Listen Again: Creating Access on the Slopes with Tracy Meier from the National Ability Center

Enjoy this Season Highlight from the Ski Moms Podcast

This week, we’re revisiting one of our most inspiring conversations on the Ski Moms Podcast—our interview with Tracy Meier, Chief Program and Education Officer at the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah.

Tracy shares how the NAC creates life-changing outdoor experiences for individuals of all abilities—including adaptive ski and snowboard programs for kids, veterans, and families. If you’ve ever wondered what inclusion looks like on the mountain, this episode is a must-listen.

🎙️ In this episode, we cover:

• What adaptive skiing really means—and who it’s for
• How NAC trains instructors and equips families for success
• The importance of building confidence and community on snow
• Tips for parents looking to get started with adaptive sports
• Real stories of transformation from the NAC’s programs

Whether you're a parent of a child with different abilities, a skier curious about inclusion, or simply someone who believes everyone deserves access to the mountains—Tracy’s wisdom and warmth will stick with you.

🔗 Resources & Links

• Learn more about the National Ability Center here https://discovernac.org/
• Follow NAC on Instagram @nationalabilitycenter

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Transcript

Speaker A: Welcome back to the Ski Moms Podcast. It's season five and we're hitting the slopes. We're sharing real unfiltered stories of motherhood on the snow. From conquering the bunny hill with toddlers to squeezing in your own powder days, this season celebrates every type of ski mom.

Thanks for joining us. We've got a great season lined up and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Sarah and I are highlighting some of our favorite episodes from the fourth season of the award winning podcast.

And one of the podcasts that really meant a lot to us, but maybe fell at the wrong time of the year. It came out right after the holidays. On January 3,

we interviewed Tracy Meyer from the National Ability center and we were blown away with their messaging as they're celebrating their 40th year.

Sarah, what did. What really resonated when you were speaking with Tracy?

Speaker B: This. You know, it sounds like their headquarters is in Park City. They have this new McGrath Mountain Center. That just sounds phenomenal.

It's not. You know, the programs are not only skiing, but that's mostly what we talked about, given that that's mostly what we talk about here.

They have all sorts of resources for families and individuals looking to get out and try adaptive winter sports programs. And actually, probably about now would be the time to be reaching out to a place like the National Ability center, getting on their schedule because there is a lot of demand for these types of resources.

And she did say that specifically for more higher demand periods, they do book up early.

Speaker A: Yeah. And we really want also to highlight these summer experiences. You can do an equestrian program, there's rafting programs,

there are programs for the entire family, which is one of the messages that we really loved is that sharing a sport with the entire family is one of the reasons we love snow sports, skiing and riding.

And the National Ability center is, is doing that. It's bringing families together. And they also have a ton of scholarship money and, you know, they could always use more. So if there's any billionaires listening, go check out the National Ability Center.

We just think that everybody deserves a chance to ski and ride, no matter what they've been.

And I was also really heartened by all of the military programs that they do. So military and veterans, they offer unique experiences for them and their families. And I think the healing power of snow sports and getting active for somebody who maybe has PTSD or maybe had a traumatic injury,

I think that, you know, getting out in nature is a, a bomb for me. And then, you know, my traumas are only those of a 50 year old woman.

We really hope that more people share it with somebody who maybe hasn't tried snow sports yet because they, they think that there's a hurdle they can't overcome. I think that National Ability center is just showing that everybody what's possible.

Speaker B: Yes, this seems like a very well run organization and the perfect place to start if you're looking to get into adaptive sports.

Speaker A: Make sure you check this out. Support the National Ability center and give this one a listen. The ski moms are so excited to talk to Tracy Meyer today. Tracy is the chief program and Education Officer for the National Ability center and she is also a ski mom and a very accomplished instructor as well.

So welcome Tracy.

Speaker C: Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker A: We want to hear so much about your current work, but we always like to take a peek at what got you here and we love a good origin story. So tell us where you learned to ski and how old you were.

Did you love it right away, all of those things?

Speaker C: Well, probably a little bit of a different story. I'm actually a beach girl at heart and grew up in Virginia where there's not too much skiing. But I had the privilege that my parents would take us occasionally on that winter vacation where, you know, we skied in West Virginia, we went up to Vermont,

occasionally Pennsylvania.

And I loved it just because of the social component and trying something new that we didn't do on a regular basis.

That then led to me looking into an internship to support my degree, which I got at East Carolina in North Carolina and decided to come to Utah.

