{"id":803224,"date":"2020-01-19T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-20T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=373070"},"modified":"2020-01-19T18:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-01-20T01:00:00","slug":"explore-summit-adaptive-skiing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/explore-summit-adaptive-skiing\/","title":{"rendered":"Explore Summit: Adaptive Skiing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.7030995106036\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-373070-173\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/IMG_2287-150x150.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/IMG_2287-1024x768.jpeg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Kristin Ryder | Burke Ryder surrounded by his teammates from Team Breckenridge Sports Club. \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Burke Ryder surrounded by his teammates from Team Breckenridge Sports Club. <\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Kristin Ryder<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/IMG_2287-1024x768.jpeg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Burke Ryder surrounded by his teammates from Team Breckenridge Sports Club. \"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/IMG_4619-150x150.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/IMG_4619-1004x1024.jpeg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Kristin Ryder | Burke Ryder enjoying a day on the slopes in his sit-ski. \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Burke Ryder enjoying a day on the slopes in his sit-ski. <\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Kristin Ryder<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/IMG_4619-1004x1024.jpeg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Burke Ryder enjoying a day on the slopes in his sit-ski. \"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/181206jk-boec-031-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/181206jk-boec-031-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Joe Kusumoto courtesy The Hartford | A pair of adaptive skiers on the slopes. \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>A pair of adaptive skiers on the slopes. <\/strong><br \/>Joe Kusumoto courtesy The Hartford<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/181206jk-boec-031-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"A pair of adaptive skiers on the slopes. \"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/20171209IMG_1162-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/20171209IMG_1162-1-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Ryan Wiegman \/ Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center | An adaptive skier takes a lesson through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>An adaptive skier takes a lesson through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. <\/strong><br \/>Ryan Wiegman \/ Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/20171209IMG_1162-1-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"An adaptive skier takes a lesson through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. \"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/Ski-Spec-2017-136-edit_preview-1-150x150.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/Ski-Spec-2017-136-edit_preview-1-1024x683.jpeg\" data-sub-html=\"Amanda Patton courtesy of The Hartford | \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong><\/strong><br \/>Amanda Patton courtesy of The Hartford<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/Ski-Spec-2017-136-edit_preview-1-1024x683.jpeg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/fullsizeoutput_1b36f-150x150.jpeg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/fullsizeoutput_1b36f-1024x683.jpeg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy Elaine Collins via Breckenridge Outdoor Recreation Center | A young adaptive skier takes a lesson through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. \" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>A young adaptive skier takes a lesson through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. <\/strong><br \/>Courtesy Elaine Collins via Breckenridge Outdoor Recreation Center<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/10\/fullsizeoutput_1b36f-1024x683.jpeg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"A young adaptive skier takes a lesson through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. \"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/explore-summit-adaptive-skiing\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/explore-summit-adaptive-skiing\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Winter sports are a way of life in Summit County.<\/p>\n<p>Each year, visitors from around the globe come to Colorado\u2019s Western Slope to take in the mountain views and majestic blankets of snow drifting down over the peaks. They make their way to the backcountry to snowshoe, to the parks to Nordic ski and, of course, to the area\u2019s world-class resorts for a day full of skiing and snowboarding.<\/p>\n<p>But nobody should be left out of the fun, and the area offers plenty of opportunities for individuals with disabilities to get up on the slopes. Whether it\u2019s someone looking to learn adaptive snowsports for the first time or somebody looking to take their performance to the next level, Summit County has programs to get them there.<\/p>\n<p>For people with physical or cognitive disabilities, the ability to get out on the mountain can be life-changing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Finding a Way to Thrive<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s so liberating just to be able to be outside and be around others with similar or different disabilities,\u201d said Kristin Ryder, whose son Burke recently started adaptive skiing. \u201cIt\u2019s so invigorating for everyone. The smiles on the faces of these kids when they\u2019re going down the slopes, or get going fast in their chairs, is so empowering. It\u2019s so worthwhile. I know what it\u2019s given my family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Burke Ryder is 15 years old, and skiing has always been a big part of his life. He participated as a member of Team Breckenridge Sports Club until 2017, when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his legs \u2014 a type of bone cancer.<\/p>\n<p>Knowing his days as an able-bodied skier were over, Burke and his family began looking into options to get him back on skis. They discovered Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. With the center\u2019s help, Burke jumped into adaptive bi-skiing for the first time.<\/p>\n<p>Burke\u2019s condition continued to worsen, though. In 2019, his left leg was amputated. While going through surgeries, chemotherapy and more, it was the knowledge that he would soon return to the slopes that helped to keep him going.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s been through a lot,\u201d Ryder said. \u201cHe\u2019s had 14 surgeries, two years of intense chemo and he\u2019s lost a leg. It was so much. So being able to have a light at the end of the tunnel in skiing was huge.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Burke continued his journey into adaptive sports with sit-skiing, and Ryder has lauded the experience for her son and entire family.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen he first did it, it was an amazing experience because his whole ski team was around him and skied runs with him,\u201d Ryder said. \u201cAnd it allows for that freedom you don\u2019t get as somebody stuck in the hospital or disabled in some way. It\u2019s being able to go as fast as you want. It\u2019s being able to do something for yourself again and to have control.