The Washington Post recently published an analysis of where Winter Olympic sports are most accessible across the U.S.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Washington Post recently published an analysis of where Winter Olympic sports are most accessible across the U.S., including an interactive tool that shows which events are within an hour's drive of any city and how many Olympians come from each state.
Colorado leads the way with 30 athletes currently participating in the Milano Cortina Olympics.Despite being home to the Rocky Mountains and a top U.S. winter sports destination, Colorado has never hosted the Winter Olympics.The state came close in 1976, but voters rejected using public funds for the Games. In 2019, Denver voters reinforced that stance by passing an initiative requiring a public vote before the city can spend money on any future Olympic bids.Could New England host?Vermont, the nation's second-smallest state by population, has produced 51 U.S. Winter Olympians — the most per capita in the country — with four on the 2026 roster.With roughly 640,000 residents, Vermont averages 79.1 Winter Olympians per 1 million people, compared with Utah's 15 per 1 million.New England states such as New Hampshire and Massachusetts have also produced a high number of Winter Olympians per capita.The northeastern United States has hosted the Winter Olympics, with Lake Placid hosting in 1932 and 1980.While Lake Placid offers 13 of 15 winter sports within an hour's drive, a city like Boston has just seven, according to a Washington Post analysis.New England may also be too small to host, despite producing a high number of Olympic athletes. With athletes, officials, spectators and media on site, cities could be quickly overwhelmed.Utahns in the OlympicsIn Utah, the Washington Post tool identifies 53 U.S. Olympians, including 14 on the 2026 roster. In Salt Lake City, all Winter Olympic sports are accessible within an hour's drive — a level of access few cities can match.That accessibility contrasts with the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games, which the Associated Press has called the most geographically spread-out Olympics in history.Team USA includes approximately 232 athletes, 81 of whom have ties to Utah. Breezy Johnson stands atop the podium in Cortina after winning gold in the women’s downhill. Utah resident Ben Loomis recently finished 17th in the men's Nordic combined at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, leading the U.S. field and finishing 3 minutes, 39 seconds behind the gold medalist."These athletes represent the best of what Utah offers the world of Olympic a
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