Adaptive snow sport programs at ski areas throughout New York State make winter sports accessible to people of all abilities. Programs offer adaptive skiing instruction, equipment rental or loan, and lots of support.
Adaptive snow sport programs at ski areas throughout New York State make winter sports accessible to people of all abilities. Programs offer adaptive skiing instruction, equipment rental or loan, and lots of support.
Adaptive skiing uses specialized equipment and/or training to allow people with disabilities to experience the benefits of skiing. Skiing and snowboarding provide a sense of freedom that is difficult to duplicate in other sports. Skiing is a fantastic sport for people with physical disabilities or visual impairments in that it helps to develop balance, fitness and confidence.
As the 2025 ski season comes to a close, a couple of skiers from the Rochester area shared their experiences with adaptive skiing.
Latrice Person, a Pittsford resident who receives services from CP Rochester, tried out skiing for the first time this year and has gone almost every other weekend this winter since. She uses a sit ski which allows her to enjoy the fun of skiing while another skier guides her.
“You’re in this big chair. They strap your legs and your torso up and then they put your helmet on,” said Latrice.
Latrice says she sits on the sit ski while on the chair lift and when it’s time to go down the slopes, the person behind the sit ski turns the ski to make sure they get down safely, while still managing to have a good time.
“It feels like you’re flying! You do the slopes and you’re doing tricks and stuff. Turns like this, left and right and then turn around. It’s fun!” she says.
Latrice loves sports and had been wanting to try something new when she found out about skiing. She says she used to play power soccer, but it’s since been discontinued at her program.
“I think that it’s very important for people to try new things because if you don’t, you don’t know what you can do and what you can accomplish,” Latrice says.
She says her friends can’t believe she can ski and it’s cool to be able to show them that she can. What she likes most about taking part in sports like this is being able to express her anger through the sport by turning it into something positive.
Abigail Riggins, a Webster resident who is visually impaired, takes part in adaptive skiing too. She skis with guidance from volunteers telling her whether to turn or stop based on the terrain and who else was on the slope. She started out needing more hands-on assistance but now skis independently with only directions from her walkie talkie.
“It’s so liberating and freeing. It’s the best feeling ever,” says Abigail.
Abigail has been skiing since she was 12 years old when she was introduced to it at Camp Abilities in the Adirondacks.
“There was snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, and then at the end, there was a surprise, and they brought us to a ski resort,” she said.
Originally, Abigail was told she wouldn’t be able to ski when an organization offering the sport for students came to her middle school.
“I was very hurt by that, and I was like I’m going to prove this guy wrong. So those were two of the big things that really pushed me,” she said.
Abigail later sought out Swain Resort’s adaptable skiing program and now primarily goes there to ski. When she first learned to ski at Camp Abilities, they taught her the basics and had her ski down the hill holding poles with instructors on either side of her to guide her where she needed to go. Transitioning to skiing without guides at her sides was a little nerve-racking at first for Abigail.
“I was terrified. What if I hit a tree or I fall?” she said. “I haven’t hit a tree thankfully. I have had many wipe outs. But it’s such a liberating thing as someone with disabilities, you feel so limited by having to rely on other people for so many things, which isn’t always a bad thing of course, but you like to strive towards that independence and being free as much as possible.”
And over time, she has become more comfortable with skiing.
“I can ski independently now. It’s nice because he can still ski behind me. We’re both free but I know I’m safe and I’ll have those verbal guides,” she says.
And what Abigail loved most about the sport is its versatility. Unlike goal ball or other sports that were tailored to those with visual impairments, skiing is something anyone can take part in.
“It was one of the first sports where I felt like I could truly enjoy it alongside other people of different abilities,” she said. “It was for lack of a better word, a ‘regular’ sport that I could do that was just like my other friends. And even though I have to rely on people for my safety, I do have control over the skis. I can stop or I can speed up if I want to.”
Like Latrice, Abigail encourages people to try new things despite whatever challenges they or others believe stand in their way.
“Don’t let the limitations and expectations of other people become a barrier to challenging yourself and taking good risks, because who knows what you’ll find when you defy their expectations,” she said. “If I had listened to that guy, I never would have continued with skiing. Never limit yourself.”
Latrice is a 29-year-old resident of Pittsford and a participant of CP Rochester, a program dedicated to supporting people of all abilities to lead rewarding lives. She enjoys shopping and talking with her friends. Latrice is also a member of the advocacy group HandiCapable.
Abigail is a 21-year-old Webster resident and LeMoyne College student. She’s currently studying human resource management with a minor in creative writing. Abigail hopes to get out to Whiteface Mountain to go skiing next year and her goal is to someday ski at Steamboat Mountain in Colorado. Beyond school and skiing, Abigail writes and sings songs for her musical duo, Shades.