I was injured almost a year ago and diagnosed as T6 complete paraplegic. I am planning to go back to the slopes soon but I need some information, reviews, tips (for travelling and what should i take with me) of the best accessible resorts and hotels as well as ski schools in Europe.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hey, Welcome to SnowHeads.
You may find these helpful if you haven't found them already
@As2309, Also, look at www.ski2freedom.com There is a lot of info there about accessible possibilities.
I teach disabled/adaptive skiing in Zillertal, Austria.
Where I am based, in Hochfügen, the ski pistes are accessible - across the car park from the hotels. For those who want to stay somewhere with more nightlife, then it is possible to drive right up to the edge of the piste.
If you have specific questions, please ask. (I could write pages and pages of dos/don'ts etc. which may or may not be relevant to you!)
Even if you're not sure if you want to ski here, or not. I'm happy to answer your questions!
Here at the eastern end of Tyrol the best area a sitskier friend has found over the past few years is the Steinplatte at Waidring. Up till now we have always used the gondola to get up to the snow but after that everything is chairlifts, also over to the Winklmoosalm on the German side of the border.
Last season we also discovered the Maiskogel area at Kaprun where you can drive right up to the snow. It is a smallish area with only two chairlifts (sadly being replaced by gondolas after this season) but was fun.
My friend also skis regularly at La Plagne and has been to Les Arcs. His opinion is (I think) that the French resorts often tend to be better organised for sitskiers than those here in Austria.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Oxygene Ski School in Plagne Centre is very well know for disability skiing. They do lots of development work with Tessier (http://www.dualski.com/en/) and have several highly skilled instructors. Oxygene have some apartments that have been adapted to make life easier, if you can go outside of peak weeks I think they can make some interesting proposals. Good luck with your journey back to the snow.
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Thank you all for the usefull information! I think La Plagne looks a good place to return back to skiing
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I’m a T7 complete Paraplegic, I would to start with La Plagne in France and stay at Terranova Hotel, can ski straight out the Hotel and back to the door. The disabled rooms are great and is fine for me. They have baths as opposed to showers which is fine for me, big bathroom and toilet combined. Loads of room in the Twin bedroom.
If you want to hire a Sitski and or get instruction Oxygene is brilliant, I would advise though to go for a MonoSki not DualSki, I’ve skied and owned both and found the Dualski a lot harder to control than the MonoSki. I’m fairly sure though Oxygene at La Plagne only have DualSki’s so if you want to go down the MonoSki route I would advise to ask in advance if they can supply a MonoSki.
I also ski in Les Arcs, France the Hotel La Foret there is the best I’ve stayed which is also ski/in ski/out but not sure about getting instruction and equipment. http://youtube.com/v/iI5mn2lTgGU
As espri said Austria is pretty good but you’d need to be an fairly independent sitskier with your own equipment.
If you want to go to Austria SaraJ would be a good start.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Thu 23-11-17 21:19; edited 1 time in total
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you want to go to Austria SaraJ would be a good start.
Thanks for the mention, @NickRno77,
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Austria is pretty good
Yes
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but you’d need to be an fairly independent sitskier with your own equipment
No... I have taught and skied with people in Austria who are not especially independent and who don't have their own equipment. Of course it helps - but these factors would help wherever you go.
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I would advise though to go for a MonoSki not DualSki, I’ve skied and owned both and found the Dualski a lot harder to control than the MonoSki.
Monoskis and dualskis are suitable for different people for different reasons. What suits one person with a particular level of injury/disability and fitness would be totally unsuitable for someone with a different set of circumstances. @NickRno77, has tried both and decided that he likes the monoski. For anyone else reading this who is unsure my advice would be to find out as much as you can about both, find an instructor who knows both pieces of equipment who can give you an assessment of suitability and then, if possible, try both and see which you prefer.
@As2309, Have fun in La Plagne! I hope your return to skiing is successful
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
[quote="SaraJ"]
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but you’d need to be an fairly independent sitskier with your own equipment
No... I have taught and skied with people in Austria who are not especially independent and who don't have their own equipment. Of course it helps - but these factors would help wherever you go.
Quote:
I would advise though to go for a MonoSki not DualSki, I’ve skied and owned both and found the Dualski a lot harder to control than the MonoSki.
Monoskis and dualskis are suitable for different people for different reasons. What suits one person with a particular level of injury/disability and fitness would be totally unsuitable for someone with a different set of circumstances. @NickRno77, has tried both and decided that he likes the monoski. For anyone else reading this who is unsure my advice would be to find out as much as you can about both, find an instructor who knows both pieces of equipment who can give you an assessment of suitability and then, if possible, try both and see which you prefer.
@As2309, Have fun in La Plagne! I hope your return to skiing is successful
Sara, regarding Austria I was referring to what espri (Eric) over the east side of the Tirol I haven’t seen any equipment to hire or instructors so maybe difficult ski at a resort like Fieberbrunn, Zell, Kaprun, Steinplatte etc.
I’ve gone from Mono to Dual and Back to Mono so doesn’t that tell you something about high level Paraplegic’s. MonoSki is good for everyone, DualSki is good for some so if You want to play safe Mono is the way to go.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@NickRno77, Like I said, you prefer to monoski (in France) in your specific situation. I'm just pointing out that there are other options and possibilities for people with a different set of needs and wishes.
I'm glad that you're happy with your monoski now and I'm glad that you have somewhere that you enjoy skiing. I presume that you have some trips planned this season... I hope you have fun!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I’ve skied in Austria (with Eric) every season including 2018 since I took it up 3 years ago😂
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@SaraJ, is there any website for Zillertal where I can find more information about the disabled persons facfilities etc?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@As2309, There isn't one website for Zillertal with information about facilities. If you can tell me specifically what you would like to know then I can point you in the right direction.
One fantastic development this season is the new gondola at Spieljoch, which is the ski area above Fügen in Zillertal. The gondola stations have lifts, the cabins are large enough to easily take a wheelchair, there are disabled toilets in the gondola station and you go straight out of the door onto the snow. I went to have a look yesterday and was very impressed!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
