tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post1784035563248265319..comments2024-03-16T16:44:18.220-07:00Comments on Bad Cripple: Skiing at Pico Mountain with Vermont Adaptivewilliam Peacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00223601480542461802noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-20289638916430029842012-03-04T13:17:59.513-08:002012-03-04T13:17:59.513-08:00Carla, Most quads I have seen ski use a biski made...Carla, Most quads I have seen ski use a biski made by Mountain Man or Enabling Technology. It is a great piece of equipment for a high level SCI. All the logistics of parking, getting to the lodge, etc. have easy well established solutions. Some adaptive programs allow a first time skier ski for free. Any person with the desire can ski! All adaptive programs are wildly creative in getting people out onto the slopes. If you have trouble finding an adaptive program let me know. I am sure you can ski and have great fun.william Peacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00223601480542461802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-60794835592611612002012-03-03T23:01:45.310-08:002012-03-03T23:01:45.310-08:00Curious to know what is available for quadriplegic...Curious to know what is available for quadriplegics. I would love to be in the mountains again, but there are so many unknowns for me. Logistics, like how to get from a vehicle in a wheelchair to the lodge & lifts. I remember trudging through the snow packed parking lots just to get there when I was able-bodied. Are there people available to help or do you have to bring your own, etc.? I learned to ski at Winter Park & have skied many of the other areas in Colorado with the exception of Crested Butte, Steamboat, and Aspen. These conversations have inspired me to investigate further. I don't have a lot of upper body strength, but what an incentive to work on that! Hmmm...food for thought! Thanks!Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17008733791963910996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-66745737644639055682012-03-03T07:52:03.176-08:002012-03-03T07:52:03.176-08:00Matt, Ugh, you missed the point I was trying to ma...Matt, Ugh, you missed the point I was trying to make. I would love to see more people ski and bike and take full advantage of adaptive sports. I was trying to point out significant financial obstacles prevent many from skiing. Finnance is the sole reason I have not skied out West. An adaptive program cannot make hotles/motel, rent-a-car, meals etc. affordable. Hard to think about skiing when one lives on the overty line. I consider myself extremey lucky in terms of finance hence I am thinking of the vast majority who struggle daily. Yes foundations do provide grants for adaptive gear and adaptive programs have a sliding scale for clients. So you are correct in all you wrote. We seem to talking past one another. Frustrating as we both want to get out on the slpes and know the great fun we have.Clairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13070297384173508509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-38279695197306904922012-03-02T08:50:30.834-08:002012-03-02T08:50:30.834-08:00OK...seems like you are finding reasons for people...OK...seems like you are finding reasons for people with disabilities NOT to ski. You are missing all the opportunities that are out there for people with disabilities that want to ski. Have you really looked into it?<br />There are many adaptive ski programs that offer scholarships for people who cannot afford a ski lesson. You have to apply and qualify for those programs, but the opportunity is there. If you want to buy your own adaptive equipment but cannot afford it, there are grants you can apply for, including the CAF (Challenged Athletes Foundation) Grants to purchase a mono-ski, bi-ski or handcycle. As for "shipping" your own rig...most airlines will consider your mono-ski (or most adaptive equipment) a medical product and will not charge you extra on flights. <br />Anyway, there are ways for all people to ski...no matter what your disability or financial situation...you just have to make it happen!Matt Feeneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09430567286677794712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-69209397123817486382012-03-01T12:21:38.008-08:002012-03-01T12:21:38.008-08:00Matt, I agree most mountains and certainly all ada...Matt, I agree most mountains and certainly all adaptive programs do the best they can. Now I would love to ski out West. But I do not own my own rig--hard to justify much less come up with at least $3,000. So I would need to rent a rig, lift ticket, get a motel/hotel, likely a rent-a-car, plane tickets etc. That adds up fast. Even if you own your own rig it needs to be shipped out west and back. As Christo pointed out most people with a disability have little or no money to spend on such a luxury. I do not mean to dispute your point--you are right in all you wrote. I think the biggest obstacle is simply getting people to the mountain.william Peacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00223601480542461802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-83874267556881608092012-03-01T11:15:51.266-08:002012-03-01T11:15:51.266-08:00Matt that sounds like a fantastic deal. when are y...Matt that sounds like a fantastic deal. when are you going to setup in europe?Christohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00334472251521025689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-26439347342788442752012-03-01T09:22:23.532-08:002012-03-01T09:22:23.532-08:00While somebody walking can "buy gear and ski ...While somebody walking can "buy gear and ski for a few hundred dollars", skiing for someone with a disability may be more accessible and affordable than you think. Most adaptive ski programs offer a discount for people with disabilities. A lift ticket at Winter Park, for example, is $99 to the general public, but $35 for people with disabilities. A season pass is only $110 for a person with a disability as well.<br /> <br />Adaptive Adventures also offers a camp in Steamboat...The Steamboat All Mountain Camp. This event, held in January, offers skiers with disabilities 5 nights ski in/out lodging, 4 days of skiing (including a snow cat trip), equipment, instruction and meals for $600. www.adaptiveadventures.org<br />You can't get a deal like that anywhere in (able-bodied) world!Matt Feeneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09430567286677794712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-3835825884065821622012-02-29T04:53:33.607-08:002012-02-29T04:53:33.607-08:00Christo, Finances are indeed the primary problem i...Christo, Finances are indeed the primary problem in terms of skiing. Adaptive programs do the best they can but they cannot address the larger issues of economic deprivation and lack of accessible transportation. I wanted to ski out West this season--something I have dreamed of for years. It was just too expensive. You also make a good point r.e. funding. Yes, top skiers can get funding. Your average person cannot. None of this addresses the cost of sit ski rigs. A person walking can buy used gear and ski for a few hundred dollars. A sit ski rig costs thousands of dollars. Few people can make that kind of investment.william Peacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00223601480542461802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-45991604994278966902012-02-29T01:44:34.153-08:002012-02-29T01:44:34.153-08:00I completely agree. I'm a monoskier and live i...I completely agree. I'm a monoskier and live in the UK, and although there is a lot of help with lessons etcetera, both here in the UK and in Europe, it is still very expensive. If you have to sit down to ski, the ski schools charge private lesson rates at hundreds of euros (dollars) a day. None of them seem to address the fact that ninety percent of disabled people live in poverty, there is very little in the way of funding (unless you are a young racer). As a siting skier like yourself I know what it’s like to escape your wheelchair for a few hours and experience such freedom and exhilaration. It’s a pity more disabled people cannot get more help (financial and practical) to ski.Christohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00334472251521025689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-14290604702575230662012-02-27T12:58:05.300-08:002012-02-27T12:58:05.300-08:00Elizabeth, I see many kids with cognitive and phys...Elizabeth, I see many kids with cognitive and physical disabilities ski. In fact I would maintain getting kids and adults out skiing is an Vermont Adaptive forte. I love to see these kids and adults ski. They smile from ear to ear and clearly get a lot of it.william Peacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00223601480542461802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-36005042316134243032012-02-27T12:11:29.029-08:002012-02-27T12:11:29.029-08:00You are kind. I wish you could take my daughter sk...You are kind. I wish you could take my daughter skiing! I imagine she'd love the rush of wind in her face.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03313726816776097840noreply@blogger.com