Oregon Program Helps 125 Students With Disabilities Ski

This winter's thin snow coverage hasn't stopped students with disabilities from carving down Mt. Bachelor's slopes, thanks to a program that turns obstacles into opportunities.

Oregon Adaptive Sports runs Ski for Life, a program that partners with Central Oregon schools to give students with disabilities the chance to ski and snowboard. Over 125 youth participate each season, receiving three to four lessons with specially trained instructors and adaptive equipment.

The program relies on more than 300 winter volunteers, with up to a third working directly on the mountain. They receive specific training to help students with varying needs, from basic guidance to operating specialized equipment. Each lesson can cost up to $300 per student, but families pay just $35 at most.

Pat Addabbo, executive director of Oregon Adaptive Sports, says his team "can make a lot of magic out of a very small amount of snow." This season's low snowfall brought operational challenges, including rescheduled training sessions and a few canceled lessons. But the program has run at nearly full capacity throughout January at both Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo Ski Area.

The program partners with over a dozen schools across Central Oregon. Each month, schools bus groups of up to 16 students to the mountain for their lessons. Funding comes from the ski areas, program donors, and the schools themselves.

The Ripple Effect

Sean Corson teaches adaptive physical education at Ridgeview High and volunteers with Oregon Adaptive Sports. He sees skiing as more than just recreation. "As an adapted PE teacher, I feel like we haven't met our mark until these students have at least two to three lifetime activities picked out that they can independently access," he said.

The program opens doors to independence and confidence that extend far beyond the slopes. Students who might never have considered winter sports now have a pathway to lifelong activities they can enjoy on their own terms.

Clear roads from the low snow have actually made one thing easier: transportation. Getting students with disabilities to the mountain is often the biggest hurdle, and this season's dry conditions have smoothed that challenge.

Meanwhile, students are watching the forecast and hoping for more snow before their turn on the mountain arrives.