6th annual Blind Ski Day held at Palisades Tahoe

KMAX, KOVR, CNN

By Brady Halbleib

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    OLYMPIC VALLEY, California (KOVR/KMAX) — Buckling boots, strapping in and gliding down the mountain is a rush skiers and snowboarders love. But for a few people at Palisades Tahoe on Thursday, it wasn’t just about the thrill. It was about trust, bravery and something you can’t see but feel.

Thursday marked the 6th annual Blind Ski Day at Palisades Tahoe.

It was Robert Edwards’ second time skiing. Like most other skiers, he was eager to learn and get better, but he has to do it without sight.

“I never skied before I was blind,” he said. “I can’t describe the feeling. It’s just amazing.”

Paired with a guide from Achieve Tahoe, Edwards was one of six skiers from Sacramento’s Society for the Blind taking part in Blind Ski Day.

Ophthalmologist Dr. Christian Serdahl helps lead the program and said that the returning skiers have their own unique ways of getting down the mountain.

Some rely on verbal cues from guides, while others use a pole for support.

“Spending a day with these folks, they’re no different than you and I,” Dr. Serdahl said. “They just need a little extra help to get up here. Once they get up here, they have a great time.”

It’s moments like that – helping someone experience snow for the very first time – that keep Dr. Serdahl coming back.

“A lot of the people we bring up here have never even touched snow before,” he said. “Then, you see the look on their faces. It’s incredibly uplifting.”

It’s a reminder that skiing takes courage for anyone. But for those doing it without sight, it takes a little more.

“You can all do it, we can all do it. Come have fun, it’s absolutely amazing. I wouldn’t pass it up,” Edwards said.

Dr. Serdahl says the program has been so successful over the past six years that he hopes he can expand the program in the future.

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