If skiing isn’t your thing, but you love being outdoors, there are many other cool (no pun intended) activities available for you to try.
Adaptive Nordic Skiing or Cross Country Skiing- This activity can be done standing up or sitting down with adaptive equipment. This is a great individual or family activity, not to mention a great workout. Northeast Passage offers instruction and equipment as well as several events with many New England destinations.
Snowmobiling- This is a fun way of taking in that crisp winter air. It is operated by hand controls. There are no foot pedals. Good upper body strength and some hand function are required to drive the snowmobile. If you are unable to operate the snowmobile, you can still be a passenger, just hold on tight!
Ice Climbing- That’s right, I said ice climbing. The Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colorado offers instruction, equipment and trips.
Dog Sledding- Enjoy the breathtaking views as you glide behind a powerful dog team. Trips are adapted based on individual needs of the participants. Check out SPLORE in Salt Lake City.
Sled Hockey- Also known as “sledge hockey,” this sport is similar to standard hockey, but the players play in sit sleds.
Snowshoeing- if you can walk and hike you can snowshoe, all you need is snow. There isn’t a whole lot to snowshoeing. You just strap the snowshoes onto your shoes and start hiking. It might take you a minute or two to get used to them on your feet, but after that you’re golden. There are guided tours that are fairly inexpensive. Rentals are cheap too. You can also go to REI or your local state park to talk with a park ranger on which trails are good.
If you are looking for something accessible on the home front, check out these fun ideas:
• Head for the hills, the sledding hills, there are many types of sleds for under $25 or you can do what I used to in college and use a food tray. Ask around about local favorite sledding hills.
• The Chuck It! Dog Toys make great snowball launchers.
• Take a hike and make it a treasure hunt. I used to have a “Critter Box” when I was a kid and on our hikes I used to find all sorts of things to fill my Critter box from rocks to cool leaves.
No matter what type of activity you choose to try next, just have fun and be safe.
See Related Articles
Learn more about disabled skiers competing for an adaptive skiing title, in Elite Skiers with Disabilities in Powder Competition for World's Best.
See Paralympian Creates Monoskis for People with Disabilities to discover an athlete with a SCI changing the face of adaptive equipment for snow sports.
