It’s true, skiing can be an accessible sport: How travelers with disabilities can enjoy

Any skier will tell you that there’s nothing quite like the feeling of whizzing down the mountain. It’s peace and adrenaline all at once. The ski industry is also always looking for ways to bring that feeling to more people, and over the years various nonprofits and resorts have worked together to make the sport an option for athletes across the disability spectrum.

For disabled athletes, getting on the slopes with adaptive equipment can be a great equalizer.

“No matter what your disability is, you can go out there and enjoy it,” one member of the ski team at the National Ability Center told USA TODAY during a visit in December. “We’re all just people doing things differently.”

The National Ability Center is an adaptive outdoor recreation nonprofit based in Park City, Utah. It has a ranch for various activities a few minutes from downtown and a major base near the Mountain Village lodges.

Along with other nonprofits like Challenge Aspen in Colorado and Achieve Tahoe in California, there’s a big apparatus across the industry to make the mountains more accessible to everyone.

Why accessibility in snow sports matters

“Outdoor recreation is one of those things that’s really fun while you’re doing it, but the impacts are more far-reaching,” Willie Ford, NAC’s CEO told USA TODAY. “It’s OK to dream, look what you can do.”

Last winter, Achieve Tahoe completed over 2,500 private, half-day lessons for over 700 participants, and the current season is entirely booked. This highlights the growing demand for people of all abilities to find joy in mountain sports. 

In Snowmass Village, Colorado, another nonprofit is working toward the same goal.

“You can imagine how much people with disabilities are underestimated by others, around the country and the world, no matter where you are, skiing is considered extreme.”  Lindsay Cagley, CEO at Challenge Aspen, told USA TODAY. “If you can ski, that opens up every possibility between sitting on the couch and skiing.”

Cagley said for athletes with disabilities, realizing they can ski is a way of opening the door to their full potential.

“I spent a week forgetting that I have a terminal illness and that is a gift that no one is able to give … but these folks did it! I haven’t smiled, laughed, and enjoyed myself like that since well before my diagnosis,” Mary Grace Porter, a Challenge Aspen Military Opportunities participant, said in an email.

How skiing became accessible

Mountain spokespeople often emphasize that skiing, in general, is a sport that allows the whole family to enjoy the great outdoors together. Adaptive snow equipment means family members with disabilities can take part, too.

Experts and advocates say it’s not just about the gear, though. It’s about having the right facilities and resources available to support the experience from start to finish.

At the NAC in Park City, a ski-in ski-out lodge makes it easier and safer for athletes to transfer to their adaptive equipment rather than having to get lifted in on the snow.

Ford and Cagley said true accessibility requires a holistic approach.

“Imagine if you’re a person who uses a wheelchair for mobility, you’re using a sit ski most likely,” Cagley said. But if you want to grab food on the mountain, you might not have access to your wheelchair, which is likely parked at the base.

“We work with the resort for something as simple as parking wheelchairs at every restaurant on the mountain,” she said.

How snow sports can become more accessible

Both Cagley and Ford said it takes constant effort and adaptation to keep skiing accessible, both physically and financially.

“We are not an organization coming in like a bull in a china shop,” Ford said. “We have to change the narrative that accessibility is a huge financial burden (to resort operators).”

On the physical infrastructure side, advocates say it's important for resorts to consider creating accessible features like lifts and lodges as they renovate and expand.

On the financial side for athletes, skiing remains a challenging sport regardless of ability.

Many adaptive students may find it difficult to join a standard group lesson, which contributes to higher costs. To help offset expenses, every lesson at Achieve Tahoe comes with a lift ticket for the day. The organization also offers scholarships for eligible participants and discounts for veterans.

“At this point in time we’re still really dependent on resort partnerships and on nonprofits like ours,” Cagley said. “The financial barriers of skiing are not going away. The industry itself is an expensive industry,” but advocates are doing all they can to make the sport more accessible to everyone.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Despite high costs, skiing is fun and accessible for disabled athletes