13 replies to this topic

[dianna318]

Incomplete Spinal Injury Skiing - Any Others Out There?

Hey are fellow skiers! I am an incomplete L3-4-5. I stand up ski an snowboard with outriggers. I just started snow sports 2 yrs ago and have become fairly competent on both skis and board. This season I am also going to learn sit ski as I hope it will be less painful on my back and legs. But as long as I can I will do stand up ski/board. I always board powder as I always end up catching a tip on skis and the way I broke hips, that pull it just to painful. I belong the Unrecables, the L.A. chapter of DSUSA. They have a monthly trip to Mammoth and Mammoth comps us are 3 day lift tickets. These trips I mostly ski with sitskiers and AB volunteers, who are FANTASTIC! I also volunteer at USARC in Big Bear and my home resort is Mt High in Wrightwood, Ca

But i put this up to see if there are any other stand up skiers on here? And what you have to do to stand ski? Already planning for this winter! My legs are weak so I have stops in my leg braces. They go low but not quite enough. I have do go to the very edge of the drop on the lift to get on easier. I am try something new this winter. My own contraption. Lower stops to protect ACL and heavy springs attacked to the sides. Hoping the tension from springs will give support,relieve some fatigue and assist with lift when my legs flex to low. So I wear leg braces, back brace, crash pants, wrist braces and knee pads when I board. And ALWAYS a helmet! If any other stand up skiers out there what do yo do?

Dianna

Tags: Incomplete Spinal Injury Skiing - Outriggers - Snowboarding

[driley]

Hey dianna318,

I'm not a stand-up skier but just have to say hi as I will very likely see you this ski season. I live in Bishop and ski at Mammoth all the time. I am also planning on going out with the Unrecables this season. I use a sitski.

When in Mammoth, you should stop by the office of Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra. They may be able to help with some of your questions. http://disabledsport...ternsierra.org/

DSES also has a number of camps in the Winter. They have dates posted on Facebook for the coming season. The Alpine Race Camp was mostly stand-up skiers last year and was a lot of fun, even if you are not a racer. http://www.facebook....150753484961884

Like the Unrecable trips, these camps are a great deal and include lift tickets.

Devin

[dianna318]

Hey Devin,

WOW, I would LOVE to do the Race Camp!!! I am a total speed freak. I have done a couple ROKA,not sure that's right and a couple NASTAR at Sun Valley last year. I have met several Eastern Sierra peps but have not gone to the office. On Mammoth trips I ski a lot with my friend Darryl. He's T3 mono skier and we have a really good time. Have to keep in touch on which trip you are going with the Unrecables or just when you might be up at the same time so maybe take some runs together?

Thank for the info and saying hi! Sincerely, Dianna

[ajl338]

Hi
I met a lady at the beginning of this year who has a C level injury, can hardly walk but skis 4 track better than she walks.
I have an L2 injury, I can weight bare so could technically stand up but I get very tired and its painful. For the last 18 months I have been learning to monoski. Its great, I can ski 6 hours a day without any payback. You dont have to be a full time chair user to monoski. Aparently it takes a little longer to learn than standup skiing but you can go faster than a stand up skiier and the ride is amazing as you are so close to the ground.
I'm out training with the GB development squad this year and I am looking forward to going really fast.

ann

[dianna318]

Hehehe, yeah I walk like a "Lame duck" in the parking lot. But feel like a "Swan" on the slopes. I really took to skiing. After only 7 weeks after my first lesson, I skied the Cornice at Mammoth. I am a speed freak and the instructors are always trying to get me to slow down. I also snow board with outriggers. But that is my hope. That learning to mono, won't suffer all the "payback" as you put it. Right now, after a day of skiing/boarding, it's lots of morph. But I love it and will be on the snow as long as the good Lord and the bod is willing!


ajl338 , where do you ski? I mainly ski Southern Ca.

[ajl338]

i'm in the UK (that well known ski resort) but i am off to Austria for November

[KayDub]

Hey! I'm a born and raised Colorado girl (well I moved from Canada when I was 2). I grew up 10 miles from Vail and have been skiing since I was 2. Did some ski racing as a kid then did some freestyle and snowboarding before settling into my love of backcountry and big mountain. I teach kids and adaptive kids at Beaver Creek. This is my first season in a chair and was told I could work in the adaptive office so my goal is to prove I can teach just as well, adaptive and AB kiddos, while I'm in a monoski with outriggers.

