A memorial scholarship fund has been established to honor legendary Steamboat skier Moose Barrows and provide support, in perpetuity, for local Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club athletes.

Barrows, who died in June, was a former U.S. Ski Team member and World Pro Ski Tour downhill racer. As a member of the U.S. Ski Team Men’s Downhill program, an Olympian and a Colorado Ski Hall of Fame inductee, he was a legendary figure in Steamboat Springs and the ski racing world.

He moved to Steamboat Springs with his family in 1950 and joined the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club at age 5, where he was coached by another local skiing legend — Gordy Wren. 

Barrows earned the moniker “Moose” from his coach at the University of Colorado, Bob Beattie, who helped refine his Alpine skills — eventually leading to his selection to the 1960 U.S. Ski Team. 

Created by the Winter Sports Club and the Barrows family, The Moose Barrows Memorial Scholarship Fund was born from a vision created by Barrows and two friends, Paul Thayer and Hank Kashiwa, who sought to ensure future local, high-potential athletes had the same community support that Barrows experienced as a U.S. Ski Team member.

Barrows never forgot what growing up on the slopes of Howelsen Hill felt like, and he remained mindful of his childhood experience, leading to the creation of a scholarship fund in the 1970s that would support young skiers and the first annual Moose’s Loose Golf Tournament in 1984.

“Since its inception over 40 years ago, the tournament has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support young athletes,” according to a Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club news release. “Many, many SSWSC athletes and families have benefited from Moose’s generosity through the Athletic Achievement Scholarship funded by the Moose’s Loose Golf Tournament.”

As a way to honor Barrows’ legacy and provide a sustainable funding source for the Moose Barrows Athletic Achievement Scholarships, the Moose Barrows Memorial Scholarship fund will be established as a dedicated fund within the SSWSC endowment to support the athletic scholarships in perpetuity.

This year, the Moose’s Loose Golf Tournament raised over $24,000 to support the current Moose Barrows Athletic Achievement Scholarships program and another $11,750 was raised to kick off the new fund, according to the SSWSC.

The estate of Moose Barrows has also pledged $50,000. Donations can be made through the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club website, SSWSC.org, or by contacting Brian Krill, the club’s executive director.