I admit it - I am a wimp. I really prefer to ski when everything is perfect! Sunday, February 6, 2011 fit the bill. It was warm and sunny - about 40 degrees in the afternoon. Gone was the rain, fog, ice, and cold of earlier weeks. Could this be a hint of spring? Anyway, the snow was great. Soft and plentiful. 16 trails were open, 6 lifts, and the tubing and terrain parks were well utilized. It was pretty crowded, but not bad, and the lines moved smoothly. This was Superbowl Sunday, but there was little sign of people leaving before five. Besides, there were ways to watch the Superbowl with friends at the Tavern, if you wanted to leave the beautiful snow for it.
Every sun day is Superbowl Sunday for the tubers! Photo provided by Charles Sneiderman.

Liberty always stages creative events, and they are publicizing their Eighties Weekend Feb 11 to 13. Guests are invited to dress 80’s style, and join the prom, d.j, a snow tubing party, and lots of other events. My comfortable old boots would fit right in!

On a more serious side, I always like to pay attention to adaptive ski and snowboard lessons, because it is so wonderful to open snowsports to everyone. This weekend there were a large number of students with disabilities, sponsored by Easter Seals. Matt Ernst, Director of Easter Seals Recreation in Central Pennsylvania, tells us there were 22 disabled skiers with a variety of ailments. My friends and neighbors, Trippie, Tom, and David Penland, give a constant series of lessons, from early morning until the afternoon. The lessons require skill, patience, and quite a bit of strength, especially when tethering a skier on a sit-ski device.
Tom, Dave, and Trippi Penland devote their weekends to adaptive instruction for Blue Ridge Adaptive Sports. Photo provided by Charles Sneiderman.

All of these classes are run by volunteers, and tax free donations keep them going. Most of the groups are run by the Blue Ridge Adaptive Snow Sports (BRASS). On February 11, classes will be held at Liberty by Baltimore Area Recreational Sports. There are also upcoming meetings at Whitetail for the Special Olympics, and Liberty hosts its Wounded Warrior Weekend March 5 and 6.
Easy Rider and his sidekicks Jim Zsinga and Mike McGregor go to the top. Photo provided by Charles Sneiderman.

So there are plenty of ways to donate and help out, even if you are just a couch potato. It’s nice to give everyone a chance to play in the snow!