If you’re looking for an activity that teaches responsibility, leadership, and essential safety skills, the Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Charlottesville, Virginia, offers an incredible opportunity for young skiers and snowboarders. This unique program, designed for kids who love the slopes and have a passion for helping others, is more than just a winter activity—it’s a transformative experience that builds confidence, teamwork, and lifelong friendships.
What is the Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol?
The Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol, part of the larger Wintergreen Ski Patrol, is a specialized training program for young people aged 8 to 15 years old. Kids learn basic first-aid, rescue techniques, and mountain safety protocols, teaching them skills to assist fellow skiers and snowboarders on the mountain. These kids get hands-on learning and experience, ensuring that they’re not only enjoying the thrill of winter fun but also learning to be proactive in helping others stay safe on the slopes.
Why Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol is Perfect for Kids
Shari Adams of Richmond is the director of Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol, and has curated just the right amount of education and fun for 8 to 15 year-olds who like to ski and snowboard.
“We provide a great mix of slope safety and emergency care techniques with a very healthy dose of time out on the slopes,” said Adams. “The patroller instructors are a lot of fun and the content changes each week which really keeps the kids engaged.”
The course is held over 8 Sundays in January and February with classes being approximately 2-3 hours. Students are introduced to the concepts of National Ski Patrol’s outdoor emergency care (OEC) course, which is the mandatory basic training for all patrollers.
Whether it’s the ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation), the introductory CPR class (no tests!), or learning how to assess patients, youth ski patrollers will finish the course with a foundation of first aid knowledge, an understanding of what it means to volunteer, and firsthand examples of how each person can make a difference as part of a team.
Adams reminds us, “Under no circumstance will a youth patroller administer medical treatment to a patient at Wintergreen Resort.”
Ashley Gunderson’s son, Liam, a current high school student in Charlottesville, joined the Youth Ski Patrol class when he was in 7th grade. “Being new to Virginia, we were excited to learn about Wintergreen’s Youth Ski Patrol program through a local family who was very involved at Wintergreen. Liam was already a competent and confident skier, but the experience opened his eyes to another side of mountain operations and the ski world, specifically the key role that ski patrol plays.”
What Kids Can Expect in Youth Ski Patrol Classes
“Liam gained confidence by working with a seasoned group of instructors and patrollers who valued his participation and encouraged him,” Gunderson said, “He learned basic on-mountain first aid skills, which really boosted his maturity and understanding of slope-side safety. And now he is considering taking the full patroller course and possibly doing EMT training in the near future. Youth Ski Patrol was a perfect and natural way to connect Liam to new pathways and opportunities through an activity he already loves – skiing!
Todd Boss (Richmond) said his son, Grant, came away with better overall understanding of safety on the mountain. “He worked with the equipment, saw some real-life emergencies in progress, and helped create awareness on the mountain by handing out safety-related stickers.”
When we asked Grant Boss his opinion he said, “It was really fun, we learned cool and interesting stuff, and I got to help out other skiers.”
As youth ski patrol classes involve learning in both the classroom setting and out on the slopes, there are opportunities for instructors to point out risk factors, obstacles, and examples of the safety code.
Todd Boss: “Grant absolutely became a more safety-conscious skier after his time with the ski Patrol. Many kids just ignore safety warnings, don’t have enough respect for the mountain, and end up really getting hurt.”
Samantha Braden is the daughter of patrollers Karen and Tim. She spent Sunday mornings in youth ski patrol classes while her parents worked a shift. “I had so much fun in the classes with all the different instructors like Morgan [Armstrong]. He would tell the class really good stories about his experiences as a patroller but somehow we’d be learning while we listened.”
Real-Life Skills Beyond the Slopes
Many Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol alumni become adult ski patrollers and some become interested in careers in medicine and emergency services.. This program is a stepping stone for kids interested in outdoor adventure or medical fields, giving them early exposure to high-stakes decision-making and critical thinking. Former youth patrollers often speak of the confidence they gained and the thrill of a supportive, close-knit community on the mountain.
Braden was crossing the road to board the school bus when her classmate tripped and injured his knee. “The bus driver didn’t know what to do, and I was able to jump in and help!” When Braden asked for the medical kit and saw there was no gauze to help with the bleeding, she recalled the improvisation skills she’d learned. “I was able to unfold the cravat and use it just like we were taught in YSP. You have to work with what you have, and I was able to help stop the bleeding until he could get to the school nurse.”
Jennifer Lesko’s son, Barrett, after attending the program feels empowered to help his peers out on the slopes. When skiing at Big Sky Resort in Montana, he was the first to rush to a friend who had fallen on a difficult black diamond run. “He set up skis to divert traffic. I don’t know that he would have known to do that without his experience at Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol.”
A Community and Lifelong Friendships
“Barrett made some great friends through the program, and he got to know several adult Ski Patrol, so he now feels like he has a crew of friends on the mountain with a shared love of skiing and being outdoors!” said Lesko.
Samantha Braden (Charlottesville) and Laurel Bourque (Crozet) attended Youth Ski Patrol the past few years. Having aged out of YSP they both registered as candidates for the 2024 Outdoor Emergency Care course. “We were surprised when we saw each other at the OEC class this fall –we were seated together and became partners for the course,” Braden said.
Becoming an Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) technician is the mandatory first step to become a national ski patroller. The class is offered at Wintergreen every fall and often there are a few high schoolers. Braden and Bourque both recently passed their OEC exam and will begin working on their Outdoor Emergency Transportation certification in January. This is a certification that allows patrollers to safely handle toboggans which is sometimes necessary to transport an injured skier or snowboarder to the first aid room. “We are excited to work shifts together as ski patrollers!” Braden said.
A nice thing about ski patrolling is that it can be done as a family. Wintergreen Ski Patrollers often have parents, siblings, or children on the roster. Laurel’s brother, Reilly, and father, Jamie, are both patrollers.
Experience the Joy of Giving Back on the Mountain
For kids with a passion for skiing or snowboarding, the Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to serve, learn, and grow. Parents in the Charlottesville area looking for enriching winter activities can rest assured that this program delivers far more than just fun on the slopes. By joining, kids step into a world of adventure and responsibility that helps them build essential life skills, surrounded by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Todd Boss summarized his thoughts about the benefits of youth ski patrol, “…my son was proud to be in a position of increased visibility on the mountain while working with the ski patrol. He enjoyed being in an entrusted position and took pride in his work effort while he was with the ski patrol. He very much would love to work at Wintergreen someday, either as an instructor or on the patrol. and this was a great introduction.
Holly Mueller, a 20-year veteran of Wintergreen Ski Patrol said, “My grandchildren were able to use the first aid skills they learned in the program, they made lifelong friends, and were provided opportunities to become leaders among peers. Even if they don’t go on to become a patroller they come out of this program as young people who are comfortable with stabilizing an injury, stopping a bleed, and the ability to jump into action with CPR or use of an AED.”
Embrace the season and watch your child develop into a confident, capable, and community-minded individual with skills learned as part of Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol.
How to Register for Wintergreen Youth Ski Patrol
Visit www.wintergreenskipatrol.org for more information about this program and others – and be sure to follow Wintergreen Ski Patrol on Instagram and Facebook @wintergreenskipatrol.
Wintergreen Ski Patrol is a 501c3 volunteer organization, separate from Wintergreen Resort. Don’t miss the annual ski swap fundraiser every year on Black Friday. The swap is a great place to buy or sell gently used winter gear – jackets, snowpants, skis, boots, snowboards, and more.
The winter season is the perfect time for other fun family outings – you can snow tube and enjoy museums too.
