Where Olympians Are Made

For Olympic medalist Shannon Dunn-Downing, the road to the podium didn’t begin in a private club or elite training facility. It began on public lands in the mountains of Colorado. Growing up in Steamboat Springs, she learned to snowboard by hiking for turns, exploring the backcountry and spending her days outdoors. Those early experiences didn’t require a membership, they required access, snow and the determination to keep showing up. Across the country, public lands continue to support athletes, families and communities. They are places where people learn, train, connect and dream, often on the same slopes that host World Cup races and Olympic hopefuls. While the Olympic Games last only two weeks every four years, the training happens year-round, in places that remain open to the public. Public lands transform open space into opportunity. They are, quite literally, where Olympians are made. Read More: https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/... (Forest Service Video by Travis Weger)