Utah Introduces Legislation to Ban Snowboarding, Putting Mountain Resort Operations in Peril

Utah’s General Assembly advanced legislation to ban snowboarding in the state this week, creating one of the most drastic regulations on the snowsports industry.

Photo by Danny Burke on Unsplash

NOTE: The below article was published as satire on April 1, 2023.

Following a series of significant snowboarding accidents in the state this winter, Utah’s General Assembly has introduced legislation to completely ban the sport in the state. The legislation, known as H.R. 116, will completely prohibit the sport of snowboarding on any Utah ski resort or public land starting on November 1, 2023. Violators may face fines of up to $700 for snowboarding in the state, with repeat offenders facing the highest penalties. The move is intended to address what state officials describe as a safety crisis among Utah residents and tourists, especially teens and young adults.

This bill was co-sponsored by Utah Assembly Rep. Quinn Joey and State Senator Eric Steinsen. Rep. Joey, who previously served as a VP for Alta Ski Area before running for the Utah House of Representatives, stated, “Permitting snowboarding in our state has been an egregiously wrong move from the start. This bill will prevent catastrophic injuries and preserve the lives of many Utahns, especially younger folks who may not have the life experience to judge the risks of engaging in such a dangerous activity.”

When pressed on the constitutionality of the move, we received a response from Senator Steinsen. “Will there be legal challenges? Absolutely,” said the senator, who previously served as COO for Deer Valley. “But we’ve understood that from the beginning.”

As of today, 19 out of the 21 ski resorts in Utah allow snowboarding. Only two, Alta and Deer Valley, do not. This move comes just days after the Utah Legislature made headlines by passing a bill to significantly restrict social media use among minors.

Our Take

While a handful of ski resorts in the state already prohibit the sport, we believe that should this bill pass, it will be catastrophic to Utah’s snowsports industry. 

Even worse, snowboarders will no longer have access to an entire range of world-class mountains across the state. The top-of-the-line snow of the Cottonwoods—no longer an option. The ginormous footprints of Park City and Powder Mountain—out of the question for one-stick shredders.

We predict the most cataclysmic impacts to occur at mountains that heavily attract visitors based on freestyle terrain. Park City boasts a world-class terrain park, and professional snowboarders from around the world often choose to settle down and practice there; with snowboarding no longer allowed, it’s fully unclear how much attrition Park City will be forced to bear. We expect similar impacts to other mountains with strong terrain park setups, such as Brighton and Woodward Park City.

In fact, the only two mountains that stand to benefit from this move are Alta and Deer Valley, which already ban snowboarding. These resorts have been getting more crowded each winter with skiers who have been looking to avoid boarders at other nearby resorts, and with a ban on snowboarding becoming a reality across the entire state next winter, these two mountains will no longer have to worry about those specifically trying to visit for a skiers-only experience.

For more information on Utah’s ski (soon to be only ski) resorts, check out our Utah rankings.

Additionally, please be mindful of the date while reading this article. APRIL FOOLS!