Her father, Jack Nagel (1926-2004), was a member of the U.S. alpine team at the 1952 Winter Olympics; he fell in the first run of the slalom and finished 29th in the giant slalom. Born in Port Townsend and raised in Skykomish, Jack was a third-generation logger when skiing was gaining popularity in the 1940s. He later ran the only gas station in Skykomish and was a ski instructor at Stevens Pass until 1962, when the new Crystal Mountain opened near Mount Rainier. His racing school was featured in Sports Illustrated in 1963, with older daughter Cathy, 14, on the cover.