Standing at the top of a ski hill, skiers and boarders find themselves in places usually hostile to human life. Strapped with fiberglass sticks on their feet, snow drifts gather at the bases of trees. They are out of humanity’s element. For individuals with disabilities, the barriers to entry for snowsports can be even higher. How can one access such rugged terrain when bound to a wheelchair? How can someone with visual impairment navigate hazards like trees and deep snow pockets?
In Utah, an adaptive sports revolution is taking place to give people of all ability types more access to the slopes. As the state looks forward to hosting the Winter Olympics in 2034, burgeoning ski and snowboard programs are breaking down the barriers for those with disabilities, allowing them to enjoy the same exhilaration and connection with nature.
Impact of Hitting the Slopes
The impact of these experiences is often deeply emotional, not only for the skiers but also for their families. Parents and loved ones watch with joy as participants—from disabled children to veterans—glide down the slopes, reclaiming a sense of physical freedom they thought was lost. For many, this is the first time getting out on the mountain, outside of their normal comfort zones, to learn something new and challenging.
Kimberly Kolstad’s journey into adaptive sports began unexpectedly a few years ago, but it has transformed her life. Living with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a rare condition limiting her mobility and requiring the use of a power wheelchair, Kimberly had spent most of her life confined to easily accessed, restricted environments. It wasn’t until she encountered adaptive sports that she felt the possibility of freedom.
“For me, I use a power wheelchair, so my entire life has always been pavement,” Kolstad said. “When [skiing for the first time] I was able to be in an area that was not pavement. It was the most freeing feeling I’ve ever experienced.”
Kolstad always loved adventure and felt limited by her mobility for most of her life. Getting on the ski slopes changed that for her.
“It was the first time I felt like I was free. I flew down that mountain without restrictions, and I did it on my own, and it completely changed my life,” Kolstad said.
Since her first experience on the TetraSki, adaptive sports have become Kolstad’s passion—not only as a participant but also as an advocate. A seasoned social worker, she was soon recruited to work with disabled individuals in Salt Lake City after her initial ski run. Now, she is dedicated to helping others—especially veterans and those with significant disabilities—access the freedom and joy she discovered through adaptive recreation.
Kolstad’s individual triumphs are not isolated incidents but are the result of decades of dedicated efforts in Utah to make adaptive sports accessible to all.
Utah: Always a Home for Adaptive Sports
Even before the 2002 Winter Olympics put Utah on the map, it was a hub for adaptive sports—a term encompassing recreational or competitive sports for people with disabilities. With its snowy mountains, vast deserts, and narrow canyons, Utah has long attracted outdoor enthusiasts. The state’s ski resorts have always been accessible and easy to get to, with ten major ski areas within an hour’s drive from the Salt Lake City metropolitan area.
Founded in 1977 by ski instructor Peter Mandler, Wasatch Adaptive Sports was one of the state’s first winter sports programs for people with disabilities. It offers year-round activities like skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cycling, and paddleboarding.
Don Weber, the Major Gifts Fundraiser at Wasatch Adaptive Sports, says the program started with Mandler and other skiers at Snowbird Resort who simply wanted to make skiing accessible to anyone with the desire to participate.
“Peter was an absolute trailblazer,” said Weber, the Major Gifts Fund Raiser at Wasatch Adaptive Sports. “We exist to empower people to meet their full potential. Whatever that means for them, whatever their goals are, we’re here to help them get there.”
Fast forward to the modern era, and adaptive programs like Wasatch Adaptive Sports Utah have become premier trainers for Olympic-level adaptive athletes and those eager to learn adaptive sports.
The National Ability Center in Park City offers year-round adaptive sports like skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, and kayaking for individuals with various impairments. In Salt Lake City, the University of Utah’s TRAILS program emphasizes independence and wellness, incorporating cutting-edge technology like the TetraSki—an adaptive ski developed by the university that debuted in 2018 with its first race event in 2022. Meanwhile, Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports, based outside of historic Ogden, Utah at Snowbasin Resort, focuses on building lifelong skills through activities such as skiing, mountain biking, and summer sports.
The TetraSki: Revolutionizing Adaptive Skiing
Recent technological innovations such as the TetraSki, used by athletes like Kolstad, are revolutionizing possibilities for those with severe mobility limitations. Developed by the University of Utah’s TRAILS (Technology, Recreation, Access, Independence, Lifestyle, Sports) program in collaboration with Tetradapt, the TetraSki enables individuals with complex disabilities to independently experience skiing.
