Adaptive Skiing & Equipment

3-Track and 4-Track Skis

3-track and 4-track skiers have the ability to stand, and are capable of skiing on regular skis. Instead of ski poles, students use outriggers for balance. Outriggers are handheld crutches with skis at the end.

Who skis 3-track or 4-track? Skiers who have a single leg amputation, polio, or balance difficulties.

Visually Impaired Skier

Skiers with visual impairments ski with a volunteer guide. The Unrecables provides the team with a two way radio system for communication, as well as brightly colored bibs for identification.

Mono Skier

The mono-ski is a chair-like device mounted on one ski, and is about 18 inches off of the snow. A high performance device, the mono-ski can be used on almost all of the trails on the mountain. Because of the higher sitting position, higher functioning students can load and un-load from the chair-lift unassisted. The Unrecables has mono-skis for students to use on club trips, available on a first come first serve basis.

Who uses a mono-ski? Skiers with lower spinal cord injuries or disabilities that do not have a serious effect on trunk control, upper body movement, or upper body control.

Bi Skier

The bi-ski is a chair-like device mounted on two skis, and is about 4 inches off of the snow. This device be used in several ways:

1. An instructor can hold on to the back of the bi-ski, completely controlling the student's ride down the mountain.

2. An instructor, skiing behind the student, can tilt and turn the ski by pulling on two ropes attached to it. The student, leaning from side to side, assists with turns and their duration. Fixed outriggers attached to the bi-ski prevent it from tipping over.

3. With short hand-held outriggers, the student has full control of the bi-ski, controlling both its speed and its direction. An instructor, skiing behind the student, can pull on two ropes attached to act as a brake if the student should run into any problems.

Students using a bi-ski will need an instructor and an assistant (boot loader) to load on and off of the chair-lift. The Unrecables has bi-skis for students to use on club trips, first come first serve and dependant on the availability of instructors and volunteers.

Who uses a bi-ski? Skiers with high spinal cord injuries or disabilities that have more extensive limitations on upper body movement or control.