The greatest snow on earth, right. For 14 weeks was the plan to intern at the National Ability center to complete my kind of schooling to become a recreational therapist.

And it just so happened to be 2002,

so the games were here and,

and I had an equestrian background but had this kind of, you know, interest in skiing. And I just fell in love with the ski and snowboard program. Then at that point I learned I did not really know how to ski.

And so I, I really just dove in and, and embraced this. I have to learn, I have to, you know, acquire this skill so that I can support more people of getting on the snow that 14 years has turned into.

I'm getting ready to start my 23rd year here at the National Ability Center.

And that first weekend I was here I met my now husband who was a competitive ski racer on the US Disabled team. So it came to just, you know, build up my, my love for skiing, wanting to try to keep up with him, which I still really can't, to be honest.

But and then with our three children, that has just become, you know, a weekly non stop sport that we do together.

Speaker B: I went to school in Virginia and one of the things that I think is so interesting is there is a lot more skiing there than we probably most people would think.

And I know where I went to school. The largest club at the University of Virginia is actually the ski club. So who would have guessed, right?

Speaker C: I love it. Well, those beautiful rolling hills up, you know, in Northern Virginia are pretty amazing. Yeah.

Speaker A: So.

Speaker B: So tell us about a little bit more for those of us that are not familiar with the National Ability center, you know, tell us about what it is, how people can get involved.

Speaker C: The National Ability center to me is it's just kind of a magical place, to be honest. It's a place that we really feel like everyone should know about. It's a place for everyone and I think sometimes people don't recognize that.

So we run over 20 different programs and we have been in action supporting people with disabilities and their families since 1985.

So we're about to celebrate our 40th year.

And those programs are everything from summer camp to archery, a high ropes course,

adventure based trips of camping and hiking, river rafting,

mountain biking, of course, skiing and snowboarding. One of our founding programs,

we have an equestrian program. I could keep going, but the purpose is that it's about the intro to recreation to then ultimately what those skills and the self confidence and the empowerment that comes through being in the outdoors,

being together with your friends or family or others who are maybe on a similar journey and what that does to impact your everyday life. We also help to develop Paralympians, which is really cool if that's your goal to, to go and win a medal and compete for your country.

But to me it's, it's so much more. It's a, it's truly about people living their best life.

And you know, one of my favorite answers or questions that I get is that new family that recently had a diagnosis, had a child born with a disability. They were a skiing family.

And they'll call and they'll say, are,

are we going to be able to ski again?

And my answer is always yes. And that is just the,

the best thing to be able to provide hope and encouragement.

I can't promise that it's going to go perfect the first time. Right. I don't know what, you know, for any of us as we taught our kiddos,

you know, that it was always Perfect. Or that individual who was an avid skier that now has acquired a disability.

But I can tell you that we are a family here that will support pretty much we've seen everything and it's our job to adapt and innovate and figure out what works for that individual.

And so the NEC is about empowerment.

It's about breaking down barriers,

recognizing that, you know, one in four Americans has a disability, whether that's visible or invisible.

And everyone deserves the resources and the benefits that come from recreation. And this is the place to make it happen.

Speaker B: So can you walk us through, say we either are in Park City or can get to Park City.

We're a family that wants to ski. What does it look like working with the nac?

Speaker C: Well, one, I'm going to encourage you to plan that trip in advance.

We do book up and have a wait list where we're so grateful. We have a beautiful facility at the base of Park City that we just opened last year.

So for 20 plus years, we were running out of a double wide trailer, which we were so thankful for.

No running water though, no bathrooms, you know, that sort of thing. And a space that for every single day of the winter was completely packed. And so through partnerships, which I believe is how we get things done,

our resort partners and in our NAC family were able to raise the funds and build just under 10,000 square feet, fully accessible, building ski in, ski out.

You see it as soon as you show up. And I think that's important for families and individuals to know is that we're not over in the corner. We are at the heart of the resort.

And I think that is just huge recognition of inclusion and what, why it's important.

So I'm going to tell you to go online or give us a call so that you can request the days that you are interested in and skiing or snowboarding with us.

We run a lesson in the morning and lessons in the afternoon. So depending on what is best for that individual, take a look at that timing, you'll put that request in, you'll fill out some paperwork for us that's really important so we can pair the right instructor and volunteers to support you and or your loved one.

And from there you'll get all the information of what's included in your lesson, which all of the adaptive equipment is included.

At Park City Mountain, your lift ticket is included, as well as a buddy pass for a friend or family member to come with you because that's really important too at our other partner resorts, a little bit different based on what is included or not.