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt also allowed him to look into the future and say \u2018I want to ski in Steamboat, and there\u2019s an adaptive program in Austria I want to try.\u2019 He can look to the future and dream big about what he can do next. \u2026 It means everything for us. It\u2019s amazing to have your whole family back on the slopes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ryder said Burke is still going through chemotherapy treatments but hopes to be finished by the end of December and plans to continue to sign up for ski lessons whenever he can.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Giving It a Try<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Not everybody has the same story as Burke, but people with all kinds of disabilities can find ways to recreate here in Summit County. The Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, the county\u2019s largest provider of adaptive sports opportunities, offers a wide range of activities, including skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. The center also offers a variety of options during summer months.<\/p>\n<p>The nonprofit works primarily with Keystone Resort and Breckenridge Ski Resort, providing discounted equipment rentals, lift tickets and lessons for beginner and experienced adaptive athletes. The center, which first began providing adaptive opportunities in the early 1980s, has grown to provide more than 3,000 lessons a year \u2014 taking on groups from organizations and hospitals as well as individuals looking to give it a try while they\u2019re in the area.<\/p>\n<p>Jeff Inouye, director of the center\u2019s adaptive ski program, said adaptive sports are constantly evolving and growing in popularity, opening the door for more people to try it out.<\/p>\n<p>The growth in popularity in adaptive sports can in part be attributed to its improved visibility in recent years, with adaptive athletes performing on big stages like the X Games and Dew Tour. New and improved technology in the area has also made a difference.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the cool things with adaptive skiing is there\u2019s constantly newer and better adaptive equipment being invented,\u201d Inouye said. \u201cAnd not only in the actual equipment, but there\u2019s also been unbelievable developments in things like prosthetics that are allowing folks with disabilities to do more. \u2026 When I first started, there were two mono-skis you could choose from. Now there are 10 or 12 different types you can choose from. So the advancements have opened new doors and opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Inouye said the center\u2019s program works with people to help determine what type of equipment and activities they are best suited for based on their personal goals and safety \u2014 if an individual has their mind set on something specific, the group will work to make it happen \u2014 and provide hands-on training with paid staff and trained volunteers. Lessons are either half or full day, and include the price of equipment rental and a lift ticket for a significant discount. The center also gives out about $100,000 in financial aid and scholarships for groups and individuals each year, and offers specific military scholarships for service veterans.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone is encouraged to reach out to them and set up a lesson. The center works with individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities, including things like blindness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s one of the cool things that we do because every person here is different,\u201d Inouye said. \u201cEvery person has a different sort of disability and learns a different way. That\u2019s what keeps us really on our toes and interested in what we\u2019re doing. \u2026 The big thing that all our programs are trying to do is just get out there and let people know there are options out there. There are people that don\u2019t even know things like this are an option for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pursuing Excellence<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Options are out there and definitely worth pursuing for anyone interested in getting back on the ski hill. But for individuals hoping to develop their skills and show them off on the world stage, it helps to get some tips from people who\u2019ve been there.<\/p>\n<p>Another one of the county\u2019s best resources for people with disabilities is Adaptive Action Sports, a nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by Daniel Gale and Amy Purdy.<\/p>\n<p>Purdy grew up as a big-time snowboarder, but at 19 years old, she was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis, a bacterial infection that required her legs to be amputated below the knee. She says her love for riding helped to carry her through adversity and allowed her to become an example for people with disabilities to show what\u2019s possible with a lot of hard work.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Purdy is one of the premier adaptive snowboarders in the world, taking home medals in snowboard cross in the last two Paralympic Games in Sochi and Pyeongchang. But perhaps her most shining achievement is the founding of Adaptive Action Sports, which focuses on creating some of the best adaptive athletes in the world.<\/p>\n<p>The nonprofit focuses primarily on snowboarders \u2014 a largely nonexistent adaptive sport before Purdy got involved \u2014 providing expert training for new and experienced boarders.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re open to working with anybody who wants to come up and snowboard,\u201d Purdy said. \u201cWe have a handful of athletes that have made it to the Paralympic level that are trained to teach as well. Whenever somebody is in town, we team them up with a Paralympian who can take them out and teach them the ropes. \u2026 But if somebody wants to take it further, we have a pipeline to the Paralympic Games.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Purdy said Adaptive Action Sports helped to train eight of the 13 individuals on the U.S. Snowboard Team for the Pyeongchang games, who combined for six Paralympic medals.<\/p>\n<p>But ultimately it doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s someone\u2019s first adventure into adaptive sports or they\u2019re training for the gold. Summit County has a lot to offer for anybody hoping to get out and play.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think that if you\u2019re passionate about something, the possibilities are endless,\u201d Purdy said. \u201cWe\u2019re just here to help them find a way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>This story was originally published in the winter 2020 edition of Explore Summit.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/explore-summit-adaptive-skiing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Summit Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Burke Ryder surrounded by his teammates from Team Breckenridge Sports Club. Courtesy Kristin Ryder Burke Ryder enjoying a day on the slopes in his sit-ski. Courtesy Kristin Ryder A pair of adaptive skiers on the slopes. Joe Kusumoto courtesy The Hartford An adaptive skier takes a lesson through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. Ryan Wiegman [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-803224","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-07-25 08:28:35","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSMT The Mountain","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=803224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803224\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=803224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=803224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=803224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}