If it weren’t for ski moms, there’d be a lot less people on the mountains. If it weren’t for supportive mothers, many of us would’ve never had the chance to get on the slopes growing up. Obviously moms aren’t on the mountains just to raise the next generations of skiers and snowboarders. They want to get outside and enjoy the slopes too, and it should be as easy as possible for them to do so.
Momtrends Media and Ski Moms Podcast conducted a Ski Moms’ Happiness Survey throughout the entire 2023/24 ski season, asking 1,000 women about the successes and failures of the ski industry. Their goal is to identify major problems that mothers face, hoping to encourage change and inspire growth for family access within the ski industry.
“The Ski Moms’ Happiness Survey underscores what we’ve always believed—skiing is more than a sport; it’s a lifestyle that fosters joy, health, and togetherness. Moms want to spend more time playing outside in the snow, and we need to make it easier for them to raise the next generation of skiers and riders.” Momtrends Media Founder, Nicole Feliciano
The survey asked for participants to rank how much they agree with statements on a 0-10 scale, 0 being entirely disagree, 10 being entirely agree. When asked if the ski industry cares about supporting families and making the sport accessible, 66% of respondents were at a 5 or below. When asked if the members of the industry were doing everything they could to support families, 76.9% of respondents were at a 5 or below.
At the same time, 59% of respondents said that they have struggled to find a clean and quiet place to breastfeed or bottle feed at a ski area, and 87% of respondents said they would ski more often if they had access to on-mountain childcare. You can read about the rest of the survey here.
Altogether it seems like there’s some work that needs to be done to make the sport more accessible to mothers and families. Momtrends’ biggest recommendations to the industry include an increase in clean and quiet breastfeeding/bottle feeding stations, more affordable group lessons for children, and high-quality, convenient childcare on the mountains.
Related: Mt. Bachelor’s Daycare Program Is Now Year-Round For Employees And Guests
Featured Image Credit: Sunday River via Instagram