European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 13, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse New York times Hen she is skiing across a windswept and dazzling Field Al hard Wick Al Dobby Hoover says inc things she notices most Are the sounds Snow that squeaks crunches or hums like a Telephone line the constant Barking of a nearby dog the shouts of other skiers this is such a tar relic place to ski said Hoover a 32-year-old computer Programmer from Harrisburg a you can hear or Hoover is Blind but like the four other Blind and visually impaired adults at Camp a Panackia on a recent weekend she can ski with the Aid of trained guides. The Camp m northeastern Vermont about 40 Miles from the Canadian Border. Is dedicated to teaching Blind children and adults and is owned by the Mew York Institute or special education in the Bronx now in its 50th year in operates primarily in summer. But Kris and Joe Ingram who run it began the Cross country skiing program in 1983, at the request of adult a Panackia alumni they said we want to learn to ski and you re going to Leach us " Ingram recalled. I said. Eek but Joe thought it was the skiers Ere paired Wilh sighted guides who Lead them Over Miles of carefully groomed trails. Tracks made in Advance by a machine help the skiers slay on course. The guides ski a Cal to their partners giving a running commentary on the Trail it goes Uphill a Little tiers now it curves to the left and directions tips right Bend your Knees now a Little Felt you want Good descriptive phrases from the said Hoover but you Don t want to know too much when a guide says of my god look at thai Hill you tend to got a Little nervous. Sometimes it s better not to know she and the other Blind skiers at Camp agreed that going downhill is hardest because they cannot judge the steepness of the Grade. But they said Hills Oiler the most challenges and the most fun. It s like said Richaid Linders 30, of Lindenhurst. By. You re standing St Iii but you re moving. You reel the air Rushing by you. You Feol so free " Linders a Carpenter lost his sight six years ago As a result of diabetes. He keeps fit through weight training and playing Beeper Ball a variation of of Bali the bait and bases arc equipped with beepers. He recently began running. Two years ago he Bald a Girlfriend Gol him interested in skiing. Like Hoover Linden s Learned the sport at a clinic run by ski for Light a nationwide program Lor Blind skiers based in Minneapolis. Now he owns his equipment a fashionable ski outfit knickers High socks ski sweater and Parka. He said any Cross country recreational area Wilh groomed trails is suitable but the hard Par is finding the Ingrams train their guides in a three Day clinic each Winter at which among other things candidates briefly so blindfolded. Some of the guides like Heather Aronson a High school student Are local residents. Others like Warren Smith of North Scituate r.i., Are College students who work at the Camp in summer and come up on Winter weekends. Smith said his parents worked there years ago and thought the experience would be Good Lor him. This summer will be his eighth at the Camp. Guides and skiers stay at the Vermont House a Small Lodge accommodating 20 people. Rooms Are simply furnished guests make their own Beds and do other household chores. Meals Are cooked by the guides and served family style. The Cost is $60 per guest a night including room and Board Lor the guest and guide a guide ibs use of equipment and transportation to and irom the Airport or bus station. Many guests Ingram said Are adults who attended the Camp As children they Lell me they Leel like they grew up Here and this is Home she said. Others like Linders began skiing before coming to Japan act. But some like Linda Kirk 37, a youth employment Counselor in port Jefferson n.y., were giving the Camp and the sport their first try. I knew Cross country skiing was available and i kept saying that sometime in my life i would Fry it said Kirk. This year i said of the Heck with just saying i la try it and Here i she said that being Blind made her Ither lond of sure footing but that she she found her Lime on the Trail very satisfying. I got a lot of practice in standing up she said laughing and i found out that falling in t too bad. I knew that was something i d have to the skiers who succeed Ingram said often spend hours on the trails and exhaust the guides. The big Sofce around Here is that they could ski All night but when it gets dark it s the guides who have to new York Tun i Pron Richard under left who lost a sight to Yoan ago it pm county with a guide Alt ton Wec Fater. Paget4 the stars and stripes by Leah Larkin features editor r Anko Perko v comes from Pri Moslen Yugoslavia a resort on the Adriatic with Sunshine beaches and coastal forests of Pine. Now he lives High above the tree line in a French Alpine Village that s covered with Snow at least seven months of the year. Instead of the sea his windows open to overpowering views of mountains. The business of travel and hotels took him from his native country 19 years ago. He worked in different countries picked up several languages Gol involved with ski resorts. A few years ago he decided to build a Hole and Nellle in Val Thorens a ski area which is part of France s famous three valleys the a Cal Lew years this will be the most Beautiful ski area in the world Perkov says. 1 there will be new lists and mors slopes. We will double our ski terrain. Then the three valleys will be equal to All of he pauses then concedes t Well maybe there will be a Tew Kilometres difference whether the three valleys will equal Colorado is not really an Issue. This vast network of ski terrain 300 Miles of slopes is the most extensive ski area in the world and considered by Many to be the Best. Perkov who is also director of Val Thorens Tours a company which organizes ski holidays to the area. Is not Alona in his enthusiasm Lor the Thiee valleys newest and highest 7,545 Leet resort. For a ski instructor Val Thorens is very interesting says Jean Lou Eberhart a 28-year-old Frenchman who is one of the area s top instructors. What makes it special Are its Altitude and Snow he said. The Quality of Snow a High elevations is Superior Light and Fluffy the stuff that powder skiers dream of. It s easier to ski Good Snow so there s toss fatigue. We Don t have so Many problems with accidents he says. Eberhart is also a Mountain guide and experienced Mountain climber. He specializes in off piste skiing leading groups Down unpacked unmarked slopes in search of uni racked Snow and adventure. For this Val Thorens is Ideal. The ski school offers 40 different Day Tours As Well As longer More strenuous trips and Glacier Tours he says. The three valleys tour skiing from Val Thorens to the other resorts in the area Mendel Cour Chevel and los my quires is especially popular ii lakes a Lull Day and covers irom 18 to 25 Miles of terrain. There Are different mules some requiring less skill than others so even so
