Conditions

POWDER TO THE PEOPLE

Belonging and Inclusion at A-Basin

We believe Arapahoe Basin succeeds when our guests and employees are welcomed for who they are, differences are respected, and everyone feels a sense of belonging. Inclusion is accomplished through cultivating an internal and external culture of openness, empathy, and a celebration of differences.

snowboarder hiking

ADDRESSING INCLUSION & BELONGING

 

Since our founding in 1946, we have strived to be an accessible and welcoming place. Our tradition is one of inviting anyone and everyone to enjoy A-Basin, while understanding that not everyone who clicks into a pair of skis or straps into a board looks, sounds, or lives the same. 

 

Yet, our history of good intentions has not been enough to show—through concrete actions—that anyone of any race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or other under-represented background belongs here. We know we must continually work to break down barriers to bring more understanding and opportunities to a space that has historically lacked it. We also recognize that inaction and ignorance threaten to make "The Legend" into something we never wanted it to be—frozen in old habits that fail to benefit our full community.

 

As one of the oldest ski areas in the business, we believe A-Basin has a leadership role to play. We are taking steps to be more intentional in how we present skiing and riding, who we partner with, and how we listen, learn, speak, and act. We are committed to a long-term cultural shift, and will keep searching for opportunities to do the right thing. We want skiing and riding to become more representative and more vibrant for all of us.

Silverthorne Elementary Learn to Ski
Silverthorne Elementary
OSO Outdoors
Rossi Women's Day
OSO Outdoors
Pride
PRIDE
Pride

Specific Projects & Partners

Background checks are narrowly tailored for specific positions only where necessary (for example, jobs working with children are still background checked). In addition, rigid minimum education requirements are no longer automatic if they are not necessary.

Staff are required to complete foundational inclusion awareness training, with additional training resources available on a voluntary basis. A-Basin snowsports instructors also participate in additional microaggression and “bystander intervention” training before the ski and snowboard lesson season starts.

We conduct anonymous staff surveys to collect honest feedback about the A-Basin work environment and how it can be improved. Results are shared across the company and staff are encouraged to keep this conversation going. These surveys continue to be done on a recurring basis.

A-Basin has partnered with Silverthorne Elementary and SOS Outreach to bring 5th graders up to the Basin for 3 free ski/snowboard lessons. During the 21-22 season, the program expanded to include 4th graders. The school provides transportation and we provide lift tickets, rental equipment, and lessons for free. As we work to deepen our community ties, we will strive to continue this relationship indefinitely.

We are committed to finding local and national partners to expand access to the outdoors for all. We invite all groups to join us in playing outside, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and veteran status.

We are staying committed to our existing and ongoing philanthropic work, including our support of organizations that know best how to support our local community, such as Family Intercultural and Resource Center, Summit Foundation, and others.

We began a partnership in 2022 with CareerWise Colorado and took on our first apprentice. CareerWise offers students a chance to engage in a paid, multi-year apprenticeship designed by businesses and offered in partnership with schools.

We launched an employee resource group (ERG) for our women and women-identifying staff (open to all) in 2022. We also offer an avenue for employees to propose and seek support for starting other ERGs. Additionally, we created an opportunity for employees to seek A-Basin support, including financial resources and schedule adjustments, to join outdoor recreation groups (like Latino Outdoors, Outdoor Afro, and others). We also created an internal DEI subcommittee that meets regularly and is comprised of representatives from multiple departments and levels of the organization, including ski school, marketing, mountain operations, human resources, and our Chief Operating Officer. The group updates all staff and is developing a schedule of regular feedback meetings open to all current employees.