[driley]

dianna318, on 06 August 2011 - 03:51 AM, said:

Hey Devin,

WOW, I would LOVE to do the Race Camp!!! I am a total speed freak. I have done a couple ROKA,not sure that's right and a couple NASTAR at Sun Valley last year. I have met several Eastern Sierra peps but have not gone to the office. On Mammoth trips I ski a lot with my friend Darryl. He's T3 mono skier and we have a really good time. Have to keep in touch on which trip you are going with the Unrecables or just when you might be up at the same time so maybe take some runs together?

Thank for the info and saying hi! Sincerely, Dianna

I met Darryl the very first weekend I started skiing and have seen him on the mountain a few times.

I will try and make every unrecables trip this year.... if it is a weekend I don't have to work. So I think we will certainly get the chance to make some runs together.

It is only 90 days until the official start of the ski season

KayDub, on 12 August 2011 - 10:23 PM, said:

Hey! I'm a born and raised Colorado girl (well I moved from Canada when I was 2). I grew up 10 miles from Vail and have been skiing since I was 2. Did some ski racing as a kid then did some freestyle and snowboarding before settling into my love of backcountry and big mountain. I teach kids and adaptive kids at Beaver Creek. This is my first season in a chair and was told I could work in the adaptive office so my goal is to prove I can teach just as well, adaptive and AB kiddos, while I'm in a monoski with outriggers.

There are mono skiers that teach AB skiers, so you certainly can teach everyone!

dianna318, on 07 August 2011 - 05:53 PM, said:

Hehehe, yeah I walk like a "Lame duck" in the parking lot. But feel like a "Swan" on the slopes. I really took to skiing. After only 7 weeks after my first lesson, I skied the Cornice at Mammoth. I am a speed freak and the instructors are always trying to get me to slow down. I also snow board with outriggers. But that is my hope. That learning to mono, won't suffer all the "payback" as you put it. Right now, after a day of skiing/boarding, it's lots of morph. But I love it and will be on the snow as long as the good Lord and the bod is willing!


ajl338 , where do you ski? I mainly ski Southern Ca.

It took me one year exactly to go from Seasame Street to Cornice... and I am happy about that. Even if I did fall over a time or two getting down Cornice.

[dianna318]

ajl338, on 08 August 2011 - 11:07 PM, said:

i'm in the UK (that well known ski resort) but i am off to Austria for November

We have 2 ski resorts here in Missouri with a ski season of about 70 days. There both pretty small with a vertical drop off about 300 feet. Some of my friends in the Unrecables ski in Europe. One friend, her and her husband skied Austria and in Korea last year.


KayDub;
Hey! I'm a born and raised Colorado girl (well I moved from Canada when I was 2). I grew up 10 miles from Vail and have been skiing since I was 2. Did some ski racing as a kid then did some freestyle and snowboarding before settling into my love of backcountry and big mountain. I teach kids and adaptive kids at Beaver Creek. This is my first season in a chair and was told I could work in the adaptive office so my goal is to prove I can teach just as well, adaptive and AB kiddos, while I'm in a monoski with outriggers.

KayDub I wish you all the best in your endeavors! This year I am going for my PSIA Adaptive certification. I'll have to Google Beaver Creek but I was thinking of going to maybe Steam Boat this year if I could do a Colorado trip this year.

Edited by dianna318, 16 August 2011 - 12:09 AM.

[dianna318]

Beaver Creek Adaptive. I went to there site and WOW, while not unheard off, their prices are in the "Expensive" group! $305 for half day and $430 for a full day. At those prices I never would have taken up skiing! I was Extremely Lucky in S.Ca. that Mt High Ski Resort (went up last year)is only $85 for a half day and $115 for a full day and is all inclusive. KayDub, I am in no way aiming or meaning any disrespect towards YOU personally.

One reason I was thinking Steamboat for a trip for me is there Adaptive Program has a Buddy Program. For $25 half day or $39 all day I can have one of there STARS volunteers escort with me and ski more of the mountain on a short trip than I would other wise and have the added safety of not being by myself .

