When snowboarding erupted onto the mountain scene in the 1980s, it wasn’t a welcome revolution. Ski patrols called riders “knuckle-draggers.” Resorts banned them outright. And the gatekeepers of ski culture saw the whole movement as a middle finger to their buttoned-up, goggle-tanned empire.
While the image of the snowboarder has long since gone mainstream—Olympic medals, Burton boards in Target, X Games gold—three resorts in the U.S. still tell snowboarders to fuck off: Alta (UT), Deer Valley (UT), and Mad River Glen (VT). Yeah, it’s still happening in 2025.
How It Started: The Fight for the Right to Shred
By 1985, only 7% of U.S. ski resorts allowed snowboarding. Free the Powder Gloves and SnowboardingDays both detail how riders were seen as dangerous, untrained, and anti-establishment.
The watershed moment? A 1985 segment on CBC where a ski patrolman said, “They sit on the slope and block traffic.” And that’s exactly what they did—with purpose. Snowboarders began poaching banned resorts. Burton even funded it.
In 2007, Burton Snowboards launched the infamous “Sabotage Stupidity” contest, offering $5,000 to riders who poached one of the last holdouts and documented it. Transworld Snowboarding and Snowboarder Magazine ran coverage with photos of snowboarders bombing Alta under threat of tickets or worse.
The Legal Showdown: Alta v. the People
In 2014, a group called Wasatch Equality sued Alta Ski Area, claiming the ban was unconstitutional. The resort leases public land, and the riders argued that meant equal access. The case went all the way to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The verdict? Snowboarders lost.
According to a 2016 ruling, Alta—as a private operator on public land—had the right to set skier-only policies Courthouse News, 2016.
Justice? Not so much. But it set the precedent.
The Last Resorts Still Banning Snowboarding in 2025
1. Alta, Utah
Alta’s website is crystal clear: “Alta is a skier-only mountain.” They’ve doubled down on the ban over the years, pushing the idea that snowboarding “compromises the skiing experience.” This isn’t just some old-timer nostalgia trip—it’s policy, culture, and a badge of elitism. Snowboarders aren’t just banned. They’re erased from the brand.
“Skier culture isn’t just about how you ride,” said an Alta local quoted in a Burton feature. “It’s about who you are.”
Alta Chalets – Can You Snowboard at Alta?
2. Deer Valley, Utah
Opened in 1981, Deer Valley was luxury skiing from day one—and never let boards in. Their official line?
“Guests on alpine, telemark or mono ski equipment with feet placed side by side and facing forward are allowed. Snowboards are not permitted.”
Wikipedia – Deer Valley
This policy persists as of July 2025, and no signs suggest change. Deer Valley isn’t shy about curating the “exclusive skier experience.” It’s not a ban—it’s a velvet rope.
3. Mad River Glen, Vermont
The East Coast rebel’s rebel. MRG allowed snowboarders from 1986–1991—then reversed course after clashes with the boarder community. According to their official 2025 policy:
“A majority of shareholders remain committed to the concept of a skier-only mountain. For that reason, snowboarding is not permitted at Mad River Glen.”
Mad River Glen – Snowboard Policy
They even held a shareholder vote in the 2000s to decide—result: keep the ban. This is as much a cultural stance as it is operational.
So Why Does This Still Matter?
Because banning snowboarding in 2025 is a refusal to evolve. It’s not about safety. It’s about control. As powder becomes more precious, and the culture of the mountain gentrifies, these resorts are preserving an image rooted in exclusivity, not progression.
“It’s always been about class and culture,” said one former Transworld editor in an archived interview. “Skiing was prep-school. Snowboarding was punk.”
Resorts like Jackson Hole, Aspen, and even Vail embraced snowboarding decades ago. But for Alta, Deer Valley, and MRG—exclusion is the brand.
The Final Turn
Snowboarding was once the outlaw winter sport. Now it’s Nike-sponsored and Olympic-certified. But at these three holdouts, the war still simmers. For riders who still poach Alta’s High Rustler under the moonlight, it’s not just about terrain—it’s about principle.
And maybe that’s the last piece of raw rebellion we have left in a sport now driven by Epic Passes and GoPro edits.
🛑 Still banned in 2025:
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❄️ Alta, UT
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❄️ Deer Valley, UT
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❄️ Mad River Glen, VT
✊ Still poaching? Hell yes.