For decades, organizations have been paving the way for representation of Black skiers and winter sports enthusiasts on the slopes.
The National Ski Areas Association’s report on skier demographics at United States-based resorts was last updated in November 2024. The organization found that for the 2023 to 2024 season, 88% of ski resort guests were white, and 62% were male. Only 1% of surveyed resort guests included in the data identified as Black.
Despite the numbers, organizations locally, nationally, and internationally are encouraging Black representation in the winter sports world. For example, events hosted by these organizations, including the Black Ski Summit and Black Ski Weekend, are held at ski resorts in the U.S. and abroad.
Many of the organizations below focus on winter sports but also host year-round events for their communities. There are gatherings revolving around other seasonal sports, as well as mixers, happy hours, and networking events. Even still, skiing and other winter sports have helped them boost Black representation in those spaces.
Jim Dandy Ski Club (Jim Dandy Ski Club)
Founded in Detroit in 1958, Jim Dandy Ski Club is the first ski club established in the United States to specifically draw together Black skiers, create fellowship, and enjoy skiing and other sports. Ebony Magazine featured JDSC in 1962, and the club was a part of the first documented ski trip of Black skiers in 1964. During that history-making trip, they went to Vail, Winter Park, and other ski sites in Colorado. Now, the longstanding active organization has members nationwide and empowers participation in all types of sports.
The National Brotherhood Of Skiers (NBS)
The National Brotherhood of Skiers (sometimes written as The National Brotherhood of Snowsports) is a popular, powerhouse Black ski club. As an umbrella organization, ski clubs across the United States are affiliated with it. Since the 1970s, NBS has been dedicated to uplifting and raising Black representation in snow sports. The organization is having its annual Black Ski Summit next year in Keystone, Colorado, from February 22 through March 1. The amazing multi-day event includes winter sports fun, happy hours, networking opportunities, concerts, and more.
The Black Students Association at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business (BSAT)
Tuck Black Ski’s Black Ski Weekend has become a huge yearly ski trip for Black MBAs and professionals. The group’s next trip is from January 30 through February 2, 2025, in Copper Mountain, Colorado. Posts on the event’s Instagram page are lively and full of young Black attendees turning up and having winter sports fun.
Black Ski Inc. (BSI)
Black Ski Inc. was established in 1972 in Washington, D.C. It is a founding club within the National Brotherhood of Skiers. According to BSI’s website, it’s a non-profit organization with a membership of over 1,000 people, most of whom reside in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) area. In addition to being a local mainstay for skiers, the organization’s goal is to promote and aid “winter sports programs for the youth.” BSI already has two trips scheduled for early 2025. One is to Beaver Creek, Colorado, and the other to Bryce Mountain in Basye, Virginia.
Black Girls Ski And Snowboard (BGS&S)
Black Girls Ski and Snowboard is dedicated to representing Black women and girls in skiing and snowboarding. The organization’s website says that BGS&S provides “development opportunities” and lessons so women and girls of all ages can learn snow sports. BGS&S’ Facebook group displays its community, and Black skiers create and share link-ups. The female-forward company is affiliated with the National Brotherhood of Skiers.
Mount Noire (MN)
Mount Noire is all about Black representation and diversity in winter sports. So much so that its slogan is “Bringing color to the mountain.” Based in the United Kingdom, the organization was founded by five Black female skiers who were friends in college. The organization is hosting its 2025 MN Luxe Ski Trip in Morzine, France, from March 8 through March 15. The ski trips planned by MN are vibrant and filled with young Black travelers having a good time and enjoying the slopes.
