Donning decidedly slow-looking aluminum snowshoes, former downhill World Cup ski champion and Olympian Tamara McKinney is still in her element as a Tahoe real estate agent showing a snow-clad 26-acre property to a prospective buyer.

However, at 43, McKinney has far from abandoned her alpine skiing passion and level-headed racer ethos. She shares her expertise each weekend coaching the junior race team — including 8-year-old daughter Francesca — at her home-base resort, Squaw Valley USA.

“It’s fun to share my experience with them and introduce them to what’s possible,” she says over a cup of tea at a popular slope-side coffee joint.

Still, her love for the Tahoe area transcends the groomed ski area runs and four-star restaurants.

“I love to get away from the resort area … get back in the woods where there’s not the anxiety of the cool guy crush,” McKinney adds.

McKinney was the first American woman to win the overall alpine World Cup title in 1983. She went on to capture World Cup titles in both slalom and giant slalom and compete in three Olympic Games. Joining the U.S. Ski Team at the tender age of 14, McKinney is regarded as one of the most consistent and successful female racers in U.S. ski history.

Although she has skied the world over, McKinney’s heart stays true to Tahoe.

“There is really no place on earth quite like it,” McKinney explains. “There’s the excellent terrain, weather, proximity to Reno and San Francisco and all the great summer activities. It’s a combination that’s hard to beat.”

Some have accused the Tahoe area of resting on the laurels that McKinney ticked off. This Tahoe icon notes that some of the ski areas that ring the lake have not been proactive in the services they provide. She says change has come slow to Tahoe, pointing out that Squaw Valley did not see a great deal of development after the initial infrastructure frenzy of the 1960 Olympic Games.

The first notable developments in the stunning Olympic Valley did not arrive until the Resort at Squaw Creek was built in 1990 and later the Village at Squaw Valley which features timeshare condominiums and a host of shops and restaurants in a European village-type atmosphere.

When it comes to the conundrum of how Tahoe could better position itself in national and international markets, McKinney is reticent about offering an antidote.

“My forte is skiing not infrastructure,” McKinney admits. “I do think it takes the right people coming together. We have a number of great ski resorts here, but they all operate separately; each one has a slightly different mission.”

Ever since the enterprising Alex Cushing captured the hearts of Olympic planners with his wing and prayer promise for Squaw Valley, people have questioned if there could be an encore.

“I think the Reno-Tahoe area would be a fantastic Olympic venue,” McKinney says, pointing out that proximity to major airports in Reno and Sacramento make the area very desirable.

However, an Olympic bid takes considerable forethought and planning, she says.

McKinney explains that a potential Olympic venue must prove that it has consistently and successfully hosted a variety of world-class events. For ski events, resorts must follow stringent international standards for course design. Similar standards are implemented in other Olympic sports such as skating and bobsledding.

“When the Olympic committee asks, ‘Why should we come to your country?’” McKinney has a quick response. “It’s best if we can say, ‘Well, we’ve been having these world-class events for the last five or 10 years so we know we can do it.’”

Amidst the windfall of bad boy ski racer Bode Miller’s comments challenging the integrity of the Olympic Games, McKinney still believes in the event’s underlying value.

“I believe the Olympics can still be about the purity of the sport,” McKinney says. “It’s still the very best athletes in the sport trying to pull it together and do their very best for one event. It’s amazing to have thousands of athletes with that in common in one place and that transcends the marketing hype.”

From the business side of life, it’s clear that McKinney’s intimate knowledge of Squaw Valley is a big plus with home buyers and sellers. “Combine this with her friendly demeanor and a huge network of people she knows and Tamara represents a critical part of our team,” says Jeff Hamilton, broker and colleague of McKinney.

For now, McKinney has found her niche at Squaw Valley’s Pinnacle Real Estate, which was founded by brokers Hamilton, an Olympic medalist and World Cup speed skiing champion; and Bill Murphy, a California real estate veteran.