athletes

 

The 21-member team will transition to an athlete-supported funding model next season. Each skier will contribute $10,000 annually in conjunction with the fundraising campaign.

 

“The athlete fees are still only about a third of the price of a top-tier post-graduate club program,” said Skigles head coach Scott Tanner. “The fundraising success so far has made such a difference. The team is walking with a pep in their step. We’re currently training at Copper and the team is skiing really well. This has been a huge shot of adrenaline for us.”

 

Vail resident Kathy Borgen, who has helped support the initial phase of the campaign, is a CMC President’s Advisory Council member and has strong family ties to ski racing. She encourages others to contribute to the Save The Skigles campaign.

 

“CMC’s commitment to access and excellence has made it one of the most cost-effective, high-quality college and varsity ski teams in the nation,” Borgen said. “The CMC Ski Team is not just a collegiate program; it’s a launchpad for local and national athletes who might otherwise be priced out of the sport, providing a chance to further their education and ski racing career. It is a superb and important example of what’s possible when local talent is nurtured in the right environment.”

 

On Feb. 7, CMC’s Steamboat campus will host the Skigle Soiree fundraiser and Winter Carnival fireworks watch party. For more information, contact Olivia Goldsworthy, ogoldsworthy@coloradomtn.edu. To donate to the Skigles campaign, go to https://cmceagles.com/ski-team/.