Sharing Winter with Every Body – Adaptive Skiing and Snowboarding in Utah
The sting of snowflakes melting on your cheeks, the euphoria of whizzing down a snowy slope and the delicious end-of-the-day glow that follows a day spent outdoors. If you are a skier or snowboarder, then you are well-acquainted with these and the many other feel-goods unique to sliding on snow. There was a time in the not-so-distant past, however, when those with disabilities were, for myriad reasons, precluded from tapping into the freedom and empowerment offered by this addictive winter sport. “We realized that families with a child with a disability or an adult with a disability had very little access to recreational sports, due both to the availability of quality instruction and cost,” says Peter Mandler. “Accordingly, most considered outdoor recreation, and skiing in particular, out of reach.” And so, in 1977, Mandler launched Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS), Utah’s first adaptive skiing program, at Snowbird. Now, 47 years later, WAS provides almost 5,000 experiences to 1,200 participants per year, 97 percent of whom receive scholarships.
WAS is, of course, far from the only provider of adaptive recreation in Utah. Adaptive ski lessons are offered at 12 of Utah’s 15 mountain resorts. The array of adaptive instruction has expanded as well to include Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and ice skating in the winter, and mountain biking, river rafting, horseback riding and rock climbing in the summer. In the early 2000s, as soldiers from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began returning home, adaptive programming in Utah grew once again to address the debilitating effects of combat too many veterans suffer from. Utah is home to technological advances in the world of adaptive recreation as well. The TestraSki, the world’s only independent alpine ski for athletes with complex physical injury or illness, was designed and developed at the University of Utah. And in 2034, Utah will, for the second time, host the world’s largest international competition for athletes with physical disabilities, the Paralympic Games.
Every year and in every season, millions of residents and visitors alike flock to Utah’s awe-inspiring mountains to tap into the laundry list of benefits offered by recreating in nature. Thanks to the following organizations, these benefits are now available to every body, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities.
Meet Brody: a skier whose journey shows us what resilience, joy, and pure grit look like on the mountain. After a spinal cord injury in 2016, Brody transformed his story from adversity into adventure, becoming an elite freeride monoskier with the help of Wasatch Adaptive Sports and a mentor for newcomers to the sit ski.
Resources
Common Ground Outdoor Adventures (CGOA) began as an AmeriCorp/VISTA project at Utah State University in 1993. Four years later, the organization gained nonprofit status and now offers adaptive recreation and social activities in northern Utah year-round. COGA’s adaptive alpine and Nordic skiing programs are based out of its Adaptive Center at Beaver Mountain.
The National Ability Center (NAC) was founded as the Park City Handicapped Sports Association in 1985 by Peter Badewitz and Meeche White. The NAC now encompasses a 26-acre ranch at Park City’s east side and the new McGrath Mountain Center at the base of Park City Mountain. The NAC offers adaptive alpine skiing lessons at Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and by request at Solitude and Brighton.
Since 2009, Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports (OVAS) has provided life-changing outdoor experiences throughout the Ogden metro area and beyond. OVAS’s winter programming is held at Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, Nordic Valley and Ogden Nordic; summer instruction and adventures are held at Pineview and Causey reservoirs, Weber State University and the trails throughout Davis and Weber counties.
TRAILS Adaptive (Technology, Recreation, Access, Independence, Lifestyle, Sports) is the University of Utah’s global adaptive program. Founded in 2001, TRAILS focuses on the recreation, sports, wellness and education needs of people with complex physical injury or disease through activities that participants can incorporate into a daily, active lifestyle. TRAILS alpine skiing instruction and excursions are held at Alta, Brighton, Powder Mountain and Sundance.
Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS) was established at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort in 1977 to provide affordable recreation and educational opportunities to children, adults and veterans. WAS’s home base remains at Snowbird, where its staff of specialized instructors teach adaptive alpine skiing and snow biking. Summer programming (cycling, paddlesports and yoga) is offered at Snowbird and in the Salt Lake valley. WAS alpine skiing instruction is also available at Alta, Sundance and Solitude.
Getting Here
In 2020, Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) opened a brand-new terminal where accessibility is a priority. For example, restroom facilities are located every 150 feet along both A and B concourses, each of which comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, with space to park a wheelchair alongside the toilet and grab bars. Learn about Salt Lake International Airport's accessibility features–including ground transportation, restaurants, arranging special assistance and service animals. The New SLC is also a member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, a tool that allows those with a non-apparent disability to indicate their need for extra time, a helping hand or other kindnesses as they move through the world.
