Shredding
FOR ALL
Adaptive programs make sure there is
ample opportunity for everyone – no
matter what their ability – to enjoy the
magnificence of winter snow sports
By Jess Campbell
Picture this:
You’ve come to a new ski resort
for a weekend stay with friends
and family. You’re a little nervous,
but mostly really excited because,
to the core of your being, you identify
as a Skier. You’ve been on skis since you
could walk, your entire family skis and
you couldn’t imagine life without the
opportunity to carve into fresh powder
every winter.
Now imagine that you’re at the bottom
of the mountain. You can smell
the snow, hear the creak of the lifts as
they gather up riders, feel the breeze
rolling and bucking down the mountain,
adding an extra shiver to the one
of excitement already rocketing down
your spine.
But you can’t see any of it because
you’re legally blind from an accident
sustained at work six years ago. And
this is the first time you’re back in your
ski boots.
If a person with this disability – or
any disability, for that matter – was
experiencing what was just described
at your resort, would they be able to
easily venture up the mountain and
have an incredible time? Or would
their experience end before it even
began, at the bottom of the mountain
because of a lack of trained staff, lack
of equipment – or lack of any plan to
accommodate visitors with physical
or intellectual disabilities?
Having accommodations and programs
in place for individuals with disabilities
just makes sense. Yes, it may
seem overwhelming to think about an
adaptive program when starting from
nothing, and you may wonder where
you’re going to get the money for the
equipment and staff that is necessary to
even compete in this market. But what
it comes down to is simple: everyone
should have the opportunity to experience
the exhilarating joy of snow sports,
no matter whether they can see the
mountain with their own eyes or simply
feel it.
First steps to access
Accessibility of your resort and making
sure you’re inclusive of individuals
with disabilities doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Knowing how to get started
and move the initiative forward is half
the battle.
Jeff Burley is the director of adaptive
sports at Higher Ground USA in Ketchum,
Idaho, a non-profit organization
that provides adaptive recreational programs
for individuals with disabilities
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HIGHER GROUND 18 September 2018 | snowopsmag.com
as well as programs specific to former
military personnel with disabilities.
Whether it’s playing in the snow with a
four-year-old born with an intellectual
disability or cross-country skiing with
a group of veterans with PTSD, Higher
Ground focuses not on the disability of
their visitors, but on what they can do.
/snowopsmag.com
/snowopsmag.com
