The giant slalom was canceled in Aspen in 1986 after racers blocked the second gate of the course in protest of dangerous course conditions. Rain had fallen the night before the GS, and slush on top of ice was deemed a hazard to racers. Andreas Wenzel of Lichtenstein, giant slalom silver medalist in the 1980 Olympics, was one of the organizers who denounced course conditions.

Peter Mueller won the men’s downhill, skiing the course with a cast on a broken wrist. Mueller again broke the course record, having set the two preceding records in 1982 and 1985. Mueller ignored warnings from his doctor that his “season was finished,” and he raced better than ever with cast to finish in the top spot. Second place was claimed by Austrian Peter Wirneberger, and in third place was Austria’s Leonhard Stock, gold medalist in the 1980 Olympics. Doug Lewis was the highest ranking American. He placed ninth.