Unlike traditional adaptive skis that often rely on an instructor’s assistance for control, the TetraSki provides skiers with full autonomy through joystick and “sip-and-puff” breath control systems. These controls, combined with electric actuators, allow users to navigate turns and adjust their speed on their own. The TetraSki accommodates a wide range of physical limitations—from spinal cord injuries to multiple limb amputations.
Dr. Jeff Rosenbluth, the spinal cord injury medical director at the University of Utah, has been instrumental in this innovation. With a background that includes participating in Southern California’s first adaptive sports program in the mid-1980s, Dr. Rosenbluth has witnessed the evolution of adaptive skiing firsthand.
“I’ve gotten to see the technology development,” he says. “But I do remember back then that there were a lot of patients who seemed to make such progress in their lives when they got back to all of these sports, and things they loved. It was better than their rehabilitation.”
With 25 expensive TetraSkis available worldwide—in countries like Switzerland, France, and Canada—the technology is expanding access to adaptive skiing globally. Dr. Rosenbluth and his team are also advocating for the inclusion of TetraSki racing in the Winter Paralympics.
Empowerment Through Independence
“Something special in adaptive sports is happening,” said Alex Davenport, a Marine veteran and director of Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports. Operating at Snowbasin Resort, Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports is not just about getting skiers with disabilities down the mountain. It’s about empowering them to build skills and self-efficacy that translate to the real world.
Unlike programs focusing solely on having a single fun experience on the mountain, Davenport and Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports push individuals to work harder and learn through struggles and trials, fostering true independence. Participants are encouraged to push themselves and eventually ski on their own. Davenport, who fell into this line of work and found it life-defining, emphasizes that their aim is not to create dependency but empowerment.
“Our goal as an organization is to teach ourselves out of a job,” he says. “We want to empower people with disabilities to ski with their families independently.”
Since Davenport took the helm in 2020, Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports has expanded significantly, growing from about 300 adaptive skier days to over 600 each season. This increase reflects the program’s success and strong community support, which also funds the organization’s summer activities like hiking, biking, and paddling. Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Nordic Valley, all located north of Salt Lake City in the Ogden Valley area, support the program by donating lift tickets and equipment and helping the nonprofit keep lesson costs low while maintaining high-quality adaptive services.
Adaptive skiing in Utah provides more than just a recreational experience; it profoundly impacts participants’ confidence, social connections, and self-identity. Studies and personal accounts consistently show that adaptive skiing boosts social engagement, builds resilience, and even improves job prospects.
“I was involved in some research that we did with Northern Arizona University, and we found that when our students find success on the snow, it translates off the snow,” Davenport said. “Some of our students were much more likely to be sociable at school. They were 55 percent more likely to have full-time employment. They participated in adaptive recreation. They got better grades in school. They had better relationships, friendships… And it does go back to that confidence.”
Looking Ahead to the 2034 Winter Olympics
Utah’s vision for adaptive sports is quickly advancing toward global recognition, with an eye on the 2034 Winter Olympics as a platform to showcase the capabilities of adaptive athletes. Davenport believes that hosting the games in Utah provides “a home-field advantage” for American athletes and a unique opportunity to push adaptive sports into the paralympic mainstream.
The effort to include adaptive sports in the Winter Olympics is part of a broader push for increased visibility and inclusion of adaptive athletes worldwide, and Utah is a model for how to make it happen. The state’s efforts have already garnered significant attention, with increased funding, media coverage, and partnerships that support the growth of adaptive sports locally and nationally. This growing recognition has a ripple effect, helping to build more inclusive environments across the country where adaptive sports are accessible to anyone, regardless of physical ability.
What’s truly remarkable is how adaptive skiing programs are opening these rugged ski experiences to everyone, breaking down barriers that once kept many from the slopes. As the United States looks ahead to the 2034 Winter Olympics, Utah isn’t just preparing to host another global event; it’s developing a community where the joy of skiing is accessible to all. Here, the mountains invite everyone to share in the joy. After all, the spirit of the sport lies in its ability to bring people together, regardless of the challenges they face.
For more information on how to get involved or support these programs, visit the websites of Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports and the University of Utah’s TRAILS program.