Local legacy on the line as costs continue to rise
For years, the Whitetooth Affordable Ski Program (WASP) has been a cornerstone of winter life for Golden families. What started as a way to help local kids step into their first pair of skis has become a generational touchpoint: a chance to fall in love with snow, exercise, adventure, and our spectacular backyard.
Created in 2012 by the Whitetooth Ski Society, WASP was seeded with a $316,000 endowment from the Society’s assets to support affordable family skiing and ensure that local youth could access the slopes without the crushing costs that come with lift tickets, lessons and gear.
The program partners with Golden and Area A elementary schools, bringing Grade 6, 7, and 8 students to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort for lessons and on-hill experiences most families would struggle to finance on their own.
In a typical year, WASP distributes funding through the Golden & District Community Foundation, which currently manages the endowment and disperses around $12,600 annually toward the program.
Over the past seasons, local schools, including Nicholson, Lady Grey, and École La Confluence, have benefited, giving hundreds of students access to ski days that wouldn’t have been possible without this support.
But here’s the tough part: those funds only go so far.
With operating costs rising across the board — lift tickets, lessons, transit logistics, and more — the current fund balance limits how many kids can participate and how deeply the program can subsidize their experience. Unlike a community ski hill with its own revenue stream, WASP is tied to the interest earned on an endowment. That means when costs go up, participation and impact squeeze in the opposite direction.
Local teachers, parents, and former participants will tell you the same thing: this program matters. It opens the mountain in a way that’s meaningful for families who’ve never skied before, and it builds connections — to sport, to nature, and to our community. It’s a win for physical health, childhood development, and local identity.
Right now, the Whitetooth Ski Society and the Community Foundation are calling on the broader Golden community to help grow the fund so that future generations can keep sliding into their first turns without financial barriers.
Whether it’s a donation to the Whitetooth Affordable Ski Program Fund at the Golden & District Community Foundation, sponsorships from local businesses, or community fundraising initiatives, every contribution keeps kids on the snow and supports an experience that too many take for granted until it’s gone.
In a town built around mountains and winter culture, this isn’t just charity. It’s investing in the next generation of skiers, outdoor lovers, and lifelong locals who will remember where they learned to ski and who helped them get there.
How You Can Help Keep Kids Skiing
• What: Whitetooth Affordable Ski Program
• Who it supports: Local students in Golden and Area A
• Why it matters: Keeps downhill skiing accessible for families as costs rise
• How to support the program:
Make a donation through the Golden & District Community Foundation to the Whitetooth Affordable Ski Program Fund. Tax receipts are available.
Encourage local businesses to sponsor or contribute
Share the program’s story with families, alumni, and former participants
More information and donation details are available through the Golden & District Community Foundation at https://www.goldencommunityfoundation.ca/whitetooth-affordable-ski-program