But we can, we can talk you through that.

And then certainly it's a mountain town, so your lodging is going to be something that you want to figure out if you're not a local here.

We're happy to let our families know that we do have a fully accessible lodge on our campus.

And so that may be something that is more, you know, supportive for families.

One from the financial component as well as from the accessibility piece,

we have a free transit system in Park City which can take you from our location or other hotels fully accessible to the mountain as well, which is really nice. As moms, right.

We're thinking of all those logistics and all the things that you need to do and then you'll,

you'll show up on your day of your lesson and you'll be greeted at our front desk. It's a pull up. You can drop off right there at our door and our team will walk you through all the steps.

We have running water and accessible bathrooms and cubbies that you can store everything in and come in and warm up and have hot chocolate and that sort of thing and enjoy.

Your two and a half hour lesson is typically the amount of time that we have. And we have a lot of guests that will come and join us for their full week of their vacation or our locals that will come once a week so we can continue to work on goals and skillset and that sort of thing.

If you're here for a while, you can join our social club. Right. All the things that we love about skiing we have tried to incorporate into our program so that again, people with disabilities have the same opportunities.

Speaker A: So important that it is at the base and that it's visible as kids are going to differently abled lessons that they're seeing the adaptive lessons and the ability center athletes out there enjoying skiing as well.

I was having a conversation with one of the moms on our team has a child with autism and my vocabulary was not correct.

She helped me out with it a little bit and I wanted to be really sensitive to that. I love that you're called the ability center. Is it sometimes hard to find because people aren't sure if their child has autism?

Are they a match for this or if their child has maybe a muscular challenge that's not allowing them to stand up? Do you understand what I'm getting at there?

Speaker C: I do, Nicole. This is a place for everyone. And so no, I don't think people have difficulty in finding us if they, you know, do a search on adaptive sport opportunities.

And I think let's make sure we clarify that. So for us at the National Ability center, we are serving anyone that has a diagnosis, disease,

illness that needs adaptive equipment or adaptive instruction. And so of the, you know, over 5,000 people that we are serving a year,

30% are those that served our country. We were formed from a veteran based component. So that I think is really important.

Mental health, ptsd,

spinal cord injuries, amputations, you know, any, anything that you can think of that requires that adaptation. Another 30% fall within those that have intellectual disabilities.

And so that does include neurodiversity, autism.

And then the rest is anything and everything that you can think of as someone that went to school to serve and support individuals with disabilities.

I have learned about populations that I did not learn about in school, school.

So I think that is, that is the fun part, is the variety of who we see and building a community where,

as you mentioned, people being able to see someone skiing on one leg, someone's sitting down, as long as you're sliding on snow, that's all that we care about. And if we can make that impact with our volunteers and our peer partner program here where we get individuals who are same age out skiing together with and without a disability,

if we can hit that at that young age, we're going to break down the barriers where kids don't care. They have a few questions and then they move on and they're like, that's great.

You know, like we're, we're still hitting jumps on the side and having a good time. And that's really what we want, is building this strong community where kids are invited to birthday parties, adults feel comfortable to share the journey that they're going on.

Siblings that have other siblings with disabilities are connecting,

and we're building this really strong community.

You know, Can I tell you a quick story?

So my husband, as I mentioned, has a disability. He is an above the knee amputee. So he skis on one leg.

And.

And so for my kiddos, they have grown up, right? Daddy has a robot leg, he takes that off to ski.

He's amazingly fast and a great skier.

And as I talk to them about when they come to the National Ability center and see all of our families,

lots of different behaviors, right? Different adaptive equipment. And I said, so you're going to see all of these things if people have disabilities, just like Daddy and my kids say, dad has a disability.

And in their eyes, cool. Dads have robot legs. Like, that's just a thing, you know. And I think that as we can build that and kids ski up to him all the time and ask him questions.

And you can see the parents,

right?

So amazing. The color draining from their face is exactly, exactly. And we stop and say, it's okay. We'd rather ask the question. And then we say, hey, you want to ski with us?

And they see that, and then that kiddo is good to go. And they've seen something really cool and impactful. And then as they see that out in the community,

it's not as big of a deal.

And so I think that that is an important part about inclusion. Whether we're talking about skiing or mountain biking, we're not asking for places where people with disabilities can only recreate.

Over here in this space,

it has to be together.

Speaker B: I love that you're pointing out that, you know, kids, it's okay to ask questions, go up. You know, I mean, we've seen all different in Vermont, all different adaptive equipment and stuff.

