Industry News
The question of whether or not snowboarders should be banned from ski resorts has been around since the 80s. Since the invention of the snowboard, there have always been skiers who would prefer snowboarders not to be allowed at ski resorts. Alta, Deer Valley, and Mad River Glen are the three resorts in the United States that still do not allow snowboarders on their mountains.
SnowBrains asked its readers for their current opinion on whether snowboarding should be banned at ski resorts. There were arguments for and against banning snowboarders, with some proponents of snowboarders’ inclusiveness and others steadfastly opposed to it. Here’s a summary of what SnowBrains’ readers had to say.
There was support from some of SnowBrains’ readers banning snowboarders at ski resorts for three main reasons:
- Safety Concerns: Several skiers argue that snowboarders tend to have blind spots, particularly when turning heelside, making them more dangerous for skiers. Some people also mention snowboarders cause more slope damage, especially in powder or mogul areas, as they tend to scrape away more snow.
- Control and Speed: Some feel snowboarders, especially beginners and intermediate riders, can be more out of control and pose a threat to others.
- Private Business Rights: Many believe that ski resorts are private businesses and should have the right to set their own rules, including banning snowboarders.
Some readers were against banning snowboarders at ski resorts for three main reasons as well:
- Equality and Discrimination: Opponents argue that banning snowboarders, especially on public land, is discriminatory and unfair. Our readers state snowboarding helped revitalize the ski industry in the 90s, bringing in new participants and revenue.
- Overgeneralization: Some readers point out that not all snowboarders are reckless and that skiers can be just as dangerous. There was also frustration over the negative stereotypes applied to snowboarders.
- Personal Preference: A few responses reflect personal enjoyment in skiing at resorts that allow snowboarders and the view that both sports can coexist without issue if people are considerate of others.
Readers proposed solutions to the current snowboarding ban at these three resorts. One idea was to provide designated areas for skiers and snowboarders. They suggest setting aside separate areas for skiers and snowboarders, such as creating snowboarding-only resorts or terrain parks. Another idea was to improve overall etiquette and enforcement at ski resorts. Others feel that the issue isn’t with the sport but with skier and rider behavior and that more emphasis should be placed on following safety rules and being respectful on the slopes.
Many comments said banning snowboarders is discriminatory, especially concerning public land. They argue it goes against equality and inclusivity. This group emphasizes that skiers and snowboarders should be allowed to share the slopes, as the sport is about personal choice.
Notable Comments by SnowBrains’ readers:
- “If it’s public land, it’s illegal and amounts to straight-up discrimination.”
- “Skiing was on its way out before snowboarding revitalized the industry.”
Some people also believed that ski resorts were private businesses and had the right to decide which sports to allow. While they acknowledge that snowboarders are unfairly treated, they argue that resorts have the right to set their own rules.
Notable Comments by SnowBrains’ readers:
- “It’s their business, their rules. Board somewhere else.”
- “If it’s a private resort, they can set the rules, just like any other business.”
A middle-ground perspective suggests the issue is not the sport itself but the behavior of certain individuals. These responses often call for more enforcement of safety rules and considerate behavior from skiers and snowboarders. Their key argument was that both can coexist if everyone follows the rules and respects each other’s space.
Notable Comments by SnowBrains’ readers:
- “It’s not about banning snowboarding; it’s about riders being respectful and riding safely.”
- “The issue isn’t the snowboarders; it’s the reckless behavior from any rider, whether they ski or board.”
Another group of readers argued that snowboarders pose specific safety risks, such as blind spots and slower movement on certain terrains. They also say snowboarders damage the slopes (scraping off snow, creating moguls, etc.), affecting everyone’s experience. They also believe snowboarders are more prone to collisions and can be more challenging to navigate, particularly for beginners.
Notable Comments by SnowBrains’ readers:
- “Snowboarders are often slower and block skiers on the traverse. They ruin the moguls and cause more damage to the snow.”
- “Snowboarders can be more reckless, going faster than their ability to stop.”
The last group is the most supportive of banning snowboarders, emphasizing that ski resorts are private businesses and that banning snowboarders could create a better experience for skiers. They also argue that the issue of snowboarder behavior (reckless riding, obstructing trails, noisy distractions) justifies such a ban. Their key argument is that skiers should have exclusive spaces for better safety and slope maintenance; snowboarders are disruptive; it’s their business, and they can make the rules.
Notable Comments by SnowBrains’ readers:
- “It’s their resort. They’re not required to cater to snowboarders.”
- “Snowboarders are too disruptive. It’s safer and more enjoyable when they aren’t around.”
Ultimately, the core of the disagreement lies in whether safety and enjoyment should take precedence over business practices or personal preferences. Would you lean more towards one side or see it as a case of “to each their own”? This ranking poll demonstrates how opinions vary from focusing on fairness and inclusivity to prioritizing safety and resort-specific rules. Would you align with one of these perspectives, or do you think there’s a better solution?
I live in SLC, Utah. I am very glad Alta and Deer Valley ban snowboarding. I wish Snowbird would ban it also. I hate snowboarders!!!! Lots of bad language, always in the way– making large turns in front of skiers, they are super rude, smoke weed, often you can’t pull down the bar on the chairlift, they snowboards hit your skis on the lift. Park City only resort on EPIC- so lame. Should switch to IKON. Park City only resort in Utah on Epic. We actually stopped going to Canyons (part of Park City Resort now), 10 years ago and will never, ever go back. They allowed condos, and rich people’s mansions all over the mountain. Its hideous. SELL OUTS! Can you imagine if Snowbird/Alta allowed rich people to build housing all over the mountain or Solitude and Brighton. The development on Canyons and below it is DISGUSTING. Deer Valley ski resort is also getting totally over developed. So gross to allow housing all over the mountain. GROSS!!!
