Things to Know
• Sundance Mountain Resort launches the Mountain Veteran Program (Spring 2026) — a free, multi-day retreat designed by veterans for veterans, combining outdoor adventure, adaptive activities, and community healing in the stunning Wasatch Mountains.
• More than recreation; it's the next mission, structured programs that challenge and inspire veterans of all abilities, with family and friends welcome to share the experience.
• Currently free and open to all branches with discounted lodging at The Inn, the resort's new luxe lodge. Applications are open now.
Our nation’s military protects the populace within and beyond our borders and, with the introduction of the sixth branch, even reaches beyond the atmosphere. Their work is selfless and tireless, and the mission doesn’t end on leave or at the end of a tour or career. These patriots continue to serve our communities and families to the best of their abilities.
Facing such challenges, the transition to civilian life is one few outside the military can understand. If compounded by injury or disability, the new challenge, the new mission, requires a commensurate level of support.
No soldier goes it alone…”It takes a village…,” “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” There is no shortage of proverbs and platitudes, but action? Sundance Mountain Resort is, once again, where the action is.
The Mountain Veteran Program at Sundance opened its doors to military veterans in Spring 2026, offering a series of programs designed by veterans for veterans. It offers a multi-day, community-based experience for wounded veterans from any branch and component (active, reserve, National Guard, retired) who would benefit from time in the mountains, meaningful connection and structured outdoor activity.
The outdoors is not only a place of beauty, but a place of healing. Surrounded by Mount Timpanogos in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains, Sundance is the epitome of both. For those unfamiliar with Sundance, it’s more than a ski resort or a film festival’s namesake. With year-round sporting activities and renowned artistic endeavours (including glass blowing, jewelry studios, and filmmaking workshops), it is a magnet for anyone who dreams of summits and streams, birdsongs and winds whistling through the trees. The only limits are those of imagination.
“Sundance is more than a place; it’s a feeling,” described the late founder Robert Redford, “ is and always will be a dream. What you see, smell, taste, and feel here is a dream being carefully nurtured. What we offer in the form of art, culture, spirit, and service is homegrown and available to all."
The Mountain Veteran Program is the natural extension, an invitation, to those who…may not even be sure what they’re seeking, but are willing to explore and enjoy the company and camaraderie of fellow veterans in one of the country’s most beautiful settings.
“Mountains have a special place for mankind,” explained Bill Jensen, principal of Storyteller, the owner of Sundance. “Mountain Veterans Program is a commitment to provide a national community of wounded and injured veterans and their families…a variety of programming rooted in the mountains to build confidence and reinforce purposeful lives.”
“If you place a root deep enough in the ground, what blossoms will inspire others to come.” — Robert Redford
The three and four-day programs provide different experiences. In winter, they offer activities such as alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, art-making, and even night owling. In summer, additional pursuits can include: hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, zip lining, fly fishing, and canoeing.
This, however, is not a vacation club. Each session is designed to challenge veterans, push their perceptions and boundaries, and build confidence within themselves and their compatriots, friends, and families who understand and share their journey.
With adaptive services available, veterans with disabilities are not only welcomed but encouraged to participate. For more information on Utah’s commitment to adaptive sports organizations (including National Ability Center, Wasatch Adaptive Sports and Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports), read more at SkiUtah.com.
Participants are also invited to bring a friend or family member. Support systems are important, and shared experiences are meaningful…even magical. The Mountain Veteran Program understands and incorporates these important people into the healing process… and a spouse, sibling, or pal won’t object to sharing a few days in this beautiful location.
In conjunction with the program launch, Sundance is also celebrating the grand opening of The Inn, a luxury hotel embracing the rustic elegance that has long defined the resort. This 63-room, ADA-accessible lodge is wrapped by porches and framed with mountain views. The Inn is a functional base and an integral part of the Mountain Veteran Program experience. Discounted lodging is available to program participants.
The Mountain Veteran Program is currently free to participants through generous grants and donations from Sundance, the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), and others. Space is limited, but applications are open. For further questions, please contact Mountain Veteran Program Executive Director Christine Russ at christiner@mountainveteranprogram.org.
