Sliding on Snow

From 23rd to 28th March, former professional ski racer, Travis Ganong, will be leading a ski retreat at COMO Alpina Dolomites with his wife and fellow professional skier, Marie-Michèle Ganong, guiding guests through iconic routes including the Sellaronda and Val Gardena. Here, Travis tells us about the ups and downs of an 18-year career as a ski racer, his emerging passion for back-country adventures, and the best way to relax after a long day on the slopes.

When I think of my childhood, I think of fresh powder and bluebird skies, with stormy nights delivering deep snowfall to enjoy the next day. I was incredibly lucky to be born in the mountains, with skiing more or less right outside my backdoor in Lake Tahoe, California. My dad was the doctor at what is now the Palisades Tahoe ski area, and I would ski with him each morning up and over the mountain to his work. My two older sisters were ski racers, so a lot of my childhood was also spent trailing after them with my twin brother. I suppose with a background like that, skiing was always going to be my passion. I first put on skis when I was just a year and a half old, and I progressed quickly, making the US Ski Team just before my sixteenth birthday.

Growing up in such an iconic ski area, my coaches were former World Cup winners, Olympians and US ski team athletes. That culture of elite performance was ingrained in the DNA of my community, making the path toward the Olympics feel like a natural evolution. I gravitated toward downhill and super-G because I’ve always loved speed. From the first speed race I competed in as a kid, I was hooked. The adrenaline rush of pushing my limits, the freedom of choosing my own line down a wide-open downhill course – it felt like the closest thing to free skiing in the world of ski racing.

I competed on the US Ski Team for 18 seasons, racing in hundreds of World Cup races, World Championship events, and two Olympics. Winning races at the highest level was surreal. Of course the thing about skiing competitively is that it’s filled with ups and downs: at Sochi in 2014, I was left heartbroken after coming so close to an Olympic medal in the downhill.  But the very next year, I had a career highlight at the 2015 World Championships in Colorado’s Beaver Creek. I won the silver medal in front of my family and friends, and in my home country.

In 2023, I announced my ski racing retirement after 18 years and competed in my last race in Austria’s Kitzbühel resort. It’s one of the most iconic downhill races in the world – down the Streif. Finishing on the podium was an extraordinary feeling. I’d accomplished everything I ever dreamed of as a professional ski racer. It was a perfect way to make peace with my career and walk away completely satisfied.

These days, I’m neck-deep in my second ski career – focusing on backcountry skiing, big-mountain adventures, and travelling the world. The ironic thing about being a professional racer is that you have to rest for the big competitions, limiting the number of runs you ski and time you spend on the mountain in any given winter. Now I finally get to ski as much as I want. From Alaska and Chile to the Dolomites and Japan, these past two winters have been an incredible journey, allowing me to reconnect with skiing outside of racing. I’ve fallen even more in love with the simple act of sliding on snow.

I’ve skied at almost every major resort in the world, and the Dolomites stands out as one of my favourite places. The scenery is unlike anything else – towering, craggy peaks, endless long ski runs connecting picturesque alpine villages, and fantastic food. Add in incredible hotels like COMO Alpina Dolomites, and it makes for a completely unique ski experience. The runs around COMO Alpina Dolomites are a dream for anyone who loves carving turns on perfectly groomed slopes. The runs here are usually much quieter than the busier parts of the Sella Ronda, offering a peaceful, pristine skiing experience. I tend to start my day with a big ski safari, cruising over lots of ground, but in the afternoon, I’ll take laps on the lift right next to the hotel as the sun sets over the mountains.

While I don’t consider myself a ski instructor, I love guiding people on adventures that push them outside their comfort zones. My goal at COMO Alpina Dolomites is to share this incredible region with guests who may not be familiar with the area or might feel intimidated by the sheer size of Dolomiti Superski. Seeing someone’s face light up when they feel that sensation of floating on snow for the first time is an incredible feeling. I’m not one for standing around and explaining technique all day – I think one of the biggest mistakes skiers make is focusing so much on the technical side that they forget to stop and take in the view. There’s so much beauty to enjoy around you and ultimately, I think the best way to learn is by skiing with people who are better than you rather than focusing too hard on the minutiae. That’s how I learned as a kid; following around the fastest and best skiers on the mountain.

Keeping up comes with a price – you have to wind down properly at the end of each day to avoid screaming muscles. I swear by a combination of stretching, yoga and hot-cold therapy to push out lactic acid and prepare my body for the next day. My ideal post-ski routine is 15 minutes in the sauna or steam room, followed by a cold plunge (or a quick roll in the snow!) then another fifteen minutes of relaxation.

Above all, I try to approach every day on the slopes with a simple mantra: have fun. Skiing is the closest humans can get to flying, and I love the freedom of carving my own line and painting tracks down the mountain. But what makes me truly happy is sharing the mountain with others. Skiing is a generational sport that brings together kids, grandparents and friends, all riding the same chairlift and experiencing the magic of the mountains together.

Travis and Marie-Michèle Ganong will be leading a ski retreat at COMO Alpina Dolomites from 23rd to 28th March. For more information or to book, please contact our concierge team.