I cant post all the pics in here as the forum has a limit, but here is a trip report from today at Steamboat, Colorado.

please dont sleep in the van next time..its friggen cold..you cvan see the gondi from my place..my place isnt huge, but i got a spare bdr and roll in shower..10 mins from the mt on the free bus that stops 50 yards from my front door..just holler if you sit-skis need a place to crash for the weekend..save a dime

Those pics are awesome, really making me really itchy :-) Got my prash in the back of the car, my brother is going to help me do a couple of mods to it this evening. We'll be ripping up* winter park three weeks today :-)

* Where ripping up means actually trying to remember what the hell I'm doing and trying to get to the bottom of the blue slopes without wiping out too many times.

Seeing photos like that make me glad I started skiing last year, cant wait to go snorkling

Wow, nice stuff!
Do you have bigger versions of those pictures? I'd like one/two for desktop images...

I was actually extreem carving in the Swiss Alps when I had my accident... you're making me dream of being able to finish that last hill...

Do you think a tetraplegic (quadraplegic) like me could carve properly in a sit-ski?

I'm a C5-6 tetraplegic. Not having triceps does make a difference ... BUT .. it really helps if you have skiied before as you read and ski the slopes pritty much exactly the same in a mono/bi ski as able bodied skiing.

A bi ski would give you that slightly better balance!

Go for it!!

Sorry to kinda hijack your topic a bit Andy!

I'm a C5-6 sensory incomplete too! No triceps...
I've skied since I was tiny and its in my blood, so glad to know that will help me!

Ok, so there's monoski and biski... didn't know that! Wouldn't a biski be difficulti to carve with? or maybe the springs under the seat would allow it fine. Damn, where can I get more info?

Extreme carving is so core!

I know a couple quads who ski, it's obviously going to be a bit harder for you to carve, and generally ski, because with a higher injury your balance isnt as good as it was. But you can still do it.

The dual ski's allow a bit more of a stable platform, but you can still lay those things over and carve them. They actually make it a bit easier to transition between turns by self righting from edge, to a certain degree.

I dont know the specifics of your injury, but even if you cant grip the outriggers too well, my quad friend basically just straps them to his hands and goes for it.

There are ways to adapt and get back on the snow, you can get back there and carve it up again, if you have any questions just send me a PM.

Ok, thanks for the info!

I have no grip, so I'd go with the strap on solution for the outriggers...

Wish I was in the States or it was closer... it just seems like things are much 'easier' there!

Extreme carving was just such an adrenalin rush... touching the snow with my fingertips in the turns was just pure joy!

Yes Sorry to Highjack the thread a tad Andy!

I e-mailed the web address to friends who ski and they were all very impressed!!

NOT because of you being in a wheelchair/monoski -- but just because of the brilliant "hardcore" skiing and photos. They all know me as in wheelchair user so it doesn't figure into the equation!

This next bit is hard to phrase and don't take it wrong everyone ... but .. I must confess to being a tad jealous!!

From my experience as a wheelchair user non of ys really want to walk again as an immediate thing we all want to be that one break lower!

Sounds odd but if I had triceps skiing would be so much better and easier!

If I was an L1 .. well

Thats not to say .. hey being an L1 is something you really wanted to happen!!

Hope that ramble makes sense!!! lol

Lol - yeah! it all right for them L1's with mere flesh wounds!!!!!!!!!!

Just spent last night fixing shoulder straps to my prasch in an attempt to gain a little more connection with it. Don't know if it's going to work but I really need something to stabilise my torso.

Yeah, I know I'm lucky to have such a low break, it definitely makes things easier.

I understand being a bit jealous, it's natural. I'm jealous of the incomplete para's and low leg amputee's who can move their legs and control the ski to a higher degree than me.

Russ, are you having the straps cross across from your hip, across your chest and up over your shoulders. Thats a good way to do it, it gives a more stability and you can kinda shrug your shoulders to transition turns.

Hadn't thought about doing it that way - I've got an old 4 point racing car seat belt off ebay - waist strap fixed down to rear of frame shouder straps come off waist strap over shoulder and then clamped together behind shoulder before being fixed to seat back at shoulder width. I also have replaced the velcro elastic waist strap arrangement with a snowboard binding which allows me to get a more positive grip on the seat. (replaced the leg strap similarly). The shoulder shrug thing is what I'm hoping I'll be able to do, along with being able to control it when it gets out of shape a bit more easily.

I've also put a bungee strap between the articulating seat back and the frame as I was having problems sitting back up once I'd leant forward to insigate a turn and that seems to be doing a decent job of making up for a complet lack of abs.

A video of some skiing this month in Colorado

keep the pics and updates coming Andy and grats on the pmgear setup, that's FKNA awesome.

WOW the finals in the x-games cripple ski was CRAZY ! ! duct tape wins again!

Very impressive. I have as question. I was an avid skier and snow blader from NY. I went 20 -30 times a year. Killington Vt, Pico, Hunter Mt NY and others. Is there a place to learn how to sitski? How do you get up the mountain? I heard somewhere in Colorado there are free lessons. Living in S Florida but want to ski or skate again. Any suggestions. Keep it up your an inspiration to me.

Peace!

Dude, never admit to that! ;)

Every ski resort has a ski school and the vast majority these days will have a disability program that will be able to teach sitskiing.

There are obviously hills closer to Florida than the ones here in Colorado, but if you are thinking of coming up here then the most experienced ones are the programs at Winter Park and Breckenridge.

But like I say, if you get in touch with pretty much any hill they should be able to let you know if they have equipment and instructors. I bet all the hills that you used to ski at probably have disabled programs to some degree.