Billy Kidd, Olympic skier and Steamboat Springs local, celebrated his 80th birthday on April 13, 2023. He celebrated by skiing down Heavenly Daze, a slope at Steamboat Resort, alongside a couple hundred people.
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Kidd is one of the first American men to win an Olympic skiing medal, a silver in 1964, and a World Championships gold in 1970. He moved to Steamboat Springs from Stowe, Vermont, shortly after winning the World Championships.
Kidd has been the Director of Skiing at Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. since 1970. He said his duties include controlling the snowstorms, of which there were plenty this year.
On his birthday, Kidd stopped a half dozen times on the slopes to share how the best in the world ski. He talked about foot placement, pole plants, swooping turns and more, but ultimately said, if you’re going down the mountain with a smile on your face, “you’re doing it right.”
Kidd charmed the crowd, which shrunk slightly throughout the trip down Heavenly Daze.
He told stories of his days on the U.S. Ski Team, caught up with buddies including Rebel Ryan, who flew in from Vermont to see his old friend.
Despite not getting out enough this year, Kidd’s favorite part of Steamboat is the epic snow.
“It’s like skiing powder right up to your chin, and then going up to heaven and saying, ‘Now I’m going to get to the really good stuff,’ and then you find out you were just in it.
There aren’t many Steamboat people in heaven, because they go up and find it’s better skiing here than it is in heaven.”
Images provided by Steamboat Pilot and Today.