And it's great that that you're encouraging kids to be curious, ask questions.

And overall, I think they think it's really cool stuff. So it's fun to learn about.

Speaker C: We're talking a lot about kids, but all ages for us. So, you know, youngest of three and the oldest is 102 that I'm aware of in our programming.

Recreation is lifelong. Right. And the impact is. Is so important. And so I think it's also important for us to recognize individuals, you know, of all ages needing adaptive sports in the support of our program.

So that, again, you have that life change.

We've been serving a group out of the Chicago area that are all individuals who have had cancer or.

Or still going through treatment. And I think recognizing that that can have a big impact on how your body functions, you know, what medications have done. And so when we.

When we share that information, I think it connects people to say, like, oh, this is a place I don't have to be missing a limb, or have that diagnosis of autism.

There are a plethora of things that, you know, we all have in our journeys that challenge us. And to find a place that can support you in that, I think is really important.

Speaker A: So you knew that this was going to be your life when you were in college, you. You found a calling. Was there a specific story or person that drew you in to working with people with different types of physical challenges or mental challenges to get them outdoors?

What was the impetus to. To build your career this way?

Speaker C: You know, I grew up riding horses. Um, I had the privilege of riding hundred jumpers and at a barn that I helped to teach at a. A mom showed up and her son was diagnosed with autism and was also deaf.

And they asked if someone would teach him. And people were pretty hesitant. And I said, well, I'll try,

because I felt like, well, gosh, everyone should get to ride a horse, you know, because of the amazing impact it had had on my life.

And I had the best summer with trial and error,

which is what adapt, you know, adaptations are all about.

And so through that, I realized that that feeling that came from empowerment of showing someone what you thought couldn't be possible into I can.

And that challenge of figuring out all the pieces to put together.

So that started it. And then I started volunteering,

you know, through school, right? You had to have a certain amount of hours with the special ed classes in my school district. And it just kind of moved on from there that I started babysitting a girl in the neighborhood and that had cerebral palsy.

And I just felt really comfortable from the very beginning. And I knew that I wanted to serve others and. And it just. I didn't know about recreational therapy originally. I went to school for physical therapy to start.

And then someone said, well, gosh, you really love sports. You know, have you heard of this? And I remember going to that introduction class for recreational therapy, and I was like, this is it.

This is totally. To be able to be in the outdoors and make these things possible that I think people most of the time think aren't possible. Right? And that's the foundation of how the National Ability center was formed.

You know, of. We're going to take people down the river, we're going to go camping, we're going to go skiing. And I just. Yeah, I don't know. That just spoke to my heart, and it hasn't changed.

Speaker B: And I love that that mom showed up with her son and just, you know, wasn't looking at it like, he's not going to be able to ride a horse. And look at how it change the path of your life is pretty incredible, too.

Speaker C: That's our job as moms, right? We.

To take care of our kids and not put on those limitations. And sometimes those are scary steps,

right? But we all want what is, what is best for our kids and our family. And that means sometimes asking for things that we're not always sure are possible either, but finding the right people to put that together.

And I do get to see that every day here, which is pretty amazing. You know, some of our families are going through a lot of challenges with behaviors and not being included in school or, you know, not being invited back to that camp program.

And we strive to figure out how do we make this successful and what are the steps that we need to do.

I can think of one of. One of my students that I've worked with many years ago. It took me six weeks to just get him to sit in a sit ski.

Six weeks.

And as we progress through the year, by the end of this. Of the season,

we took two laps on that beginner trail, right. And that was a huge accomplishment to the next. The next year we actually were able to get him upstanding, and he's an independent skier on blue terrain with his family now.

And I think, you know, that patience and that support of saying it's okay, it doesn't have to look like it looks for everyone else, and, and being a part of that journey, I think is really important as a mom, right.

That you want to know that people got your back and there's that support there and for that individual that deserves that. Right. There's. There's no exact timeline for every person.

And, and that's. The important piece of our programming is to treat each individual as an individual, meet them where they are and help them get to, you know, those. Those appropriate goals for them.

And that's different for each person.

Speaker A: What do you think it is about skiing specifically and snow sports will include snowboarding in there as well,

that are so important for families to feel included and invited to participating in.

Speaker C: I think one of the pieces is the, the. The feeling of freedom, right. When you're out,

you know, on the snow, or you're riding that chairlift together and you feel the, the breeze in your face and you're standing in the lift line with all of these other people.

