The largest ski resort in the United States is now one of the nation’s most accessible destinations for adaptive skiing.
Utah’s National Ability Center (NAC) recently opened a 9,400-sq-ft facility at the base of Park City Mountain Resort, equipped with accessible bathrooms, chalet-style windows, and enough adaptive sports equipment to ensure that all individuals – regardless of ability – can enjoy the slopes.
“The building is beautiful,” says chief program and education officer Tracy Meier – a vast improvement from the cramped, double-wide trailer where the NAC began its mission to provide safe, inclusive recreational activities for individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities.
The NAC’s upgrade illustrates how ski resorts are becoming more inclusive. When Austrian amputee Franz Wendel attached crutches to a set of skis in 1942, he was an anomaly. Today, adaptive equipment allows people with various disabilities to find freedom while flying down mountainsides worldwide.
Cory Lee, an accessibility-focused travel blogger with spinal muscular atrophy, tried adaptive skiing for the first time in April 2023 while visiting Oregon – a bucket-list dream that was 20 years in the making.
“It gave me so much joy to get out of my wheelchair and have that kind of adaptive experience,” he says. “As a wheelchair user, it’s not often that I get to do those kinds of adventurous activities.”
However, an increase in adaptive skiing opportunities does not mean every resort caters to every access need. According to Catherine Cosby, who founded Mountains 4 All to connect disabled skiers to accessible European resorts, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” for adaptive skiing.
“My advice to people is to do their homework and think about what they want out of their holiday,” she says. “Seeing someone on social media sit-skiing, for example, does not necessarily mean that the resort would be suitable for them.”
Nevertheless, with plenty of preparation, athletes with autism, visual impairments, physical disabilities, and more can experience the magic of the mountains across the US and Europe. Below are some of the most inclusive destinations worth exploring.
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Most snow enthusiasts hop three hours northwest of Denver for the promise of “Champagne Powder,” a term trademarked by the Steamboat Ski Resort for their ultra-fluffy snow. And that’s not the resort’s only allure.
Steamboat Springs is often at the forefront of accessibility. In 1977, the town became the first location to host the Special Winter Olympics. Then, in 2007, the adaptive snow sports program run by STARS turned this Colorado ski spot into one of the Rocky Mountains’ most disability-friendly destinations. A dedicated team of instructors and volunteers offer half-day or full-day lessons in various adaptive activities like skiing, snowboarding, and snow biking.
“We use a variety of adaptive equipment to help individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities make the impossible seem possible,” says the program’s Executive Director, Susan Petersen. Additionally, STARS provides lodging on the outskirts of town at a fully-accessible 27-bed lodge.
Bend, Oregon
Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) is a year-round recreation organization for disabled individuals that offers alpine ski lessons at Mt Bachelor, Hoodoo Ski Area, and Mt Ashland. When it comes to Pacific Northwest skiing, Mt Bachelor reigns supreme, being Oregon’s highest-altitude ski resort, with slopes soaring over 9,000 ft along the Central Cascades. It’s also a 30-minute drive from Bend, a destination that champions inclusivity.
Cory Lee, who visited Bend last spring, praises the area’s accessible adventures, including wheelchair-friendly hiking trails at Alpenglow Park and Riley Ranch Nature Reserve. His highest praise goes to the ski instructors at OAS, who cater to disabled skiers with adaptive equipment. They provided Lee with detailed information before his experience, easing any pre-ski nerves, and centered his needs on the mountain.
“They fully took my wants into consideration, and I had every bit of say throughout the experience,” he says. OAS serves more than 400 individuals with disabilities annually, including everyone from wheelchair users to those with visual or auditory impairments.
Chamonix, France
Downhill daredevils have been racing to this alpine town since the first Winter Olympics took place in Chamonix in 1924. Thanks to increased inclusion efforts over the past decade, it is also a bucket-list destination for disabled athletes who love skiing.
If you’re seeking exceptional Handiski (adaptive skiing) instructors, Cosby recommends the team at ESF Chamonix, a ski school offering lessons tailored for individuals with physical disabilities and visual impairments. Cosby recently arranged a Chamonix ski trip for a man with quadriplegia who uses a ventilator, highlighting the experienced teachers as her main reason for choosing this destination. “Everybody, including the lift operators, was phenomenal,” she recalls from the experience.
For those more interested in après-ski than slope time, Chamonix has much to offer. In 2013, this French Alps oasis became the country’s first mountain town to earn the Label Tourisme Handicap – an official seal of approval denoting a commitment to creating accessible public spaces.
Gstaad, Switzerland
Switzerland is renowned for its idyllic mountain destinations, with many first-rate towns like Verbier and Zermatt boasting adaptive ski programs. However, when it comes to accessibility, Gstaad stands out – especially for skiers with visual impairments, who can choose from an array of specialized instructors.
Skischule Gstaad, a local ski school, also provides lessons for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities or anyone interested in downhill sit-skiing. For those who prefer a slower pace, Gstaad offers accessible options for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing; there’s even a wheelchair-friendly outdoor ice rink in the center of town, where “gliders” are attached to personal chairs.
Park City, Utah
With 7,300 acres of skiable terrain rolling along the Wasatch Mountains, Park City is a skier’s paradise – only a 30-minute drive from Salt Lake City. Thanks to the NAC’s new McGrath Family Mountain Center at the base of Park City Mountain Resort, joining alpine skiers on world-renowned trails has never been easier.
“We serve all abilities and ages,” says Tracy Meier. “This includes conditions you may have heard of, like Down Syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, amputation, and spinal cord injury. However, we also work with groups classified under rare and undiagnosed categories.”
The NAC offers roughly 4,000 lessons a year – all led by a team of skilled skiers proficient in working with the disability community and adapting their styles to meet unique needs. “It’s one of our favorite things when a family calls and says, ‘We used to ski as a family – do you think we can do it again?’ We love saying yes. It might be a little different; it might take us a bit of time to figure it out, but we do.”
