Skiing Without Limits: Inside the Life-Changing Work of Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports

In Ogden, we are removing barriers for people with disabilities through life-changing outdoor sports and recreation opportunities.

Every skier knows what that first time feels like; trying to navigate an icy world while wrestling with a pile of unfamiliar gear…and that’s just in the parking lot. They remember the awkwardness of those first few lessons on the bunny hill. They may have forgotten the name of their first blue run, but they remember the feeling of it; most skiers chase that feeling of independence and freedom from then on.

Now, imagine experiencing all of those “firsts” with a developmental, psychological or physical disability. How many ski resort parking lots could you navigate in a wheelchair? How many crowded base areas could you navigate while blindfolded? Imagine if figuring out “pizza” and “french fries” also came with the realization that your current prosthetic leg is only capable of “french fries.”

However, as amplified as the early frustrations might be, the exhilaration that eventually comes with proficiency can be life changing for a disabled skier.

Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports provides access to gear, instruction and guides for disabled nordic and alpine skiers every season. While the organization’s 30+ professional instructors and 60+ volunteers operate at Ogden Nordic, Powder Mountain and Nordic Valley, the bulk of their work is done at Snowbasin Resort.

Abundant handicap parking adjacent to heated ramps and Snowbasin’s heated main plaza keep access open even during epic storms. It’s evident that accessibility is baked-in, not bolted-on at Snowbasin. Accessibility is clearly a core value, not minimal compliance.

The mission of OVAS is simple: Remove barriers for people with disabilities through life-changing outdoor sports and recreation opportunities.

We recently spent a morning at Snowbasin, skiing with OVAS Executive Director, Alex Davenport, along with several people he has infected with his passion for this work including members of his staff, board of directors, instructors, guides and clients.

Their blaze orange uniform jackets are hard to miss, and their friendliness is impossible to ignore. Every liftie knows the OVAS team and instantly becomes brighter when they approach. If you happen to share a gondola car or chairlift with Alex, you’re going to know all about OVAS by the time you get to the top…but not in a pushy way. You’ll just be instantly intrigued by his energy and the twinkle he gets in his eye when he talks about the impact of adaptive sports.

Prior to his arrival in Ogden in 2020, OVAS was providing around 300 adaptive skier days per season. Since his arrival that number has grown to over 600…and OVAS has expanded to summer programming including mountain biking, hiking, paddling, climbing and golf.

A day of adaptive skiing with OVAS is priced at $125. This includes lift access, professional instructors, gear, guides, etc. The actual cost of the services is $490. OVAS makes up the difference through a complexity of grant funding, corporate underwriting, in-kind donations, fundraising auctions and events, and the generosity of donors.

After a morning shredding powder with mono-skiers and watching students from the nearby Ogden School for the Deaf & Blind experience their first time on skis, Alex showed us the extensive collection of gear maintained by OVAS and gave us additional insights into the organization’s challenges, staff and operations.

And then there’s the stories…

Heart-wrenching tales of parents’ eyes filling with tears at seeing the joy of a disabled child doing something they never believed possible. Accounts of disabled veterans discovering physical mobility they thought long gone. Lives changed.

Next time your lift stops for 30 seconds, smile knowing that you’re likely sharing it with an OVAS skier, instructor and/or volunteer guide, and someone is likely having a transformative experience.

Better yet, head over to the OVAS website to learn more about this amazing organization and its programming. Get their events on your calendar…and while you’re there, make a donation.

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