That's a typical,

you know, experience that many families get to get to feel. And something that people don't always know is going to be possible.

I.

So I feel like it's being a part of a general community. You all got your helmets on, you're all bundled up, no one knows, you know, all of the details of what's been going on in your life, but you can look over that family and know that it might have taken longer to get ready than you're actually going to be out on the snow.

There's those relatable components that families feel in what you. What everyone wants to have is that vacation or that time where you don't. You're not at home doing all the chores.

So I think it's a sense of freedom.

It's the Sense of inclusion when we're all out there together.

A little bit of an escape. I don't know about. For. For y', all, but, you know, I certainly appreciate a couple of runs as a mom just to kind of reset, but then to be able to step back and see the accomplishments that happen right from learning those ski skills or listening in the beginning,

right. When you're no longer holding onto your kiddo or you're not having to help them get up off the snow or on or off the chairlift, like, you get to have those accomplishments and those celebrations that build independence and confidence.

And so there's just so many pieces that come together of being out, you know,

skiing.

Speaker B: Yeah. And going back to. You're talking about the. The one athlete you were working with that it. It took weeks just to get.

Get them in the sit ski.

If a family is. It's thinking about this.

Are there. Are there steps you recommend? Is there a way to prepare care?

Like, I was almost thinking, you know, say we're on the east coast and we're going to make that trip. I mean, I would hate to make that trip. And then we can't even get in this.

In the sit ski.

I'm sure a lot of this is managing expectations,

but I'm wondering, you know, are there. Are there videos to watch? Are there ways to prepare ahead of time so we can be as successful as possible when we get to you.

Speaker C: Sarah, There's a few things, and I think it depends on the population that we're serving. Right. So,

uh, I'll start off with individuals where there are sensory concerns. So some of the key things that we see. Right. And that families are completely used to. Right. Putting on a helmet and keeping that helmet on can be something that can be really difficult.

Ski boots, let's be real, right? They're not the most comfortable. That feels pretty different,

you know. So if you have the opportunity to work with a local shop or a local program to be able to bring that helmet and boots home and to try them on a little bit and build up to those feeling a little more comfortable.

So we don't have all of this change, right. A change in environment,

a change in elevation, which makes an impact on our bodies. Right. And then all of this equipment. So that would be one thing. If you don't have that option,

I would,

you know, based on whatever you're. However, we are working with our school or at homeschooling of how do we introduce new ideas to this individual?

So picture boards can be really great. Showing photos of what it's going to look like. On our website, you can see what does our building look like.

You can take a look at the different pieces of equipment.

So those would be things of that concern from sensory and starting to talk about it. From a cold weather,

you know, we don't have as much humidity out here, so it's not as bad. But you covering up your face and wearing gloves all the time, those can be things that can hinder or can delay the experience.

We also can do our part of making it really fun and exciting and incorporating in things that that student really loves.

So I've been known to start sliding down the snow. And as we're sliding and they're starting to feel that wind we talked about and all of the, you know, all of the senses,

I then put that helmet on because now they're thinking about something else. Right. So there are some steps that we can do.

Pre communication,

I talked about paperwork. So letting us know these are motivators, These are, these are key concerns. We can start to develop a plan as well. We're part of this team.

We're not expecting that you as that mom have all of the answers, but anything that you can share, don't hold back.

It is really important from the physical side of things. I mentioned the elevation. So I'm going to really encourage any of our families who are traveling in from that hydration standpoint,

from getting here and having a day to acclimate,

don't think a full day of skiing. I, I'm not skiing a full day anymore, you know,

so let's set our, let's set our students up for success of, you know, when we're booking that lesson and giving them time to rest and that sort of thing.

And then from the physical component, being able to answer some key questions for us. So then we can determine if you're in a monoski or you're going to be in a bi ski or a ski bike.

And knowing what your goals are.

Having all of that information in advance will help us to best prepare for individuals.

Speaker A: I can't believe you were doing all of this out of a trailer for so many years. I'm so happy for you that you have this new 10,000 square foot center.

Was there a particular family that was the inspiration for it? Was there somebody who was really the champion of making the McGrath Mountain center come to life?

Speaker C: Yes, Ms. Lori McGrath and her mother.

It's been a conversation for many years of needing to expand that facility to support our families.

And we had been going through A capital campaign.

And we did some expansion out at our 26 acre ranch as well, where we run majority of our other programming.

And Lori was skiing and at Park City, and she saw a mono skier who was part of our team out making amazing turns and independent. And she followed him down to the trailer.