Has anyone ever put together a list of Adaptive programs and rates. Sun Vally Idaho, there disabled lift tickets were $55 and included a buddy lift ticket. We split it and each paid $27.50 a day for lift tickets. I know the Adaptive lessons where on the high end but can't remember but want to say it was $200 something for a half day. But they can be flexible as we found out with one of our members on the trip.

I am doing summer things but thinking Winter things and it is just around the corner.

Any one have anything special they want to do this ski season. Maybe ski a certain resort or move up a level in ability. Maybe hit a terrain feature or maybe just be able to load be yourself?

My goal is to go foe PSIA Adative Alpine certification and ski a different resort be it Tahoe or steamboat or some other.

Well, talk to y'all later. Dianna

[KayDub]

dianna318, on 16 August 2011 - 12:06 AM, said:

Beaver Creek Adaptive. I went to there site and WOW, while not unheard off, their prices are in the "Expensive" group! $305 for half day and $430 for a full day. At those prices I never would have taken up skiing! I was Extremely Lucky in S.Ca. that Mt High Ski Resort (went up last year)is only $85 for a half day and $115 for a full day and is all inclusive. KayDub, I am in no way aiming or meaning any disrespect towards YOU personally.

One reason I was thinking Steamboat for a trip for me is there Adaptive Program has a Buddy Program. For $25 half day or $39 all day I can have one of there STARS volunteers escort with me and ski more of the mountain on a short trip than I would other wise and have the added safety of not being by myself .

Has anyone ever put together a list of Adaptive programs and rates. Sun Vally Idaho, there disabled lift tickets were $55 and included a buddy lift ticket. We split it and each paid $27.50 a day for lift tickets. I know the Adaptive lessons where on the high end but can't remember but want to say it was $200 something for a half day. But they can be flexible as we found out with one of our members on the trip.

I am doing summer things but thinking Winter things and it is just around the corner.

Any one have anything special they want to do this ski season. Maybe ski a certain resort or move up a level in ability. Maybe hit a terrain feature or maybe just be able to load be yourself?

My goal is to go foe PSIA Adative Alpine certification and ski a different resort be it Tahoe or steamboat or some other.

Well, talk to y'all later. Dianna

It's okay, I understand the price thing. It makes me mad, I haven't gotten around to getting my regular Level 1 PSIA cert (it's a 3 day test and the resort pays for Level 2 and 3 but not Level 1 and it's about $300) and I make $10 an hour or so, more if I have returns and private requests and more kids in my class, etc. Meanwhile Vail Resorts (who own Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, etc.) charge $710 a day for regular privates! Grrrrr.

But at the same time I grew up in Avon the town down valley from Beaver Creek (we're usually clumped together with Vail since we're about 10 miles west). Once you get past the ritzy la de da tourists at the base the mountain is AMAZING though. The terrain is great, it's not crowded, the snow is usually pretty good. Regular lift tickets are expensive, $100, but almost every resort in Colorado is the same (Breckenridge for example is about 100 times more crowded and $10 less). There's also a deal through adaptive for first timers to BC that's 3 days for $200 a day I think.

If you do make it out to BC I'd love to ski with you for free (and I'd even hook you up at with my half price lift ticket coupons if you want- I never have anyone to give them to since as a local everyone I know has some sort of season pass). I totally understand if you go the Steamboat route, it's a really great mountain with a great adaptive program and that's a great deal! I just love Beaver Creek as my home mountain and love to share how awesome it is!

I do have my cognitive/visual impairment PSIA adaptive cert as I usually work with kids with Downs or autism rather than SCI or other mobility impairments. I kind of found a loophole about getting the adaptive cert before level 1, which Beaver Creek requires. I went to high school with the adaptive coordinator ha ha. Which adaptive cert would you go for? The test is pretty straightforward and I have all the take home stuff filled out if you need any help! I want to get my mono/bi-ski and 3/4 track cert in adaptive as well as my children's cert (even though I'm in the 7-14 year old program and technically the kid's cert is for the people in the 3-6 year old program). Before I got sick I was in the middle of working on my snowboarding adaptive cert so I could do crossover with my kids. I'm going to see what I can do around that if I don't regain any sensation in both legs enough to stand again!

