5 Adaptive Winter Sports Programs in the U.S. That Make Skiing and Snowboarding More Accessible
There are over 100 certified adaptive winter sports programs in the U.S. — here are five to check out.
Courtesy of Visit Utah
The feeling of skiing or snowboarding down a mountain has been compared to flying — and on a powder day, to floating. When you find your rhythm and your mind and body are in sync, you enter “the zone,” a meditative state with real physical and mental benefits. It’s a sensation that everyone should have the chance to experience — regardless of their physical ability.
To that end, there are hundreds of winter sports programs that specialize in getting people of all abilities out on the slopes. These programs are often based in or near ski towns and rely on local skiers and snowboarders (many of whom use adaptive snow equipment themselves) to get newbies out on the snow.
“Great programs share the commitment to exposing athletes to high-quality programming with instructors or coaches who are willing to figure out what works best for each athlete. Sometimes this means adapting methods or equipment week to week and sometimes it may mean sending an athlete to a program or club that may provide instruction more aligned to that athlete’s goals,” said Eileen Carey, director of U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing, in an email interview with Travel + Leisure.
To determine the quality of a program, adaptive skiers and snowboarders and their families can look to Move United, a nonprofit that’s been helping people with physical disabilities participate in sports since 1956. According to the Move United website, they partner with over 100 adaptive snow sports programs around the nation — from California to New Hampshire. To make the list, Glenn Merry, the executive director of Move United, told T+L that organizations have to go through “a stringent membership process” and must “have a multi-year history of providing programming.”
You can search for adaptive winter sports programs near your ski destination on the Move United website, or base your entire trip around one of the Move United partner programs we highlighted below.
Related: 20 Best Ski Resorts Around the World
National Sports Center for the Disabled — Denver, Colorado
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The National Sports Center for the Disabled is based in Denver but offers downhill ski and snowboard lessons at the nearby Winter Park Resort. It’s our Colorado program of choice because it’s been operating for over 50 years and started as an adaptive ski program — it was founded by a man who got his start coaching young amputees in 1970. Now, the sports center provides access to everything from rock climbing to sailing, in addition to continuing its excellent adaptive ski and snowboard programming.
Merry notes that the NSCD also has a competitive race program, making it a good place for athletes who compete in skiing and snowboarding.
National Ability Center — Park City, Utah
Courtesy of Visit Utah
Part of what makes the National Ability Center stand out is its location; it’s 10 minutes from Park City Mountain (the largest ski area in the U.S.) and less than 15 minutes from Deer Valley Resort. The NAC takes participants to both mountains, along with instructors who they note on their website “are trained in adaptive techniques for 2-track, 3-track, 4-track, mono-ski, bi-ski, snow slider, ski bike, snowboarding, and guiding skiers and riders with low vision or blindness.” The NAC ski and snowboard program also works with people with intellectual disabilities and people who are deaf or hearing impaired.
Like all of the programs on this list, a day of skiing and snowboarding often leads to a return visit in the summer to try a summer sport. According to Merry, at the NAC, “A lot of people have come out to ski and snowboard and now it’s evolved into summer sports with horseback riding and biking and trekking.”
Related: How to Plan a Ski Trip to Park City
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Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports — Killington, Vermont
Courtesy of Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports
The strength of Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports is in their offerings. In the winter, they provide ski and snowboard lessons seven days a week at Pico Mountain Ski Resort, Sugarbush Resort, and Bolton Valley Resort. And if your dream destination or sport isn’t listed in their offerings, they note, “We can make it happen! Contact us to design your own snow adventure.”
The Vermont program started as a small ski program in 1987 and has since grown to be the largest adaptive snow sports program in the state. The year-round programming includes mountain biking, sailing, paddle sports, and indoor rock climbing, among others.
Achieve Tahoe — Alpine Meadows, California
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It would be a mistake to leave Achieve Tahoe, which was the founding chapter of Move United, off this list. Achieve Tahoe was started in 1967 by Jim Winthers, a World War II veteran of the 10th Mountain Division. The program started because Winthers, who was also the director of the ski school, helped a group of Vietnam veterans learn to ski. Adaptive sports equipment didn’t exist, so the veterans adapted their own gear to get them down the mountain safely.
That can-do attitude continues today. On their website, Achieve Tahoe says, “We can serve just about anyone with any disability through our teaching techniques and specialized equipment,” making their programming particularly inclusive.
Related: Guide to Visiting Lake Tahoe
Adaptive Sports Foundation — Windham, New York
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The Adaptive Sports Foundation in Upstate New York isn't the biggest or fanciest program on this list, but it may be the most accessible. The adaptive sports center is less than three hours by car from New York City and brings gear and instructors down to East Rutherford, New Jersey (45 minutes from the city by bus) in the summer.
“Windham [the Adaptive Sports Foundation] actually comes to the American Dream mall in New Jersey. They teach lessons to kids that have never been on the snow there,” said Merry.
This is perhaps the greatest thing about adaptive winter sports programs: They meet people where they are. “People get their start wherever they can get on the hill and elevate to their own desires,” said Merry. Carey, with the U.S. Paralympics, confirms that “Once athletes are established and have established a goal to qualify for the Paralympic Winter Games, we aim to have them integrated into cross-country or biathlon clubs around the country, training alongside their peers who have their sights set on the Olympic Games.”
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