NATIONAL NEWS (SALT LAKE CITY, Utah) — — What began in 1996 with twelve cancer survivors carrying handwritten flags to the summit of Utah’s highest peak has grown into one of the state’s most powerful annual traditions, presented by Survivor Wellness. This July, Survivors at the Summit celebrates its 30th year — a milestone that speaks not just to the longevity of an event, but to three decades of resilience, community, and hope in the face of cancer.
On Sunday, July 12, 2026, up to 400 participants will gather at Brighton Resort in the Wasatch Mountains for the landmark event presented by Survivor Wellness, Salt Lake City’s nonprofit dedicated to providing free services and support for cancer survivors and caregivers. Registration opens May 15 and sells out each year.
The story of Survivors at the Summit began in the summer of 1996, when the founding members of Cancer Wellness House — a group of local oncologists, cancer survivors, and community advocates — set out on a three-day journey to the top of King’s Peak, the highest point in Utah. Carrying flags inscribed with the names of loved ones impacted by cancer, ten of the twelve cancer survivors in the group reached the summit. At the top, names were read aloud — some into walkie-talkies so those at base camp could hear. Tears were shed. A tradition was born.
The following year, the event was officially christened “Survivors at the Summit,” and in 1997, those same founders established Cancer Wellness House — now Survivor Wellness — in a donated home at 59 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City, offering cancer survivors something that hospitals of that era rarely provided: group support, counseling, yoga, meditation, and therapeutic bodywork in a welcoming, home-like setting.
By 1998, the iconic yellow Tribute Flags — donated by Jack Kirkham of Springbar Tents and screen-printed by students at Skyline High School — became the enduring symbol of the event, their bright banners streaming from mountain peaks with messages of love, hope, and remembrance. For the next 25 years, the Celebration of Life under those flags became a sacred annual ritual at Snowbird Resort. In 2024, Survivors at the Summit began a new chapter at Brighton Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon, drawing its largest and most diverse crowds yet.
In 2025, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall issued a formal Mayoral Proclamation declaring the event day “Survivors at the Summit Day” in Salt Lake City — an official recognition of the profound impact this community has made over three decades.
The 30th Annual Survivors at the Summit will unfold across a full day of mountain activities, community, and ceremony. The event is open to all ages and abilities and features: thousands of bright yellow Tribute Flags carried and displayed across Brighton’s peaks; a moving Celebration of Life held beneath the Tribute Flag display; guided hikes, mountain biking, and rides on the Majestic Lift; live music, Mountain Breakfast and Summit Lunch; restorative wellness activities and nature walks; a Silent Auction and exclusive event merchandise; and transportation available from the welcome area to the main event.
Registration opened May 15, 2026. Tickets are limited to 400 participants and the event sells out every year — early registration is strongly encouraged.
Early Bird Registration (May 15 – June 30):
General Admission — $15
General Admission and Tribute Flag — $30
Ticket price includes Mountain Breakfast, Summit Lunch, and one lift ride.
More information: https://www.survivorsatthesummit.org
ABOUT SURVIVOR WELLNESS:
Founded in 1997 as Cancer Wellness House and rebranded as Survivor Wellness in 2020, the organization has served cancer survivors and caregivers from a welcoming home at 59 South 1100 East in Salt Lake City for nearly three decades. Today, Survivor Wellness offers free group support, counseling, yoga, mindfulness, fitness classes, and therapeutic wellness services, transforming what cancer survivorship looks and feels like for hundreds of people each year. Survivor Wellness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All proceeds from Survivors at the Summit directly fund its free programs. Learn more: https://www.survivorwellness.org/.
This version of news story was published on and is Copr. © 2026 Massachusetts Newswire™ (MassachusettsNewswire.com)
