Daron Rahlves and his daughter, Miley, are standing at the top of a steep, narrow chute, staring down. "There's only one way to go but down," Daron says. Miley drops in, timidly but with assurance, and cleans the line. "In my family, grit is a big thing," she says. "It's how our dad raised us."

Miley and her twin brother, Drey, have big ski boots to fill. Their dad, of course, is Olympic downhiller Daron Rahlves, a Flylow athlete and one of the winningest ski racers in American history who then went on to have a successful career as a big-mountain skier and ski-movie star. In this first episode of this season's "Peaks and Passages," we get to go behind the scenes with the Rahlves family of Truckee, California, watching as they ski, grow, and learn together. Daron's history speaks for itself: He's still the only American to win Austria's infamous Hahnenkamm Downhill. His kids are talented skiers in their own right, but they still have a lot to learn. Miley works as a ski coach at Palisades Tahoe and Drey competes as a ski racer and freeride athlete.

 

Grit is big in this family. "We have one chance. Go get it," Daron tells his kids. "When you're faced with a challenge, step up. This is what it's all about. To me, the number one thing is how much are you willing to fight for something?"

 

This episode is not just a story about skiing; it's a celebration of family, mentorship, and the enduring spirit of a mountain town community that carries through generations.