Charlie Mickel

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Men's Freestyle Moguls
• Mickel's older sister, Trudy, was a junior world champion in moguls and also competed on the U.S. Ski Team, inspiring Charlie to pursue the sport
• Grew up training and competing with his three siblings, making moguls skiing a family affair
• Enjoys whitewater kayaking and tennis when not skiing

Biographical Information

Charlie Mickel's path to Olympic moguls skiing was paved by family tradition and relentless determination. Growing up in Durango, Colorado, the youngest of four siblings discovered his passion for moguls at Chapman Hill and Purgatory Resort, where his father Alex began coaching him at age 5. Mickel's parents, Alex and Molly, who own Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours, fostered an environment where all their children could fall in love with winter sports and ultimately pursue competitive skiing. Charlie's older sister Trudy made waves in the sport first, winning a junior world championship in moguls in 2017 and joining the U.S. Ski Team at age 16.

Following in Trudy's footsteps, Mickel progressed through teams in Telluride and Steamboat Springs before joining the prestigious Wasatch Freestyle program in Park City at age 15. In 2022, at just 17 years old, he captured his first senior national championship at Deer Valley, defeating two U.S. Ski Team members with a flawless run that included cork-7 aerials on both jumps and a time tied for fastest of the day. That performance, where he executed perfectly under pressure in the finals after advancing from sixth place in qualifications, earned him a spot on the U.S. Ski Team.

Mickel spent his initial years on the team gaining experience on the NorAm circuit, where he won the 2023-24 overall championship and claimed a second U.S. national title in dual moguls. His progression accelerated dramatically during the 2024-25 season when he moved to full-time world cup competition. In what would become a breakthrough campaign, Mickel earned nine top-10 finishes and jumped from 34th to ninth in the world rankings. The season's highlight came at the Olympic test event in Livigno, Italy, where Mickel captured his first world cup podium with a third-place finish. During that competition, he advanced through the round of 16 in second place, trailing only moguls legend Mikael Kingsbury of Canada and ahead of Japan's Ikuma Horishima.

Mickel's rapid rise continued at the 2025 FIS Freestyle World Championships in Switzerland, where he placed seventh in dual moguls in his world championships debut. The University of Utah student credits the strong community of mogulists in Park City, particularly the friendly competition with fellow Parkites on the team, as a driving force behind his improvement. He's also become a mentor to his younger brother Freddie. Mickel's promotion to the A Team for 2025-26 brought full funding for his Olympic campaign, allowing him to focus entirely on training and skill development.

Named to the U.S. roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Mickel achieved a milestone that represented the culmination of his lifelong dedication to the sport. His pre-run ritual includes moments of reflection on the long journey to reach the start gate, a practice that helps him maintain composure under the intense pressure of competition.