11 replies to this topic

[mexpipe]

I us to be a pretty good snowboarder before my accident (T9 comp.) and well I would love to go back to the mountains and feel the powder and that smell of snow
I am thinking of winter park CO.
ok so here is the deal I would like some advice and how strong do you have to be because I am just over 1 year out but I can get in and out of my car fine and come and go as I please
also what do you do with your chair while your out skiing
what clothes should I wear
and any hotel tips and such
any advice is welcome
thanks

[qman]

winter park is a great place for it with one of the best adaptive programs anywhere.

it pays to be as strong as you can be in your core and shoulders so try to do some dedicated gym training in prep.

not sure what they do at winter park i generally get someone to put my chair somewhere safe while skiing.

just enough to stay warm and have some good boots and warm pants as you cant feel those bits obviously. otherwise normal ski clothing is fine.

good luck you will love it. this is video from my first season on the sit ski about 14-17 months post injury. i am t12 complete.

I truely get a great buzz from sit skiing similar to pre injury skiing.

[russ1]

If you ski with the adaptive program at Winet Park you'll be fine - wear pretty much what you used to wear, maybe an extra layer, especially on your legs - snowboard boots can work well for your feet. Strength wise just do what you can - the instructors will assist as necessary. Chair just stays at the bottom of the slope with all the other chairs Never heard of an issue in 6 seasons.

The Best Western in town works well in a chair.

Try and get a weeks worth of lessons - you'll have a couple of frustrating days before it clicks and you really get going. Once it does you'll have a blast.

[outkastsl]

if you have your snowboard pants/jackets, that's all you'll really need to start. I would suggest having some gore-tex pants at the least because my non-goretex pants got wet (only top layer) all the time, i recently bought burton ak2 pants. when I ski i usually leave the wheelchair with security or at the ski/snowboard check where there is an attendant. resorts will usually try to accommodate you pretty well.

in regards to strength, it sounds like you will do rather well. biggest thing is that you won't be able to get up after a fall by yourself for a while. i am 7 years post injury, play wheelchair basketball and have some massive arms/shoulders, skied for 2 years now and still can't get up myself unless i'm on a steeper slope. on a bunny slope you have a long way to go to get up compared to a steeper slope.

have fun.

Edited by outkastsl, 05 February 2010 - 01:24 PM.

[mexpipe]

thanks guys this is great info

[qman]

how hard it is to get up depends greatly on the sit ski rig,

generally speaking i found the praschberger easier to get up than the RPC or others because the COG is lower with your feet closer to the ski.

but it is mostly technique.

[twisted_ophelia]

I'm a huge fan of the RPC but we're trying to get me a Prasch to try this season. We're ordering an RPC this week (hopefully) so I'm super stoked about that. Having your own gear is expensive and brutally difficult to afford but worth every penny. A good fit is beyond important. If the bucket doesn't fit, you will spend your day falling down the hill. If you're coming off of a ski/board background, you'll probably pick up skiing again quickly. At your injury level, make sure you get into a monoski NOT a bi ski or dual ski. Winter Park is one of the biggest adaptive sports programs in North America but I highly recommend Mammoth Lakes and http://www.disableds...astersierra.org

As for ski clothes, it's pretty much the same as pre-injury except you need to make sure your feet/legs/anywhere below injury is a) not getting cold and b ) not getting any pressure/skin issues. This means stopping to check your skin or your feet or whatever when you get off the mountain. Other than that, everything is pretty much the same.

Edited by twisted_ophelia, 08 February 2010 - 05:32 AM.

[mexpipe]

ok so my trip fell through last year but this year (actually march 2011) im going
I have the hotel reservation the lessons and working on clothing that I might need stuff like that but...
I talked to the person with disabilities program and she said that one or 2 days of classes would be enough, so I got just that but now after reading some of the comments and stuff im wondering if I should have more
what do you guys think???
I know everyone is different and all but how long did it take you guys to get a hang of it?

[qman]

You should be getting around fine after 2 days of lessons, and then just ski with a helper for a while.

I am sure you will love it.

warm boots are the trickiest bit, as they can be hard to get on. otherwise normal ski clothes, just look for a pair of pants without pockets and zippers on the bum.

enjoy,

also check out http://www.adaptives...ums.com/forums/

[mexpipe]

thanks im sooooooo exited about this trip, it cant come soon enough

[kevinpatrick79]

mexpipe, on 14 November 2010 - 04:29 AM, said:

thanks im sooooooo exited about this trip, it cant come soon enough

So, how'd it go?? Are ya hooked?

[mexpipe]

Im so glad you asked because Ive been wanting to write something about it and have just been putting it off
but ill stat a new tread in case some one needs some advice
but I am most definitely hooked