Written by Christ Paul, Marketing Intern, AIT Student
If you love skiing or snowboarding, winter usually means waiting for the first big snowstorm and spending weekends at the mountain. But if you want to turn your time on the snow into something way more rewarding, adaptive ski volunteering is one of the coolest ways to do it.
Adaptive skiing is alpine skiing modified so people with physical, developmental, or cognitive disabilities can ride down the mountain safely. It uses specialized equipment like sit-skis, mono-skies, and outriggers, which are essentially crutches with mini skis attached to the bottom. Instructors and volunteers also use tether lines attached to the back of a sit-ski to help control speed and steering as the athlete glides down the slope.
Adaptive sports go beyond just winter activities. There are actually around 70 different sports that have created awesome adaptive pathways for athletes with disabilities. Everything from wheelchair basketball and adaptive surfing to track, tennis, and archery uses modified equipment and adjusted rules so anyone can play and compete. You can find a full list of adaptive sports and see how big this community really is on the Move United website.
Even though adaptive athletics covers dozens of options, adaptive skiing is easily one of the coolest ways to get involved during the winter. As a high school volunteer, your role can range from guiding sit skiers down mountain trails to helping manage gear at the resort base. One day you might be helping a beginner find their balance on the bunny hill, and the next day you could be tethering an experienced skier down intermediate runs. Beyond sharpening your own skills, it is all about real coaching and making mountain sports accessible for everyone.
In this article, we will break down what adaptive ski volunteering looks like for high school students, the roles you can take on, and top organizations you can join across the country.
On-Slope Ski Guides and Mountain Buddies
If you already know how to ski and feel comfortable on blue trails, you can volunteer directly on the snow as a guide or mountain buddy. On-slope volunteers ride alongside adaptive athletes, clear paths on busy trails, and help manage tether lines attached to sit-skis. You act as an extra pair of eyes and hands so the athlete can focus on enjoying the run.
Here are leading organizations where high school student volunteers can serve directly on the mountain:
- Adaptive Sports Foundation (ASF): Operating out of Windham Mountain in New York, ASF trains volunteers to support adaptive skiers and snowboarders on the mountain all winter long.
- Achieve Tahoe: In Northern California/Nevada, they train volunteers age 16+ to provide specialized adaptive instruction. Volunteers can also support events and maintain equipment.
- National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD): Founded in 1970 at Winter Park Resort in Colorado, NSCD matches volunteers with athletes to help them access outdoor mountain adventures.
- Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation: Provides adaptive alpine skiing and snowboarding lessons across Maine resorts, leveraging volunteers as on-slope guides and buddies.
- New England Healing Sports Association (NEHSA): Based at Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire, NEHSA relies on volunteer instructors and guides to empower adaptive skiers.
- Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sport: Offers year-round sports programs including adaptive winter sports instruction and mountain buddy opportunities across Vermont resorts.
Gear Setup and Lodge Logistics
You do not need to be an expert skier to get involved in adaptive winter sports. A ton of important work happens right at the base area. Volunteers help athletes transfer out of their wheelchairs into sit-skis, adjust safety straps, carry heavy equipment, and assist with loading onto chairlifts safely.
If you prefer working behind the scenes at the base area, consider getting involved with these nationwide and regional programs:
- Wasatch Adaptive Sports: Based in Utah, this group relies on volunteers to manage adaptive gear and support athletes at resorts like Snowbird and Solitude.
- Move United Community Chapters: Move United connects volunteer crews with local adaptive sports chapters across the nation to handle gear setup, staging, and athlete support.
- Access Mammoth: Supports adaptive skiing in Mammoth Lakes, California, with roles assisting athletes in gear fitting, staging, and resort navigation.
- Adaptive Sports at Mount Snow: Engages volunteers at Mount Snow, Vermont, to prepare equipment and assist athletes around the lodge and staging areas.
- Adaptive Sports Center of Crested Butte: Offers high-altitude adaptive winter activities in Colorado, welcoming volunteer support for lodge logistics, equipment maintenance, and transfers.
Event or Race Day Support
If you cannot commit to a full season on the mountain, single-day or weekend event volunteering is a great option. Programs host events as well as occasional winter races, clinics, and competitions that need high school volunteers to set up courses, hand out race bibs, track times, and cheer athletes on at the finish line.
For students looking for single-day or weekend commitments, check out these major event organizers:
- Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF): CAF hosts winter sports clinics and events where volunteers handle athlete registration, equipment transport, and event logistics.
- Special Olympics Winter Games: Local and state Special Olympics chapters run alpine skiing competitions every winter that rely on student volunteers to keep race day running smoothly.
- Adaptive Ski Association of West Michigan: Runs adaptive skiing clinics and race days requiring volunteers for bib distribution, staging, and event execution.
- Adaptive Sports Program New Mexico: Organizes adaptive ski lessons as well as clinics and events throughout New Mexico, leveraging volunteers (age 18+) for course support, registration, and logistics.
Winter’s around the corner, Get started today
Volunteering with an adaptive ski program is easily one of the best ways to spend your winter weekends. You get to spend time outside on the mountain, build real leadership skills, and help make snow sports accessible to everyone. If you are ready to get out on the slopes and earn service hours doing something awesome, find your next opportunity at Samaritan Scout!