She wanted to ask more questions. She did not know much about adaptive sports or people with disabilities, and she had not been a member of our family yet.

Uh, and so she followed him into the trailer and started asking him questions. And she tells the story of. She watched him. He was a bilateral amputee, so he started to put on his prosthetics and carrying his monoski.

And she saw the trailer just packed. Right. We can have 25 to 30 lessons going out at a time.

Our competition team in there. Each of those lessons have a staff member and a volunteer.

Families are in there. Right. So, I mean, it's. It's just this maze of people trying to get through. And she was like, I got to learn more about this place.

What is it? And she then got in contact and learned more about the program and was our major donor to make this happen.

So we're forever grateful that she recognized the,

the major impact that this program has. And then along with our resort partners who donated the land for 50 years of where our building is and them understanding the, the need where they could have put anything else in this perfectly placed space, but that they were on board to support a much needed program.

So as Michi White would have said, our. She's our co founder and has just been a driving force over all of the years. You know,

um, the, the. The NAC Angels all lined up and made it happen.

Speaker A: I was in Park City this summer and we were hiking around the base. It is very well situated. I know that you were mentioning that before,

but it is.

It's almost like a little showcase, if you will, at the base now. So it really, it is very accessible. I. It's all of the things you said. And it's also in a really fun area.

So I encourage people as they're, you know, exploring. There's the mountain coaster and other things in that base area right there. And Park City's a really fun family mountain. Is it okay for them to come down and explore the center?

I know they might see people skiing because that is kind of the beginner terrain right around there, but it is. Is it okay for people to come in and ask questions?

Speaker C: Of course, of course. Please come in to our McGrath Mountain center and ask questions. Come out just A few miles down the road is where our ranch is located.

We would love for anyone to come and take a tour. Again, this is a place for everyone. So whether you know someone or you personally need our programming and our resources or you're interested in giving back, we do not run our programs without the support of volunteers.

15,000 hours of volunteers just this past year to support our programming in our events.

And then if people have the opportunity, ways to support as well is through donating. We're a nonprofit.

We do collect program fees that only cover 20 to 30% of the actual cost.

But that sometimes is too much for people based on, right. Their. The medical expenses they have or the other things. And so we have a full scholarship program.

And so we need our community members and those that have that availability to also support with donations so that we can keep saying yes and make sure that the inability to pay is not a barrier for people to come here.

Just this. We just wrapped our fiscal year, so that's why I have all these good numbers to share with you. But as we wrap this past year, we were able to support an $6.6 million in scholarships and program subsidies to make sure that we were able to say yes.

And I think that's. That's really important for people to know because there's this barrier, right, from accessibility standpoint, but also this financial barrier to recreation. Skiing is expensive and so thankful to our resort partners who support with those lift tickets like we talked about and for our donors,

we get to, you know, do our job to keep serving. As you mentioned, Nicole, the millions and millions of people who have a disability,

we got a ways to go to serve all of those. But we're really proud of who we're currently serving and looking to expand that impact.

Speaker B: So I know you said there's over 20 programs.

You know, skiing obviously is our. Is our focus, but what are some of the other winter programming options for families looking to get outside?

Speaker C: We also have a family camp that we run over the holidays, which I think is really fun. Right. So think of all the, the stresses that the holidays can bring so you can come here with your family, stay in our accessible lodge.

Our team has planned tubing and snowshoeing and Nordic and alpine skiing and snowboarding,

along with, you know, arts and crafts activities. You then get to visit our indoor climbing wall and climb together as a family and play pickleball.

Our horses and our equestrian program run year round as an option.

We do a bike flip. So we have an amazing fleet of bikes that we utilize in the summer and those turn over into fat Tire. Right.

So we ride the trails that are right around our property.

So there's a lot of options for families to do here. In addition to, you know, that, you know, when you need to have that little rest from, you know, multiple days on the snow, there are still some really fun opportunities for families to do together.

Speaker A: So we've been talking about how you get all of these other families out on snow.

How do you get, how do you make time and carve out time to make your own winter memories with your kids?

Speaker C: Well, you know, we believe in inclusion, right. So I have three kids and so my husband and I will bring them up on a weekend day which have allowed me the opportunity to visit the McGrath Mountain center, check in on the program to see what's going on.

In the past few years, I've actually enrolled them in some ski school lessons with Park City.

So it's been fun to have them included in that way.

And then we will meet up and go out and enjoy,

you know, the amazing trails. As you mentioned, such a family friendly resort.

