Freeride & Big Mountain
Daron Rahlves
- Freeride Skiing
- Nationality
- United States
- Hometown
- Walnut Creek, California, USA (now based in Truckee, California)
- Height
- 173 cm
- Born
- 12 June 1973
- Turned pro
- 1994
- Primary discipline
- Freeride Skiing
About Daron Rahlves
American former World Cup alpine ski racer and freestyle skier, born June 12, 1973, in Walnut Creek, California, now based in Truckee. The most decorated American male downhill skier in history, with a 2001 World Championship gold in Super-G, a silver and bronze at 2005 Worlds, and 12 World Cup wins including back-to-back Hahnenkamm victories (2003 downhill, 2004 Super-G). Competed in 3 Olympics as an alpine racer (1998, 2002, 2006) and a 4th in 2010 as a freestyle ski-cross skier. After retiring from racing in 2006, built a long career in ski film and competitive ski cross before becoming a Palisades Tahoe team athlete in November 2021.
Rahlves competed in 3 Olympics as an alpine racer (1998, 2002, 2006) and a 4th in 2010 as a freestyle ski-cross skier (24th at Cypress Mountain) -- a discipline switch the flat claim doesn't fully capture. He's the most decorated American male downhill skier in history: a 2001 World Championship gold in Super-G, a silver and bronze at 2005 Worlds, and 12 World Cup wins including back-to-back Hahnenkamm victories (2003 downhill, 2004 Super-G) -- the first American champion on that course in 44 years. After retiring from racing in 2006, he built a long career in ski film (Warren Miller's 'Impact' in 2005 through TGR's 'Light the Wick' and 'The Dream Factory,' and Sweetgrass's 'Afterglow' in 2014) and competitive ski cross (2008 X Games gold), before becoming a Palisades Tahoe team athlete (announced November 2021). Sponsored by Atomic since his racing days -- per Atomic's own athlete page, he now rides the Maverick 86 C ski, Shift 13 MN binding, and Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA GW boot -- and by Flylow for apparel since 2018, and Red Bull.
Sponsors: Atomic; Flylow; Red Bull
Setup
3 items
Skis
Atomic Maverick 86 C
- Off-piste
86mm waist
86mm-waist freeride/all-mountain ski.
Boots
Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA GW
- Off-piste
- Boot flex
- 130
flex 130, BOA, GripWalk
130-flex BOA touring boot with GripWalk sole.
Bindings
Atomic Shift MNC 13
- Off-piste
Hybrid alpine/touring binding combining alpine-level power transfer and security with pin-binding touring comfort; used by both Durtschi and McNutt.
Setup verified 20 July 2026
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daron_Rahlves
- https://www.atomic.com/en/athletes/daron-rahlves
- https://blog.palisadestahoe.com/press/daron-rahlves-joins-palisades-tahoe-athlete-team/
- https://flylowgear.com/blogs/news/daron-rahlves-joins-flylow-team
- https://www.newschoolers.com/news/read/Daron-Rahlves-ATOMIC-extend-cooperation