Why is there a guy in a white bathrobe walking around with a Deer Valley Banned Jesus sign?

I am that guy and here is that story.

I used to love skiing at Deer Valley, and I did so in my white bathrobe. About ten times a day, someone would tell me how much they loved my attire. Others would call out approval as I skied beneath the lifts.

I used to wear a blue tee shirt that said Let’s Talk About Jesus. That also got a lot of compliments and call outs from lift riders.

I switched to the white bathrobe because it is weather independent, I can wear it over any other ski clothing no matter what the weather is.

And the white bath robe is more mysterious, people often ask why I wear it. And the answer to that question is found in the Book of Revelation, in the Bible.

There are 5 different verses there that explain those who have overcome the world by Jesus will be found to be wearing white robes.

When I give this explanation to strangers on the ski lifts, it usually starts a talk about Jesus for that lift ride.

In the spring of 2025, a ski patroller approached me and said that “women” had reported to lift attendants that they were uncomfortable riding the lift with me. I recorded much of that conversation, and his implication was that I was saying things sexual in nature, which is completely untrue. He refused to tell me who the women were or who the lift attendants were.

I later sent an email to a Deer Valley manager, explaining how inappropriate it was for a ski patroller to make unverified accusations to a customer. I got no response from that email.

Due to the fact that Deer Valley is the closest major ski area to my home, and the East side expansion is magnificent, I bought a season pass at Deer Valley for the 2025-2026 season. I had previously for many years skied Deer Valley on an Ikon pass.

I skied Deer Valley in my white bathrobe, for about 6 days when, on Thursday, January 29th, I was approached by another ski patroller, saying that there had been more complaints about “women being uncomfortable on the lifts with me”. After telling him about how I sometimes talk about Jesus, and give away a Repent Daily souvenir toothpaste tube squeezer, he told me he did not believe I had done anything wrong, and I skied away. He did not warn me against doing anything different.

On Friday, January 30th I skied Deer Valley again, and out of an abundance of caution, I turned on audio recording on my second phone and put it in my parka pocket. Here is that audio recording and if you listen to it, there is surely nothing inappropriate said by me to anybody. It was a four hour recording but the 47 minute version here is just when someone is speaking.

Yet on Saturday, January 31, I received a shocking call from a Deer Valley manager named Shawn Scott, announcing that I had been banned from riding the lifts at Deer Valley and that there would be no refund for my season pass. He gave no details but instead said this decision had been made by senior Deer Valley management.

I made attempts to contact Todd Bennett, the CEO of Deer Valley during the first week of February. He never responded to me but I did get a call from Steve Graff, Vice President of Mountain Operation, on Friday, February 6. I doubt Steve knew I was recording that call. 

Steve told me that they were refunding my Deer Valley season pass, and shockingly, he admitted my pass was revoked because they decided it was wrong for me to talk about religion on their lifts.

So, Deer Valley has banned talking about Jesus on their lifts!

I have made a lot of friends skiing in my white robe and blue Let’s Talk About Jesus shirt over the years. And many of them still ski, and talk about Jesus, on the Deer Valley ski lifts. This is surely very selective enforcement of an unknown, and likely unconstitutional policy. 

Deer Valley is a “place of public accommodation” under Utah Code § 13-7-3 (and related sections). It cannot refuse service or ban based on race, color, sex, pregnancy/breastfeeding status, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, or other protected characteristics. This banning appears to me to be about my religion. Deer Valley advertises Shabbat services on the mountain on Fridays, so at least one religion has received their approval. I am of Jewish heritage, and have attended those services. 

And Alterra operates many resorts on federal lands, including Solitude, just a few miles from Deer Valley. It would seem to me that a company that relies so heavily on public lands would need to comply with federal law in all their operations.

Skiing and talking about Jesus is a big part of what I do in the winter and spring. I can probably get similar exercise and talk to even more people about Jesus walking up and down Main Street in Park City, and that can be done year round. Maybe one day Deer Valley will see the light and let me ski again, but until that time I want all to know about the admitted religious bigotry of Deer Valley CEO Todd Bennett and Vice President Steve Graff, who assured me in the recorded call that Todd was very much a part of the decision.