Two hundred Utah ski patrollers returned to work Thursday after voting to accept a new labor contract and end a nearly two-week strike that closed many trails and caused long lift lines at the ones that remained open during a busy time of year at the country’s biggest ski resort.

The Park City Ski Professional Ski Patrol Association claimed victory, saying in a statement that Colorado-based Vail Resorts, which owns Park City Mountain Resort, acceded to its key demands including a $2-an-hour base-pay increase and raises for senior ski patrollers.

“This effort demonstrates what can be achieved when workers stand together and fight for what they deserve,” ski patroller and union lead negotiator Seth Dromgoole said in a statement.

The strike began Dec. 27 after negotiations that started in March bogged down and the union accused Vail Resorts of bargaining unfairly. The strike coincided with the busy holiday season and a period of more than 2 feet of fresh but difficult-to-access snowfall at the resort.

Despite the closed trails and long lift lines, some skiers expressed support for the strikers, chanting “Pay your employees!” in videos posted on social media.

“We look forward to welcoming back the Park City Mountain patrollers in the coming days and moving forward together as one team. We apologize to our guests who were impacted by this strike and are incredibly grateful to our team who worked hard to keep the mountain open and operating safely over the past two weeks,” Bill Rock, Vail Resorts’ mountain division president, said in a statement.

Pointing to steep inflation since 2022, the Park City Professional Ski Patrollers Association sought a pay increase from $21 to $23 an hour. It said $27 is a livable wage in Park City, which is also home to Deer Valley Resort.

The raises include a $4-an-hour average increase for senior ski patrollers, with some specialized long-time workers getting an average of $7.75 more, according to the union.