WAITSBURG-Since the age of one, brothers Isaac and Ethan Mahre traveled in their dad's backpack as he skied the slopes at White Pass. When they were two years old, they were learning to ski with their dad. Isaac, an eighth grader at Waitsburg Preston Hall, started competing with the White Pass Ski Club at age six.  Ethan, a third-grade student at Waitsburg Elementary, started competing at age four. 

The brothers practice every weekend from December through April unless they are at a meet. Most of their ski meets are held at White Pass, Mt. Spokane, Mission Ridge, or Schwitzer. Isaac competes in Slalom (skiing between poles or gates on a short course), Giant Slalom (GS has a longer timed course with fewer gates,) and Super G (Super Giant Slalom with even fewer gates allowing for faster speeds). Isaac likes Slalom the most, although his best score is in GS. Younger brother Ethan skis Slalom and GS and likes GS best.

Isaac and Ethan would like to ski in the Olympics someday, as did their great-uncles Phil and Steve Mahre, twin brothers, who won Olympic races and medals during the 80s. Their Uncle Robert Mahre skied in the 2014 Olympics in Russia.

Their dad Adam is a White Pass Ski Club coach and occasionally travels to Snoqualmie for charity races with other family members. The boys' paternal great-grandfather David managed the White Pass Ski Area and, with his wife Mary Ann, gave the ski area a family feel which is still evident today.

Courtesy photo

Ethan at Schwitzer.

Over the weekend, on February 11 and 12, Isaac had a great time training with the Mt. Spokane ski team while Ethan competed in races. The boys are carrying on the Mahre family's ski tradition, and one day we might be reading about them competing in the Olympics.

A Yakima Herald article from 2016 on the Mahre family's impact on White Pass Ski Area at tinyurl.com/mahrewp.

The 1982 Sports Illustrated article about Phil and Steve at tinyurl.com/Mahrebros.