In 1975, the Utah Ski Association was founded with just one employee and one simple mission to tell the world about Utah’s incredible snow. Fifty years later, much has changed, but the ten staff members’ passion for our incomparable winters remains steady.
Early advertising materials for skiing in Utah
Since 1975 the Ski Utah organization has supported and spread the word about Utah’s ski and snowboarding possibilities while serving as the voice of winter sport in the state of Utah and beyond. With four areas of focus, Ski Utah’s employees dedicate their work to marketing and promoting Utah’s 15 public ski areas, cultivating membership and networking opportunities, spearheading and supporting community programming and fostering relationships with Utah’s government.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
The Utah Ski Association (Ski Utah) was created in 1975 with just one full-time employee and a mission to support Utah’s blossoming ski industry. The first Official Utah Snow Report debuted that year and to this day, it serves as a wildly useful resource for avid skiers and snowboarders worldwide. The coveted Ski Utah Gold Pass–a fully transferable season pass valid at all Utah ski resorts–debuted in 1977.
The following year, in 1978, Ski Utah was designated as the marketing force behind the Utah Ski Association. Back then, Utah was a bit of a backwater as far as destination skiing was concerned. A real need existed to consolidate information, create resources, and educate the skiing public about Utah’s undiscovered slopes.
Still in existence today and updated daily, the Offical Utah Snow Report, it brings together snow totals and conditions from all 15 resorts, creating a single statewide source of truth that skiers, riders, media, and industry partners rely on. Beyond its practical use, the Snow Report is a symbol of collaboration and the heartbeat of Utah’s winter identity. It is proof that the state’s legendary snow is not just a tagline, it is a reality shared by every resort and every skier who calls Utah home.
An original 1979 logo for the Utah Ski Association and Ski Utah
BEYOND UTAH
In the early 1980s, the newly minted Ski Utah organization began to focus efforts on attracting out-of-state visitors to Utah. The uphill battle to lure skiers was notorious due to Utah’s lack of diversity in dining and entertainment options when compared to destination mountain towns like Sun Valley, Aspen or Vail. Back then, bars and establishments serving liquor were considered “Private Clubs,” which hampered the enthusiasm of travelers looking for a fun and approachable après scene.
Marketing materials intended to attract out-of-state skiers produced by Ski Utah 1984-86
Raelene Davis was hired as Ski Utah’s first Marketing Director in 1985 (and 40 years later, she still serves the organization today as Vice President). It would be a big year for skiing in Utah with the creation of a national media campaign to attract journalists and a successful bid to trademark the phrase The Greatest Snow on Earth®. Park City Mountain helped to put eyes on Utah that season by hosting Utah’s first-ever World Cup Alpine Ski Race.
WE’RE ALL INTERCONNECTED
In 1984, a unique plan was hatched to provide an experience on skis that could be found nowhere else but Utah: The Ski Utah Interconnect Tour. Skiers could spend the day with expert guides to traverse backcountry zones in the Wasatch while linking together ski runs at five ski areas in an unforgettable one-day adventure. The Interconnect Tour remains highly popular today, and the itinerary now includes a total of six ski resort stops serviced by eight Interconnect Guides. Curious? See what an Interconnect Tour is all about and why Ski Utah has offered this incredible adventure for over 40 years!
The inaugural Interconnect Tour included 5 ski resort stops, whereas today’s tour includes six: Deer Valley, Park City Mountain, Solitude, Brighton, Alta and Snowbird
FOR THE YOUTH OF UTAH AND BEYOND
Heading into the 1990s, Ski Utah undertook what would become a pivotal multi-decade program to introduce the children of Utah to skiing and snowboarding. The Fourth Grade Learn to Ski/Ride program kicked off in 1989 and exposed over 100,000 youngsters in Utah to the thrill of winter sports.
On the heels of the success of the Learn to Ski/Ride Program, Ski Utah developed the 5th Grade Passport Program in 1998. This provided 5th graders (even those outside Utah) with a free Passport to access each Utah ski resort up to three times at no cost. In 2003, 6th graders were added to the mix, and by 2021, gleeful 4th graders were added to the roster.
