Mount Zion adds adaptive ski equipment

IRONWOOD — Mount Zion ski hill has expanded its opportunities this winter to those who need adaptive equipment to ski.

The Gogebic Community College Board approved an $8,000 purchase of two adaptive sit-skis that will allow paraplegic and quadriplegic individuals to ski at Mount Zion.

The college purchased two sit skis — one for an adult from 140 to 250 pounds, and the other for a child from 50 to 140 pounds.

The college’s ski area management director, Jim Vanderspoel, said the idea of the purchase grew from a request of a parent of an Ironwood Area Schools student. Many of Mount Zion’s skiers come as part of programs from local schools.

“We’ve never denied access, but we’ve never been geared up to handle the handicapped,” said Vanderspoel. “Now we have the capability of providing the equipment and instruction for anyone that wants to request this.”

Vanderspoel said the equipment will be shared with GCC’s ski management program at the Porcupine Mountain ski hill.

Vanderspoel said a paraplegic with use of upper body could start with outriggers on the sit-ski, but move to outriggers on ski poles.

Quadriplegic skiers would use a guide service — someone else skiing with them.

Sit-ski users will have to allow for extra time before getting started.

“They have to be custom-fit,” said Vanderspoel. “When the individual comes in, it takes about 20 minutes to a half hour to fit the adaptive equipment to them, so it’s secure, it’s safe, it fits properly.”

The idea of a safe and proper fit is the same with conventional ski equipment, but with the adaptive equipment, “It’s just a little bit longer time-frame,” he said.

Vanderspoel has been trained to fit and teach skiers to use the equipment. Beginning at mid-semester, he’ll begin training GCC ski instructors, “going to go through the process for adaptive equipment.”

Vanderspoel said they’re also “gearing up for blind skiers.”

Mount Zion has 13,000 ski visits a year, mostly from school programs with Ironwood, Hurley and All-Saints Academy.

Vanderspoel said he has been talking with the Wakefield-Marenisco School about joining the program. He added that the Tiny Tots Program for those younger than the traditional school programs is “booming” and will go to two days a week.

Vanderspoel said Mount Zion hopes to open in mid-December and looks to close in early March.

The college is starting its sixth year managing the ski hill at the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park. “That’s going very well,” he said.

Vanderspoel has been with the college for 38 years, 11 of those as director of SAM program. He said the program has 14 freshmen and 13 sophomores this year, which is less than normal, but up from recent years. “It’s starting to pick up,” he said.