NORTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -- The ski industry has made strides over the years in offering adaptive skiing and riding opportunities, but individuals with mobility limitations continue to face challenges upon arrival at the mountain, said Marina Gardiner, guest services director for the nonprofit Achieve Tahoe.
Achieve Tahoe's mission is to provide affordable and inclusive recreational activities in the Lake Tahoe Area.
"Resorts in general have a difficult time with access from parking to the snow," Gardiner said at the Mountain Travel Symposium at the Palisades Tahoe resort on April 18.
For instance, she noted that at the Village of Palisades Tahoe base of the Palisades Tahoe ski area, customers have to travel through the village before on a tram, gondola or lift.
As resorts attempt to upgrade facilities, it's key to consider designs that get people from accessible parking to the snow as easily as possible, Gardner said.
She singled out the Alpine Meadows base of Palisades Tahoe for praise. Alpine Meadows used to be a separate resort from Palisades Tahoe, but the mountains have been connected via gondola by owner Alterra Mountain Company.
"Alpine Meadows is the best resort that I've ever been to in that I can park 100 feet from the snow," said Gardiner, who herself has mobility limitations. "It's flat from my car to the snow and I can be on the chairlift in three minutes. Most resorts have more obstacles."
Providing plenty of accessible parking is key, Gardiner said, because it's important that spaces are available whenever needed.
Broadly across the travel industry, Gardiner said it's important for operators of all sorts to make accessibility a core part of newbuild designs. There's no reason why all hotel rooms shouldn't be accessible, she said.
Existing ski lodges, which are often multileveled to conform with the landscape, should be thoughtfully tweaked to make for easier maneuverability for individuals with disabilities.
Gardiner was complimentary of Palisades Tahoe, and the Tahoe region's Northstar ski area, for providing free lift tickets for Achieve Tahoe's participants and volunteers.
But, she said, demand for accessible lessons always exceeds supply. Achieve Tahoe can sell subsidized daylong lessons for $160. That's not just for individuals with mobility limitations but also for people with other types of disabilities. For example, a child with autism might need a private lesson rather than a more affordable group lesson.
Other resorts in the Tahoe areas don't have programs like the ones Achieve Tahoe offers in partnership with Northstar and Palisade Tahoe, Gardiner said.
Speaking to room of ski industry professionals at the Mountain Travel Symposium, she encouraged attendees to explore the pros and cons of developing in-house adaptive ski programs versus partnering with nonprofits similar to Achieve Tahoe.
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Mountain Travel Symposium is run by Travel Weekly parent Northstar Travel Group.