The Ski Utah Passport program targets children at the ideal age for introduction to skiing or snowboarding, making them lifelong lovers of winter sport
Today, 4th, 5th and 6th graders from anywhere can sign up for a $69 Ski Utah Passport to ski or snowboard for 45 days–that’s three days at each of Utah’s 15 ski resorts! This program continues to grow in popularity every year as young skiers race to earn the coveted Yeti trophy for visiting all 15 ski areas on their Ski Utah Passport.
SKI UTAH GOES GLOBAL
By the 1990s, Utah had gained momentum in the realms of domestic travel thanks to Ski Utah’s initiatives like Ski The West Fest, which brought 300 travel agents each year to SLC to meet Rocky Mountain ski resort reps and promote travel. By 1992, Ski Utah turned its sights to the worldwide ski and snowboard community by joining the SkiUSA international marketing organization.
Various Ski Utah marketing materials spanning 1989 through 1998.
Utah’s reputation as a world-class travel destination was solidified in 1995 when Salt Lake City won the bid to host the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The launch of the www.skiutah.com website meant that Utah possessed one of the first destination marketing organizations to grace the World Wide Web. That year, Utah surpassed three million skier visits, and its trajectory was cemented when the world turned its eyes to Utah when the state joyously hosted the 2002 Winter Games.
The bid for the 2002 Olympic Games was awarded on June 16, 1995
SPREADING THE LOVE
In 2008, to keep the winter sports industry healthy and robust, Ski Utah partnered with MaryJo Tarallo to spearhead Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month. Over 250 ski resorts were convinced to participate, and between 2008 and 2019, over one million children and adults were introduced to skiing or snowboarding with the help of countless partners and stakeholders. In 2010, Ski Utah’s support of the National Bring a Friend campaign helped spread the word and encouraged folks to bring their friends skiing or snowboarding. One of Ski Utah’s guiding tenets is to provide affordable opportunities and introduce new people to the thrill of the slopes.
Each January is Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month
Another wildly successful Ski Utah program, Discover Winter, has brought hundreds of ethnically diverse adults across Utah to the slopes with a series of four free ski or snowboard lessons since 2022. Transportation, outerwear, gear rentals and lessons are entirely covered by Ski Utah and partner resorts in a passionate push to diversify the ranks of people who call themselves a skier or snowboarder. Applications are available in late summer, and the number of participants has been on the rise annually since 2022.
THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP
As Ski Utah evolved, it has become far more than a marketing organization. Today, Ski Utah proudly serves as the statewide trade association for Utah’s winter sports industry, connecting resorts, lodging partners, retailers and outdoor brands across the state. This collaborative foundation is what sets Ski Utah apart from traditional tourism bureaus.
Through this network, the organization provides year-round education, networking, and growth opportunities that strengthen Utah’s winter economy. It is from this business community that initiatives like the Lift Maintenance Training Program at Salt Lake Community College were created, ensuring a skilled workforce for the future. The same collaborative spirit has also sparked partnerships such as the Utah Mammoths NHL relationship, amplifying winter sports culture and community connection across the state.
This partnership ecosystem is not only central to Ski Utah’s mission, it is also a key part of its funding model, supported by the membership community rather than public tax dollars. You can learn more about membership in the orginzation here.
RIGHT ABOUT NOW
In looking back over the last 50 years, Ski Utah and the people who keep it running have always fostered an unwavering commitment to sharing skiing and snowboarding in Utah. They’ve launched the Last Chair Podcast with host Tom Kelly, they've amassed over 100,000 Utah winter fans on Instagram, and maintain a robust collection of stories, guides, videos and itineraries to make your next visit to Utah all-time.
Lately, Ski Utah has fired up a partnership with Utah’s first NHL team, the Utah Mammoth, and provided support for a lift maintenance course at Salt Lake Community College. Utah’s legacy of skiing and snowboarding will be further celebrated by the preparations to once again host the Winter Olympic Games in 2034. Ski Utah will be right there, cheering on and advocating for “The Greatest Snow on Earth®; just as they always have for the last half a century.
Ski Utah cannot wait to welcome the world to Utah’s doorstep once again for the 2034 Winter Olympic Games
words by Lexi Dowdall