The one, the main one that I ski out. So it is my favorite, but it has a great opportunity for fun adventure trails, which my kids all have their favorite one that they like to go through that seems to be that we repeat that over and over so they can hit that jump a little faster or see the snow bug that's,

you know, been put on the tree there. And so we, we make it our goal to at least once a week we all go out as a family.

Sometimes that's one run together after ski school or sometimes that's, you know, that half day together and us, you know, building those skills. It's really fun, you know that my third, who just turned six, has to keep up with her brothers.

And so we really, in the past few years have become that independent skills family.

And that has just been so fun to,

to see they're all different. I have a really adventurous one. I have the one that wants to keep up and I have, you know, the cautious one as well. But there's terrain that, that works for everyone.

So everyone feels challenged and to be able to ride up on a six pack lift, right with the five of us and talk and giggle and throw snowballs. And which is our rule.

If anyone falls, you get to throw snowballs at them.

So that, that's our goal. And it. And it. There are many days where I'm like, it would just be easier to stay home today. Right?

But you, you know, once you do it multiple times. You, you realize that the effort is completely worth it to be able to, to enjoy this, you know, beautiful resource that we have here.

And luckily for me,

the NAC family is inclusive, so we, you know, we get to utilize that beautiful space.

And then my kiddos get to see lots of different people skiing as well.

Speaker B: And do you get around to other mountains? You guys explore more of the area?

Speaker C: We do, we do. And actually we've,

we've been making it the past two years again, you know, just kind of getting to that complete independent component.

But we have visited some really smaller mountains in Utah, which has been so fun to go to some of the smaller places that do a really awesome discount in the spring.

So over spring break, right. We've enjoyed going and hiking in St. George or in Moab and then driving over and, and checking out Brian Head or, you know, other resorts.

So we've, we've started that tradition. We've done it for three years now that we've checked out different resorts, and we'll continue that.

Speaker A: Utah is really an embarrassment of riches, both with the parks and the,

the skiing. I can really see how somebody from Virginia would land there for an internship and really rethink their geographical decisions. You have this very important role.

Do you find time to just ski by yourself or is it mostly with kids? Do you get. Ever get to ski with girlfriends? Do you ever get to take those turns and do, like, the exact run that you want to do?

Speaker C: That's a great question.

I do. Maybe not as much as I would hope, but yes. I, every year at least plan, you know, a couple of girl days, whether that's a weekend or it's just a single day to get together and try out different mountains, usually around someone's birthday.

Right. So a reason to celebrate.

And, and we actually just did that last year for my birthday and, and we skied over at Snow Basin, which is where the Paralympics were in 2002 as well as Olympic venue.

And we had the best day and we did the full thing. We skied, we stopped and had a beverage midday and,

you know, and then planned at the end of the day to be out in the parking lot and, you know, have a little opera and,

and that is just really rejuvenating too, to be able to go and sometimes ski with, you know, the person that's going to push you a little bit more as well.

I think is, is a really fun part of that. And so as my kiddos get older and,

and I, you know, work through that schedule, I I plan to schedule more of those for sure.

Speaker A: You're definitely in the soup right now with the ages of your kids. And I, I understand that,

but I do think it's important to lay the groundwork because Sarah and I have a lot of friends who,

who once they hit 50, you know, they're looking around and it's a, it's a lonely place as a ski mom sometimes when you're an empty nester. So good for you for putting in,

putting in the work.

And do you encourage as the families come there and you said sometimes there's a buddy pass,

but are you encouraging? Maybe some of the moms are, you know, sitting on the sidelines and watching their kids taking these lessons. How do we get them, Maybe they've never skied to try it out as well.

Speaker C: I think that's a great question. I think for some of our moms, right, they need that break right there is that respite component that we can support with. And I, and I love that when I can look and say, do you want to go take a walk?

And they go, yes. You know, and they need that right to, to bring their best mom back,

which we all, I think, can relate to those feelings. But we do encourage, you know, if no one is ever kicked out of our program.

But we love it when we say we worked ourselves out of the job, we gave all the skills and the resources, and that family can then go and recreate on their own, come back and touch up those skills if needed.

And so we have partnered with our, the resort for them to come in and help to teach lessons. We also have families that come in together for those family camps I mentioned or our custom groups that are bringing in families.

We have a, a family unit out of Texas, and last year they traveled. It was dad's only,

actually, but we had a mom's trip the year prior and they come out and they all ski together and they do receive those lessons through us. And,

and same thing. I think it's so nice that they're not talking about the medical treatment or the next appointment that they have to go to.

