Posted By:

Maggie aka "The Turninator"

Every winter at Sugar Bowl leaves behind a different story, historic storms, feats of athleticism, events that bring the community together. This season, Sugar Bowl was honored with three national awards from the National Ski Areas Association, recognizing everything from freeride culture and storytelling to uphill safety and guest education.

For an independent ski area, these awards mean a lot. At a time when the ski industry continues getting bigger and more consolidated, these awards feel especially meaningful to an independent mountain like Sugar Bowl. They’re a reminder that creativity, community, and passion still carry weight.

Best Use of Video | The Silver Belt

The Silver Belt is unlike almost any ski competition in the world.

The event traces its roots back to 1940, when the original Silver Belt was held as a giant slalom race down the same dramatic gully on Sugar Bowl’s Mt. Lincoln. Over 80 years later, the terrain remains the same, but the format has evolved into something entirely new.

Today, the Silver Belt is an athlete-built, athlete-judged freeride competition.

Competitors spend days shaping jumps and features directly into the natural terrain of the Silver Belt Gully before throwing down finals runs in front of peers, spectators, and cameras stationed throughout the venue. Every run is filmed, reviewed, and voted on by the athletes themselves.

The result is something that feels less like a traditional contest and more like a gathering of skiers pushing each other creatively.

This winter, Sugar Bowl received NSAA’s Best Use of Video award for the way the event integrates media into the competition itself.

A 12-person team of videographers and photographers worked throughout the event to capture every athlete’s run, delivering edited content to competitors within 24 hours of finals so athletes could immediately share their experience with their own audiences.

The rapid turnaround helped amplify the event far beyond the mountain itself, generating millions of impressions across athlete and media channels while preserving the authentic, athlete-driven spirit that makes the Silver Belt unique.

More importantly, it helped document a style of freeride culture that Sugar Bowl believes is worth protecting: collaborative, creative, community-driven skiing.

Best Guest Safety Program | Uphill Access Initiative

As uphill skiing and backcountry touring continue to grow across the country, Sugar Bowl has worked to maintain one of the most expansive inbounds uphill access programs in North America.

But keeping that access open comes with responsibility.

This winter, Sugar Bowl was awarded NSAA’s Best Guest Safety Program for a season-long effort focused on uphill education, communication, and mountain safety.

The initiative included:

• New signage at uphill access points with QR codes linking directly to real-time route status updates
• A new educational video focused on winch cat safety and mountain operations
• A free community uphill series with Tahoe Mountain Sports featuring free demos, route education, and conversations around safe uphill travel.

The goal was simple: make uphill access easier to understand, easier to check, and safer for everyone on the mountain.

Programs like this only work because of cooperation between guests, patrol, mountain operations, and the uphill community itself. Sugar Bowl’s approach has always been rooted in education first, creating a culture where access and responsibility go hand in hand.

Sammy Award | Kari Brandt

Sugar Bowl Risk Manager Kari Brandt was also recognized nationally this season with an individual Sammy Award for her leadership in guest safety and risk management.

Throughout her career, Kari has played a major role in shaping safety initiatives, operational practices, and leadership development programs across the ski industry, often working behind the scenes to support mountain operations teams and strengthen safety culture.

Her leadership extends far beyond Sugar Bowl. Kari has consistently invested in education, mentorship, and professional development opportunities that help support the next generation of mountain professionals. She also helped found two nonprofit organizations, Women of Patrol and the Sierra Nevada Resiliency Team, both focused on building stronger, more resilient mountain communities and supporting leadership development within the outdoor industry.

Her recognition reflects not only her individual contributions, but also the countless people across the mountain operations world who work every day to help keep guests and employees safe.

Looking Ahead

Every season ends as winter melts away. What lasts longer are the communities, traditions, and ideas that continue shaping the future of the mountain.

This season’s awards recognized video storytelling, athlete culture, uphill safety, and operational leadership. But more than anything, they recognized the people who make Sugar Bowl what it is: athletes, creators, staff, passholders, and guests who continue showing up for this place year after year.

We’re incredibly proud of this team and grateful to everyone who helped keep the spirit alive this winter.