As winter descends across the country, the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) is turning snow-covered mountains and frozen rinks into platforms for opportunity. Through a robust lineup of adaptive winter sports clinics, camps, and competitions, CAF is creating access, building confidence, and fueling the dreams of athletes with physical disabilities.

With clinics in sled hockey, Nordic skiing, downhill skiing, and snowboarding, this winter marks CAF-Idaho’s most ambitious slate of programming yet. The goal: introduce newcomers to winter sports, elevate returning athletes, and strengthen the pipeline to elite-level competition and the Paralympic Games.

Building a Movement: Why Adaptive Winter Sports Matter 

More than 21 million Americans live with a physical disability—and many of them are eligible to compete in adaptive or Paralympic sports. But for too long, barriers like costly adaptive equipment, limited access to instruction, and lack of community have made participation in winter sports difficult, if not impossible.

CAF is changing that.

As a trusted partner of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, CAF is making winter sports more accessible and inclusive than ever before. From first-time sled hockey players to elite para-Nordic skiers, these programs are designed to support every athlete along their unique journey. 

“CAF has completely rewritten the book for adaptive winter sports,” said Wilson Dippo, CAF Program Manager and Para Nordic Team Coach. “These clinics and camps are helping athletes progress from their first time on snow or ice all the way to the highest levels of sport.” 

2023 Adaptive Winter Sports Schedule 

Each event below reflects CAF’s holistic approach: expert coaching, inclusive community, and the resources athletes need to thrive. 

Boise Winter Sports Weekend 

📍 Boise, ID
🗓 January 20–22, 2023 

CAF Idaho kicks off the winter season with its first-ever Boise Winter Sports Weekend. This three-day camp offers introductory and intermediate clinics in sled hockey, Nordic skiing, and downhill skiing.

• Sled hockey: Instruction from members of the Paralympic Gold Medal U.S. Sled Hockey Team

• Nordic skiing: Coaching from the U.S. Para Nordic Ski Team

• Downhill skiing: In partnership with Boise Adaptive Snowsport Education (BASE), one of the nation’s leading adaptive ski organizations

This inclusive weekend welcomes athletes of all ages and experience levels, offering a welcoming space to discover new passions on snow and ice. 

Boulder Mountain Tour + Training Camp 

📍 Ketchum, ID
🗓 February 1–4, 2023 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Boulder Mountain Tour becomes a historic stage for adaptive athletes. With support from CAF:

• Over 30 adaptive Nordic skiers will compete in the 15k and 32k point-to-point races

• A $4,000 prize purse is supported through CAF’s matching grant program

• High-profile Paralympians like Oksana Masters, Kendall Gretsch, Aaron Pike, and Josh Sweeney are expected to race

• A training camp for newer athletes runs prior to the competition, with surprise grants awarded to help emerging sit-skiers advance

This is the largest field of adaptive Nordic athletes in the event’s history, and it raises the bar for inclusion and excellence.

US Para Nordic Youth Development Camp 

📍 Park City, UT
🗓 February 25–March 2, 2023 

CAF and the U.S. Paralympic Nordic Team team up to host a performance training camp designed specifically for youth athletes with physical disabilities who are interested in high-level Para Nordic skiing.

Camp highlights include:

• Technique development and biathlon sampling

• Travel to Soldier Hollow to spectate the Para Nordic World Cup Finals

• An opportunity to compete in the “rookie race” on the same course as the world’s best

This camp plays a critical role in identifying and supporting the next generation of elite para-athletes.

US Para Nordic World Cup 

📍 Soldier Hollow, UT
🗓 March 1–8, 2023 

For the first time since the 2002 Winter Paralympics, Soldier Hollow Nordic Center will host the Para Nordic World Cup. The event will welcome:

• 180 athletes from 20 countries

• $30,000 in prize money

• Races on a brand-new sit-ski course and modern biathlon shooting range

CAF is proud to be the presenting sponsor, supporting travel and competition expenses for international athletes, helping ensure a diverse and competitive field.

Powered by Partnership: CAF and the Albertson Family Foundation 

None of this would be possible without the visionary support of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation (JKAF). Their investments have fueled CAF-Idaho’s growth and are laying the groundwork for the Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse, currently under construction in Boise.

The Fieldhouse will be a state-of-the-art facility where adaptive athletes can train, grow, and find community year-round—advancing the foundation’s mission to support health, education, and well-being through outdoor activity and sport.

Changing Lives, One Winter at a Time 

CAF’s investment in winter sports is about more than competition. It’s about giving athletes with physical disabilities a place to belong, grow, and thrive—whether they’re stepping onto the snow for the first time or chasing a dream to wear Team USA colors.

By expanding access, building community, and creating pathways to the Paralympics, CAF continues to lead the way in transforming lives through sport.