Sometimes, the only way to get through the summer heat is to think ahead to winter: browsing the off-season ski sales, planning trips, watching videos from your favorite influencer’s ski trip to New Zealand or Chile.    

The vibe at Ski Utah is no different, said Director of Communications Alison Palmintere.

“Contrary to popular belief, we do quite a lot of work in the summer preparing for the winter,” she said. “When it’s hot outside, it’s kind of nice to focus on the winter and be in that mindset.”

A large part of those preparations, Palmintere said, is focused on encouraging Utahns to explore the resorts in their own backyards. Getting the word out on different passes and programs from Ski Utah is the first step. Palmintere said they’re working from all angles, designing billboards, TV ads and social media posts.

They’re continuing the fourth- fifth- and sixth-grade Passport Program and the Yeti and Gold Passes that give access to all of Utah’s resorts.

This will be Ski Utah’s second year partnering with the Youth Sports Alliance on their after-school ski program. The program gets elementary school students outside to ski and snowboard and includes lessons on the mountain and transportation from campus. Through their collaboration, the two organizations are able to offer income-based scholarships for kids to explore recreation areas like Woodward, Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain.

Ski Utah is also focused on getting people on the slopes who might not have the opportunity to otherwise. The Discover Winter program is designed with that goal in mind. 

“Discover Winter is a program aimed at inclusivity and giving demographics who are underrepresented on the slopes a chance to experience skiing,” Palmintere said.

Skiing and snowboarding can be hard sports to get into, especially as an adult. Expenses like lift tickets, gear, transportation and lessons often make it difficult for people who just want to try it out.

By lowering some of the barriers to entry, the Discover Winter program is designed specifically for adults from underrepresented communities who want to learn to ski.

The program offers participants gear rentals, lessons, transportation to resorts and a Yeti pass at the end of the course. Palmintere said many people have returned season after season, with some even going on to become instructors themselves.

“There are lots of programs out there geared towards getting kids out on the slopes,” Palmintere said. “But we realize that if the kid doesn’t have an adult who skis in their life, it makes it a little more difficult for them to continue skiing.”

There have been over 1,100 participants in Discover Winter so far, with the program accepting about 350 applicants each year. 

Palmintere said they’re working on getting their pre-season messaging out to visitors as well as locals. Palmintere said they’re making visits throughout the United States to represent the Utah ski industry directly. 

The Ski Utah team is looking forward to the “super” El Niño forecasted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the likelihood for above-average snowfall this winter. 

Last season’s low snowfall got quite a bit of attention, and Palmintere said it was “unfortunate” to see the viral videos on social media showing dry slopes in Utah resorts. Even though there was less natural snowfall, there were still good ski days, she said. 

“The resorts in Utah take keeping up with technologies and snowmaking … seriously, and they have been doing that for years and years, and they continue to do that,” Palmintere said. 

Beyond promoting the resorts, Palmintere said Ski Utah works hard to share information about responsible tourism with visitors and locals. She said the team wants people to be mindful of everything that goes into a ski day, from parking to ski school to dinner reservations. And for locals who might be more familiar with the ins and outs of planning, she said Ski Utah wants people to remember that the people at the resorts are your neighbors and to keep the community in mind.

Visit the Youth Sports Alliance website for more information on their collaboration with Ski Utah. Information on all other Ski Utah programs can be found on their website, skiutah.com.

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The Park City High School boys lacrosse team honored their seniors Friday evening, April 28, 2017, before the game against Davis High School at Dozier Field. The game was called due to weather at halftime, leaving the Miners with a 6-3 win. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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Park City Mountain resort hosted the 21st annual pond skimming event mid-mountain near the Red Pine Lodge on the Canyons side Saturday and Sunday, April 15th and 16th. The event spanned two days due to a tear in the pond’s tarp, causing the pond to drain. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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Local dog owners and their furry friends took to the Library Field Wednesday afternoon, March 1, 2017.  (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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The White Pine Touring Center offers lessons to those that wish to learn how to cross-country ski at the Park City Golf Course Thursday afternoon, Feb. 23, 2017. The lesson, lasting only an hour, teaches the basics of cross-country skiing. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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The Canyons Village kicked off their spring concert series Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, with a handful of musical acts. Vacationers and locals alike are invited to the free event to listen to the music, enjoy food and drink and to play in the snow. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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Nearly 15″ of snow fell in Park City in 24 hours, leaving local homeowners out in their driveways, shoveling snow. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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Park City Mountain Resort, after postponing opening day from Nov. 18th to Nov. 26th, finally opened their slopes to locals and vacationers Saturday morning, Nov. 26, 2016. The PayDay Express and First Time lifts were up and running, with runs such as Home Run and Turtle Trail open to skiers and snowboarders. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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A brief spot of snow flurried into Park City Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 5, 2016. The ground, too warm for the snow to stick, directed streams of water along the road’s edges and held puddles. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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In case you missed the excitement, this past weekend saw some snow atop the mountains of Park City. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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