I'm really excited to meet someone who's into adaptive skiing. It's great you've been to different mountains, that's my one big fault, I stick the the main Colorado 5, and really don't ski much outside Vail and Beaver Creek, just because my family lives there and I can go home to my bed and have a free employee pass. If you do go to Steamboat, I might try to make it up there myself!

[dianna318]

OK, First my adaptive cert. As a volunteer at USARC at Big Bear, Ca I mainly work with cognitive kids or assist with an adult as I can't always help an adult get up. But my first Adaptive would be in 3/4 tracking.

Lift tickets; Yeah regular lift tickets can get expensive. A regular lift ticket at Mammoth is $92.00. That's why I take advantage of going with the UNRECABLES of DSUSA as Mammoth comps our 3 day lift tickets and we share condos so is about $50-60 a night. My Home Resort is a small resort in Wrightwood Ca. Mt High and there 8hr is $55. I rent a room there from a friend for the season and can be in one of the parking lots in less than 10 min.And then, like you said, home to my own comfy bed. Have you ever seen that AT&T commercial with the 2 guys in the lift and then 1 guy ends up throwing the other guys phone? The was at MT High. I was there the day before the shoot, saw them setting everything up.


As far as skiing Co. Mt High season ends around the end of April. I am am think of leaving Ca in mid April so I can take and go home threw Co. to hit a resort or two on my home. It would be do able and a lot of fun to hit Steamboat and then drop down to Beaver and ski with you!!! The discount lift ticket would be great also! I get free tickets for volunteering and never have anyone to give them to either. I am also happy and glad to meet new people into adaptive skiing and feel it would be a pleasure and honor to ski with you!

So keep us up on with whats going on and we'll keep in touch to try and hook up for a ski session !!!

Hugs, Dianna

Edited by dianna318, 18 August 2011 - 11:29 PM.

[Pete Anderson]

I just got back to this site, due to Winter is fast approaching. I damaged my lower spine from a hang gliding wreck on 7-7-7. I have Cauda Equina Syndrome (I had an epidural hematoma very low on my spine) I fractured L3 thru L5, and a number of other fractures. But the hematoma was the issue that damaged my lower nerve bundle. I can walk with braces. I've tried to ski with just using AB equipment and no braces. But after skiing all my life and realizing how unstable I am, I went to the sit ski option, which I really love. No pain, discomfort. I am very stable in the sit ski. This allows me to take jumps, ski powder, go fast, etc. I could four track ski, but I am really too agressive for that.

Utah has a lot to offer for disabled skiiers as its typically half price for the skier and helper.

Just my thoughts.

Pete

[Joel.H]

dianna318, on 05 August 2011 - 08:26 PM, said:

Incomplete Spinal Injury Skiing - Any Others Out There?

Hey are fellow skiers! I am an incomplete L3-4-5. I stand up ski an snowboard with outriggers. I just started snow sports 2 yrs ago and have become fairly competent on both skis and board. This season I am also going to learn sit ski as I hope it will be less painful on my back and legs. But as long as I can I will do stand up ski/board. I always board powder as I always end up catching a tip on skis and the way I broke hips, that pull it just to painful. I belong the Unrecables, the L.A. chapter of DSUSA. They have a monthly trip to Mammoth and Mammoth comps us are 3 day lift tickets. These trips I mostly ski with sitskiers and AB volunteers, who are FANTASTIC! I also volunteer at USARC in Big Bear and my home resort is Mt High in Wrightwood, Ca

But i put this up to see if there are any other stand up skiers on here? And what you have to do to stand ski? Already planning for this winter! My legs are weak so I have stops in my leg braces. They go low but not quite enough. I have do go to the very edge of the drop on the lift to get on easier. I am try something new this winter. My own contraption. Lower stops to protect ACL and heavy springs attacked to the sides. Hoping the tension from springs will give support,relieve some fatigue and assist with lift when my legs flex to low. So I wear leg braces, back brace, crash pants, wrist braces and knee pads when I board. And ALWAYS a helmet! If any other stand up skiers out there what do yo do?

Dianna

Tags: Incomplete Spinal Injury Skiing - Outriggers - Snowboarding

Hi!

My name is Joel and I love skiing. Im incomplete Th4 and im a "good" walker. This is my first winter after accident and I would really like to ski. Do you think i can stand up and ski? Do you use ordinary equipment or something special? If you have a video whne you stand up ski I would really like to see that:)

Joel