Never saw this before, pretty cool - Snowboarding Forum

slyder · 02-06-2011, 09:03 AM

Ok,

In all my years as a kid to current. I have never seen anything like this, I know it's not a huge deal when you read it but tons of us were talking on the lifts, thought it was way cool.

Yesterday our hill had a group of blind skiers. Themselves and their guides were all wearing high viz orange vests. I didn't get a chance to talk with any of them, wish I did. Since I ride a lot of single lifts many of us were talking about seeing them. NOT one negative comment, one guy said several of them were strong riders. I'm not sure if they were totally blind or legally, not that that even matters. I just thought this was super cool.

Not sure I would have the courage to try this but it was great to see them out there.

Bones · 02-06-2011, 10:07 AM

A couple of hills around here do lessons for blind skiing and sit skiing. I was pretty impressed with the blind skiers, some of them were really ripping it up. I don't know if I'd have the courage to go their speed with a visual impairment.

That said, the ones that blow me away are the sit skiers. Holy crap is that hard work! And then, at the Paralymics, they're hitting the same snow-course as the able-bodied Olympic atheletes, jumps and all!

crazyface · 02-06-2011, 12:17 PM

I see blind skiiers on my hill a couple times a month actually. They all seem to be quite good and always under control.

BurtonAvenger · 02-06-2011, 12:53 PM

I'm trying to get a blind skier bib so I can go hit one of the jumps in the park and scream "I can't feel the ground" and film peoples reactions from the chair lift. Other than that blind skiers are something I see daily.

kysnowboarder · 02-06-2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurtonAvenger

I'm trying to get a blind skier bib so I can go hit one of the jumps in the park and scream "I can't feel the ground" and film peoples reactions from the chair lift. Other than that blind skiers are something I see daily.

Nice..

At Telluride last year I saw a group of blind skiers are Telluride, it was pretty cool. I had no idea that they had programs like this. I talked to one of the guides and they said that that they were all legally blind, but not completely blind if that makes sense. They can detect objects on the mountain, but may not be able to make out what the object is.

If I had a disablity like that I couldn't even imagine trying to snowboard. Amazing!

02-06-2011, 09:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
slyder Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Milwaukee Suburbs Posts: 1,927	Never saw this before, pretty cool Ok, In all my years as a kid to current. I have never seen anything like this, I know it's not a huge deal when you read it but tons of us were talking on the lifts, thought it was way cool. Yesterday our hill had a group of blind skiers. Themselves and their guides were all wearing high viz orange vests. I didn't get a chance to talk with any of them, wish I did. Since I ride a lot of single lifts many of us were talking about seeing them. NOT one negative comment, one guy said several of them were strong riders. I'm not sure if they were totally blind or legally, not that that even matters. I just thought this was super cool. Not sure I would have the courage to try this but it was great to see them out there. __________________ Thanks -Slyder

02-06-2011, 12:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
BurtonAvenger Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mountains Posts: 8,058	I'm trying to get a blind skier bib so I can go hit one of the jumps in the park and scream "I can't feel the ground" and film peoples reactions from the chair lift. Other than that blind skiers are something I see daily. __________________ Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!

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02-06-2011, 10:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
Bones Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 826	A couple of hills around here do lessons for blind skiing and sit skiing. I was pretty impressed with the blind skiers, some of them were really ripping it up. I don't know if I'd have the courage to go their speed with a visual impairment. That said, the ones that blow me away are the sit skiers. Holy crap is that hard work! And then, at the Paralymics, they're hitting the same snow-course as the able-bodied Olympic atheletes, jumps and all!

02-06-2011, 12:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
crazyface Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: PA Posts: 648	I see blind skiiers on my hill a couple times a month actually. They all seem to be quite good and always under control.