My experience as a blind, first-time skier in Colorado
In February 2024, I took a ski trip to Colorado. The weather was not too hot, but not too cold either. There was a nice, gentle breeze, and the sun was shining down.
Image: Hannah, wearing her skis, a helmet, and goggles, is holding her poles at the base of a slope. She is wearing an orange vest that says "blind skier."
When I went skiing, I worked with two instructors who had experience working with people who were blind and low vision. They taught me how to position my skis the correct way. For example, Kailey, the female instructor, told me to spread my ankles, like "putting schmere on a bagel." The hill that we skied down was very short. The less experience you have, the smaller the hill will be, but as you become more proficient at skiing, the instructors will let you practice on bigger hills.
Image: Hannah during a lesson with her instructors.
Image: Hannah learning to ski with instructors on either side of her.
Skiing down that slope was very exhilarating, even though the hill was very short. I could feel the wind in my hair, and I felt as though I was sledding. The only difference was that I was standing up while wearing skis at the same time. I also learned how to stop myself while skiing. I would dig the ski poles into the ground or position them far apart from each other. My instructors were very kind, helpful, and caring as well. They accepted me for who I was. They did not act condescending toward me, talk down to me, or use high-pitched voices, as if I were a small child. Some people act that way, and it really frustrates me. Even though I am blind, you can talk to me just like everyone else.
On Friday, the first day that we were skiing, I had to sit down to take a break. There were a lot of slopes to traverse, and it was hard to breathe, because of the high altitude and the thin air. I felt like I was an inconvenience to the volunteers who were helping me, because I was so unaccustomed to the altitude that I kept asking to take so many breaks. But they were very understanding and patient with me, and they didn't mind. We would either sit down on the slope or a bench and drink some water, and then, after a few minutes, we would ski again.
During the second day, though, I got more comfortable. I got used to the altitude, and didn't have to take as many breaks. I just didn't like putting on my ski boots. I always had to jam my feet into them. Not only that, but the bottom of the boot was surrounded by hard plastic, which is supposed to protect your feet from the cold, and prevent water from leaking into your boots. The plastic kept pinching my feet, so much so that I would lose my circulation. That was why I was always excited to take off the boots, because then I would be able to feel my feet, and I would no longer be in pain. After skiing, I would thank my instructors, and hug them. Then, my dad and I would go to the coffee shop. It was always the same routine.
On the last day, I had different instructors. They were really fun to be around. They made me laugh, they were easy to talk to, and they had a lot of energy. They were a married couple. The woman told me about how uncomfortable she felt while putting on her ski boots in the car, and her story made me laugh really hard. She and her husband were the instructors I liked the best. There was just something about them that made it easy for me to get along with them and talk to them. Even though it was their first day volunteering as ski instructors, they made me feel very comfortable on the ski slopes. I held on to them while I was skiing, and I made sure to spread my ankles apart, like the previous instructor had taught me, so I wouldn't fall. I think I did fall at one point, but I got back up again. And I didn't have to take as many breaks, because it was easier for me to breathe.
On Sunday, the day before we left, my dad and I went tubing. I felt a lot safer in the tube, because I didn't have to stand up or worry about falling. It was a lot like sledding, but the tube seemed to fly through the air as we went down the slope. It did go over a lot of bumps in the slope though. That was why I made sure to keep part of my body in the air, so that it wouldn't be subject to all the bumps. We took photos and videos. My dad screamed, and he exaggerated how much fun he was having, because he wanted to make me laugh. Tubing was a lot more fun than skiing, because it was safer, and it bore the most resemblance to sledding, more than skiing did.
Image: Hannah and her dad decked out in winter gear posing with their tubes in front of a beautiful blue sky and mountain background.
We had a lot of good food as well. We went to a restaurant in Silverthorne. It was a food hall. It had all kinds of food—every food that you could think of, and I had a giant burrito. The burrito was so good that I would go back to Colorado just so that I could have another one!!! We also had pancakes, eggs, and sausage from McDonald's. Sometimes, people forget about how delicious McDonald's breakfasts are!
Image: Hannah and her dad having a meal together.
Overall, I had a really good time. I got to hang out with two of my cousins. We stayed in a really nice house. And I even got the opportunity to feel the pile of snow that had built up near the garage. It was so large that you could sit in it like a chair. My trip was so wonderful, and I would love to go back again. Especially for the sledding. And the food!
Hannah is a team member of Day Undefined and has done many reviews that are especially useful for individuals who are blind or have low vision, including apps like Seeing AI and Be My Eyes. She loves going on walks, doing laundry, watching documentaries, and listening to podcasts.