As a disabled snowboarder I would love to get together with tgr films and pull the handicapped discrimination…. I can’t ski
No one cares. I hope more resorts will band boarders. It’s called a ski resort for a reason.
Snowboarder and snowboard instructor who have skied and learned to telemark as well. 3 reasons why a skier or snowboarder keeps their eyes up and scanning: people, objects and knowing their direction. This is what I teach. Safety is my priority. We can coexist on the slopes together. It’s no fun getting to ride in the back of ski patrol’s sled.
Been skiing close to 50 years. Got taken out by a 10-yr old boarder one day last year on a slope where there were only about six of us total. Heel-side. He was looking uphill talking to his friend and drifted backwards into me. I was going about 35 mph. Luckily, no major damage. And, to the kid’s credit, he checked on me. We can all co-exist, but we all have to pay attention. My only real complaint is boarders should stay off the moguls. They completely screw up the flow, so you can’t link turns.
We did. It’s called Silverton. Most skiers don’t know that is was founded by a snowboarder. He never banned skiers, even though today I bet more ski than board there.
Let snowboarders have Killington, Mammoth, Brighton, and Breck all to themselves. No skiers. Maybe split Whistler-Blackcomb into one mountain for skiers, one for boarders. Would even one skier find all of that unfair?
I was hit by a snowboarder from behind, never saw or heard him, he was on his heel edge (blind spot) going too fast. After tumbling I tried lifting my leg and my ankle was just flopping around. Down the hill on a sled, down to town 12 hours in the ER, X-rays, CT scans and other exams, comminuted spiral fracture of tibia and fibula. Next day 3 hours of surgery installing a rod down my tibia, plate on the fibula, 13 screws and a helping of cadaver bone, $80,000 for the bill. Two years of recovery, an ankle larger the then the other, limited flexibility and pain. The boarder gave the ski patrol and myself a fake phone number. I’ve been skiing for 50 years never involved in an “accident” or injured before, now it’s difficult to enjoy as I constantly have to listen and avoid where the snowboarders go. I would go to these resorts if I could afford it. Not all snowboarders are inconsiderate but it only takes one.
Snowoarders have a blind spot, heelside. There should be rules on chairlift riding. Right foot forward, sit on far left of chair so board kicks out to the left where no one is sitting. Left foot forward, far right. Maybe, certain runs at a resort ski or board only? I ski and snowboards suck on the lift and suck when their in the middle of the run. They need rules. Breck: over 30 y.o., take a snowboard lesson, 65% chance you sign up for ski lesson next day. Facts hurt.
Don’t like it snowboarders, start your own resort! Simple. It’s called privately owned business rights.
Resort owners/managers can write their own rules as far as who has access. If there were snowboard only resorts, skiers would cry discrimination as well.
Ironically Alta was the first resort in Utah to allow snowboards. Skiers can have Deer Valley- $300 for super groomed blue square runs-pass.
The argument that public lands used by resorts should force them to open their terrain for snowboarding is not valid. Public lands have hundreds of restrictions, some rational some not. Much public land does not allow motorized vehicles on non road sections. Hunting is tightly restricted. You can’t drill for oil in almost all public lands. The people who want to do these things could make the same equality argument. They pay taxes so why can’t they do their thing?
I may like to snowshoe. Why not force the ski resorts to allow snowshoeing? If we are all considerate there would be no problems! Resorts restrict cross country skiing to down hill only. But I want to go uphill. It is actually safer for uphill travelers because they can easily see the downhill traffic and avoid it. I am a snowmobiler. Why not allow recreational snowmobiling in resorts? We can create rules that could make snowmobiling compatible with skiing! Resorts drive snowmobiles on runs routinely so it can be done!
No one is stopping anyone from opening a snowboard only resorts, just a thought! There are scores of ski/snowboard resorts in the country, to have only 3 that are ski only should not be a big deal!
It is a big deal if you live in Utah like I do. We have friends and family from all over the country come visit all ski season. If one in the group visiting snowboards it rules out going to Deer Valley or Alta. Most of our visitors have Ikon passes so this eliminates Park City Mountain Resort which is on Epic pass so we never go to Park City at all with our with our visitors if one is a snowboarder. Bummer. PC is a fun place to take visitors but after skiing somewhere else all day no one wants to
drive up just to see a town. Bummer. It is a cool town. We also don’t to Alta however we all good with Snowbird. So it really is a big deal in Utah. Deer Valley should allow snowboarding and Altererra should buy PCMR from Vail
Snowboarding brought style to winter sports. Without snowboarding you would not have terrain parks. Without snowboarding, you’d still be wearing lame outfits and doing ski ballet, lmaooooo! Snowboarding revolutionized shapes, graphics, and camber profiles. Snowboarding created boardercross. If skiers started boardercross, those damn skinsuits would be allowed. Snowboarding brought streetstyle to a stale industry that seemed more interested in a kook country club culture of exclusivity where crusty old ideas about perfecting your turns and learning kook techniques like the stem-christie languished along side boring competitions. Races where winning by hundredths of a second were considered exciting (much respect to downhill tho’ for real. Franz Klammer style ). Snowboarders created fun, stoke-filled videos back in the day, while ski videos were Warren Miller productions showing reels of people falling down after they get off the lift and slowmo pow shots of ski bros in tight pants slaloming down pow lines. When snowboarders started going to Alaska (early 90s), they would charge steep lines in the Chugach, doing 3 or 4 turns, where skiers would do dozens.
But, whatever, do go on with your powerpoint presentation and bullet points.
ALso, wtf is an”Ambassador of Skiing”?