( CNN ) -- While millions of Americans were at home celebrating Thanksgiving Day , Lindsey Vonn was out on the slopes early doing what she loves most . The champion skier raised hopes she will soon be fit to return to action after testing her re-injured knee Thursday at her home piste in Vail , Colorado . `` First day back on snow since my crash and it was awesome ! '' Vonn wrote on her Facebook page . `` I 'm very thankful for many things this year ( family , loved ones , great fans ) but at this moment I 'm happy to be on the mountain doing what I love -- skiing ! ! Happy thanksgiving everyone ! '' Vonn , who revealed that the resort staff opened the lifts early for her , has yet to make a World Cup appearance this season . She decided to skip the opening events in Austria and Finland , while last week 's training crash has ruled her out of this weekend 's three races at Beaver Creek , Colorado . The 29-year-old is recovering from new damage to the knee ligament that required major surgery after an accident on the opening day of the world championships in February . However , U.S. ski team women 's head physician Bill Sterett said Vonn 's first session since her tumble nine days ago went fine and there were `` no issues . '' Next February Vonn is hoping to defend her downhill title at the Winter Olympics in Sochi , Russia , while she is also just four race wins away from a new World Cup record . The next opportunity for Vonn -- who made her relationship with golf star Tiger Woods public in March -- is likely to be at the Canadian resort Lake Louise next weekend .
Lindsey Vonn returns to the ski slopes for the first time since her crash nine days ago . American says her Thanksgiving Day test run at Vail was `` awesome '' She will miss the three World Cup races at Beaver Creek starting Friday . TL;DR The U.S. women's hockey team is in Sochi on a mission of recovery after its devastating loss against Canada last week.