A season that spanned continents, competitions and constant travel has finally slowed, at least briefly, for Paralympic alpine skier Kyle Taulman.

The Steamboat Springs native, now based in Grand County and training at Winter Park, returned home following a packed schedule that took him from back-to-back competitions in the states to Italy for the Paralympic Games before immediately heading to Canada for another competition.

“There’s not a lot of downtime,” Taulman said. “You’re pretty much focused on skiing the entire time.”

Taulman competed in slalom at his second Paralympic Games in Italy, entering the race after what he described as strong training and a confident mental approach. However, his run was cut short by an equipment failure mid-course.

“My equipment broke in the middle of my run, so I wasn’t able to finish,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, but I felt like I did everything I could. I was skiing well; I was in the right headspace.”

Taulman and his coaches had checked all his gear prior to the race, but the unexpected equipment failure left him unable to maintain control on a rigorous course. While the results disappointed him, tough runs are part of the unpredictable nature of Paralympic competition, he said.

“It’s part of the sport,” he said. “You can do everything right, and sometimes things still go wrong.”

Despite the result, Taulman said the Paralympic Games gave him an experience that went further than the athletic events. In representing Team USA, he was given the opportunity to connect with athletes from around the world. Finding community behind the competition was his favorite part of the games, he said.

“The world is very divided right now,” he said. “But at the games, you see people from everywhere coming together. We’re all just people competing and sharing our cultures.”

What comes next?

Following the Paralympics, Taulman had little time to reflect before returning to competition in Canada and fulfilling team commitments in Colorado. A lack of consistent snow conditions has since disrupted typical spring training camps, shifting his focus toward cross-training, including wheelchair tennis.

Looking ahead, Taulman is balancing athletic goals with financial realities common in Paralympic sport. He recently applied for a fellowship with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic organizing committee, which, if selected, would place him in Los Angeles for a year working on planning and accessibility efforts for the 2028 Olympic Games.

If that opportunity comes through, Taulman said he would temporarily step away from competition before returning to skiing with a renewed focus on the next Paralympic cycle.

“I’m not done yet,” he said. “I’ll keep training and keep working, and hopefully next time I’ll have more opportunities.”

Giving back

Taulman has also worked to expand access to adaptive sports. While attending the University of Colorado Boulder, he helped advocate for adaptive equipment and programming, and he continues to coach and mentor young athletes when possible.

His connection to adaptive sports runs deep. His mother Julie Taulman is now the CEO of the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park, where Taulman also trains.

In Grand County, community support has been strong, he said, even if his time at home has been limited.

“A lot of people reached out and said they watched,” he said. “It’s special to have that kind of support.”

For now, Taulman plans to remain based in Winter Park between training blocks and travel, continuing to build toward what he said he hopes will be another shot on the world stage.