DEER VALLEY, Utah – Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, is one of few ski resorts in North America that still don’t allow snowboarders on the mountain. That might upset some people, but there’s very little chance that they’d ever change it. But they are not one of few resorts that don’t allow sledding on the mountain. They are one of many resorts that don’t allow sledding. And while you could probably argue for hours as to whether or not there’s a good reason for banning snowboarders, there’s certainly a good reason for banning sledders. Ski patroller Devon explained why the fun activity isn’t allowed on the slopes.
As a kid growing up visiting a ski resort, I did my share of sledding on the slopes. I don’t know if it was allowed or not at the mountain I frequented. There were plenty of other people doing it, and nobody ever told us otherwise. As much as I did enjoy those evenings, I can totally understand why a resort wouldn’t want sledders on the trails after close. The equipment on the mountain at night can be dangerous, not to mention the fact that most sleds aren’t actually designed to shred on groomed ski slopes. If a resort has a designated sledding hill or allows it, enjoy it, but if they don’t, understand it’s for safety purposes and find a nearby sledding hill.