Fresh snow and blue skies welcomed a weekend of skiing during the annual Goshute Ski Day event on Saturday, part of the Christian Center of Park City’s Indigenous Youth Outreach Program.
The partnership between the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation and the Christian Center of Park City has been going for over 15 years, said Wes Hedgecock, the center’s indigenous outreach program director.
Hedgecock said that with Park City being such a ski-heavy town, the ski day is one of his favorite programs.
“This is just daily life here and you don’t realize that a lot of Utah, outside of Park City, doesn’t get the opportunity, because there are so many barriers to entry with skiing,” he said.
Cost, equipment and clothing are some of the main barriers kids face when accessing snowsports. But thanks to the collaboration with S.O.S. Outreach, a nonprofit that helps get underserved communities on the slopes, participants in the event were able to enjoy a worry-free experience — fully equipped with everything they needed, including gear and lift access to the mountain.
“Last year, we had 18 kids, and it was wonderful,” said Hedgecock. “This year we had a little bit less of a turnout, but it’s still great. We go for quality over quantity.”
He said one of the biggest challenges is the long journey — about a three-and-a-half hour drive — which, combined with students’ prior commitments and obligations and unexpected events, can impact the turnout.
Upon arrival at the resort, the kids met with SOS Outreach staff and made quick work of getting ready and heading out to the mountain.
Lorenzo, one of the parents there with his four children, said this was their fourth year participating in the event. This time, the kids had the option to choose between skiing and snowboarding and two of them decided to give snowboarding a try.
Each child was paired with an instructor from Park City Mountain. While some began on the bunny hill to learn the basics, others with more experience headed straight to the lift.
“My kids have been looking forward to this all week,” said another parent.
As the morning progressed, so did the kids. Going “french fries” to “pizza,” following their instructors’ advice, they soon gained confidence and speed.
Soon, everyone was off to the lifts to get some laps in before lunch.
“I think the kids are really happy,” said Lorenzo. “It’ll wear them out to get them to bed earlier today, that’s always nice. But helping them to be happy in life is the best part.”
As part of the Christian Center’s outreach program, they offer other events like the ski day including camping, hikes and other useful resources like a mobile food pantry which visits the reservation once a month.
According to their website, they “seek to understand the tribe’s needs and goals and offer support where needed by delivering resources, making community connections, and leveraging our existing programs.”
To learn more about the partnership, visit ccofpc.org/goshute-test.