They're just all out on the snow learning something new. And it's so fun for the kids to see their, their parents learn something new and just laugh at each other and be able to kind of embrace the, and celebrate and also embrace and the like falling down and, you know,

and all of those things. So I think that's a really important part to the family unit.

Speaker B: Yeah, we couldn't agree more. That is like the Magic of skiing when everyone's out there and it doesn't matter if you're falling, everyone's having fun. So we always love to end with our last question.

Let's go back to maybe your birthday trip in Snow Basin. You're ending your ski day.

What does Opera ski look like for you?

Speaker C: Can I. Can I be honest? Is that okay?

Speaker B: Absolutely.

Speaker C: I'm in the state of Utah, so.

Speaker A: We'Ve heard a lot of different things. So, yes, please do be honest.

Speaker C: Awesome. Well, you know, and I want to. I want to say one other thing. You talk about skiing on your own.

I have embraced early morning uphills as well. So I. I should have mentioned that.

And I had a friend that introduced me to it, and. And it's really hard work,

but I embrace the once a week,

getting up super early,

coming in and doing the uphill at Park City, which they allow, which is so amazing. So getting that workout in, which automatically. Right. Helps me deal with all the stresses and everything.

See the sunrise, and then come down and have my extra cup of coffee before work starts. And so I really started embracing that two seasons ago. And I think that that is something that could really support a lot of moms, too.

Okay. So what does operate look like for me? Operate looks like being with some good girlfriends that you get to just be yourself and laugh and joke and tell stories of maybe those earlier days before you were a mom.

And it always consists of an adult beverage. And that beverage can be different.

That can be a margarita to a glass of wine to,

you know, a mule for on my end of things.

And it has to have good food. I'm from the south, so you, you know, you have to have that. And I would. I would rather it be a nice sunny day that I get to sit in the parking lot in my camp chair and where it can just be,

you know, your group of friends or your family. We've done that with our. Our kiddos, too, and packed that picnic and. And that's really. It. I'm. I'm pretty. Pretty simple.

It doesn't need to involve much more than that,

but time to just kind of decompress and tell good stories with good food and. And a beverage.

Speaker A: I mean, Utah's coming along. I know they have distilleries there. And, you know, one of the best margaritas I've ever had was at the base of Deer Valley.

Speaker C: So, you know,

you are correct. I mean, our largest fundraising event is a wine event. So.

You are right. We are. We are coming along from the 22 years ago that when I first got.

Speaker A: Here and I think we'd be remiss. I know that the Olympics are coming back. It's not tomorrow,

but it is,

it is coming. And I, as a huge Olympics fan all winter and summer, am so energized by how the Paralympians have been swept into the main Olympic movement. It's no longer just sort of a sideline.

It is a real feature of the Olympics. Are you looking forward to that and getting to showcase your center and maybe some athletes who you've worked with over the years?

Speaker C: Yes. 2034 is something we are really excited about. And while it seems like 10 years this far away, there is already a lot of planning going on. We've had the privilege of having many athletes and previous Games that train with us and,

and my husband is a five time Paralympian. So Paralympics are near and dear to my heart and to me are part of the movement of inclusion. And as we the Summer Games, I'm also a fan of the Olympics as well.

But the Summer Paralympics, the first time that every sport was actually televised, we've never had that before,

you know, just recently. Right. We've had equal pay for medal winners between the two. So we're getting there.

And I do feel like our overall community as they understand the stories and the grit and determination that comes from any athlete, but you add on an athlete with a disability,

I really feel like our entire world will embrace this. And so I look forward to more inclusion, better representation and it being part of, you know, the entire story that happens because those athletes deserve it just like any other athlete.

And I'm very excited for what the National Ability center can do and the support of people with disabilities and the.

Speaker A: 2034 games, I guess the last thing would be where should we go to follow up, find out more information.

Where, where do you want our members to check out the NAC?

Speaker C: Yes, please check out Discover NAC.org that will give you all the basic information of everything that we do.

You'll find our phone number there too and you can call us, speak to our customer service team. You can ask to speak to me. I am happy to chat with anyone here or connect you with other members of our amazing team to ask any question.

I have received a lot of different questions over the years and what we want people to do is to feel comfortable and for us to be able to support them on their journey of getting into adaptive sports or expanding what they're doing in the recreational world.

And we're here. We are operating almost 365 days a year, so pick up the phone and give us a call.

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