Category: Trip Reflections

I am blind and joined NESFL in 2018. When I attended my first Craftsbury trip an learned how to cross-country ski, I had little idea of the world that awaited me on and off the trails. This community and the experiences we share have only become more precious to me over time. I have always believed that it’s better to show than tell whenever possible, so please indulge me in a very useful internet cliche. Chances are that you have at least a few of these scenarios lurking in your past or future adventures with us, and of course, they only scratch the surface.

You know you’re hooked on NESFL when:

• As a former downhill skier, you drop into cross-country tracks for the first time and go as fast as you want; utter freedom and no trees to run into!
• You breeze down a steep hill without a hitch and don’t believe your guide when they tell you it’s the same one you fell most of the way down yesterday.
• You feel like you’re running on empty, but your guide knows better and sparks the last burst of willpower you need to climb that big hill, cross that tricky stream, or reach that crashing waterfall together.
• You and your guide get so lost in conversation about anecdotes or common interests that you stop needing and receiving orientation information and just sync up.
• You might only see some friends on trips once a year, but you can pick right back up where you left off last time.
• You can’t imagine having any more fun on the coming trip than in the carpool taking you there because your fellow passengers are so interesting and entertaining.
• Normally a late riser on vacations, you don’t mind the 14-hour days you spend eating and being outdoors with your NESFL friends.
• NESFL is the biggest group in your phone contacts, and you keep in touch with the majority.
• You discover an above-average number of crazy coincidences between you and new acquaintances–obscure shared interests, a childhood spent on the same street a generation apart, or a mutual connection you never suspected.
• You participate in the best jam sessions and singalongs in the world, and you know “country Roads” better than you should, including harmony parts.
• You meet someone staying in your venue who isn’t part of NESFL but asks what you’re doing there, and before you know it, they want to guide, too.
• You are reprimanded about quiet hours because you’ve been too busy chatting or playing nocturnal card games to pay attention to the time.
• You find out you’ve gained a lot of weight after getting home from a trip–more likely to be good food than extra muscle.
• You expand your outdoor exercise locally, nationally, and maybe even internationally, but always feel indebted to New England, where your favorite sport and some of your richest lifelong friendships took root.

As a complete beginner, my first skiing experience at Craftsbury was both challenging and deeply rewarding.  Coming in with no prior exposure to skiing, I was initially uncertain.
However, the organizers ensured a seamless and thoughtfully coordinated trip from transportation to programming (allowing me to focus entirely on learning and enjoying the experience).

Skiing proved to be far more demanding than I anticipated, requiring not only physical endurance but also adaptability to weather conditions and precise technique.  Unlike running, which I have long been comfortable with, skiing pushed me outside my comfort zone and required a greater level of trust, communication, and balance.

I quickly learned that falls can happen from every direction from 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock which really showed me how challenging and patient my volunteers were/are.  Luckily, my Garmin watch wasn’t tracking those early attempts while I was figuring out how to get up the hill and come to a complete stop on the way down.  It was also a humbling moment when I watched a group of young kids fly up a hill and make a sharp 90-degree turn at a speed I could barely process with my limited vision.  It definitely made me feel my age a bit!

What stood out most were the volunteers.  Their patience, encouragement, and willingness to spend hours guiding me through each step of the learning process made a lasting impression.  Through my conversations with volunteers at the trip, I came to understand that their motivation stems from witnessing the growth and progress of participants, which in turn inspired me to reflect on my own competitiveness and personal development.  I joked that my best move was the “sit” command which is the command for falling in the soft snow!

Equally meaningful was the strong sense of community.  I felt respected, included, and constantly supported in an environment where no one was left behind.  The camaraderie among participants and volunteers alike created a welcoming and engaging atmosphere that elevated the entire experience.

Although I do not have opportunities to ski in Queens, New York, I would gladly return to Craftsbury.  The friendships, support, and genuine sense of belonging I experienced made this one of the most memorable and impactful trips I have had with any organization! 

I recently enjoyed my first NERSFL recreational trip. I joined about 44 other sighted and visually impaired adults from several states up in the cold and snowy northern Vermont town of Craftsbury at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center for 4 days and 3 nights of incredible fun.

Beginning with the convenient travel arrangements to get to our destination, I could tell this was a well organized extended weekend of activities created by caring and dedicated volunteers! Who would think that even a van ride with 7 other Vision Impaired Participants (VIP’S) could be fun? But, it was!

The Outdoor Center facilities were fabulous, and once oriented to my surroundings, I felt comfortable exploring all three floors of the Cedar Lodge dormitory building. Although our meals were all held in a different building, the sighted guides always escorted us over to our meals efficiently and helpfully. They couldn’t have made meal times any easier to enjoy. And the food itself, produced from as many Vermont made products as possible, was terrific. One evening, though, when I asked a woman to assist me over to dinner, it was only when I was halfway there that I discovered that she wasn’t a part of the group I was there with! She was part of another group that was there to ski, as well. Good news, though! She did a fabulous job of being a sighted guide; did it willingly; and safely reunited me with the NERSFL folks I intended to eat with. Oh, sometimes being blind can be exciting! And, this wasn’t even the skiing part.

For me, this was my first cross country skiing in 20 years. My last trip was with the Outdoor Enrichment Program run by the Carroll Center for the Blind. On this NERSFL trip, I began tentatively, but soon discovered that every guide on this trip was well trained and a very experienced skier. With clearly communicated instructions, I was soon out on a variety of beautifully maintained and groomed ski trails through the woods and fields. There was even a track set on the long lake adjoining the Outdoor Center property where gliding and building a rhythm was easily accomplished by skiers of all abilities.

All I know was that I was one very tired, but contented, skier at the end of each of the three days we skied! If it was as enjoyable by the guides as it was for the other VIP’s and me, then I’d say it was a totally win/win event. Since guides came from several different states to help make this trip possible for people like me, I have to believe they get as much out of the experience as the VIP’s they work with.

Thank you so much to everyone involved with the NERSFL organization, as well as for Ski For Light International. For people with little or no sight, the chance to participate in athletic activities is a vitally important part of feeling truly alive. We all need these opportunities to feel good about what we can accomplish, and the guides certainly did their very best to make that possible for every participant on the January 2015 trip to Craftsbury. I am totally hooked, and plan to be back for the next trip to Craftsbury! Thank you, NERSFL!

February 22 – March 2, 2014

This was my first time attending the International Ski for Light event but it certainly will not be the last. It was truly a fun as well as inspiring week. The event was very well organized and jam-packed with skiing related as well as non-skiing events. The SFL volunteers who put on this event are a truly dedicated and hard-working group

To provide some pertinent statistics: There were 121 guides, almost evenly divided among males (60) and females (61). Of these guides, 30 were first year guides and 10 second year guides. Guides and participants came from all over the United States as well as several foreign countries

Prior to the event, I had already made contact with a number of the Washington guides and participants, many from the Puget Sound SFL chapter, and travelled on the same flight to Anchorage with many of them. One of the guides, Dede Chinlund, was also my roommate. Becoming friends with so many guides and participants at International SFL has certainly paved the way for my continued involvement in Puget Sound SFL activities – hiking as well as skiing!

For me, as a first year attendee, the week started on Saturday night with a dinner with fellow first and second year guides as well as the guide and participant trainers. On Sunday, we broke into groups of 6 trainees, each with a seasoned guide and participant who spent the entire day on the trails with us. While I did not end up with super-trainer Dave Fisk as my guide trainer, the trainers in my group, guide John Elliott and participant Marie Pacini, were excellent. By the afternoon I was much less apprehensive about guiding. Almost daily guide meetings at either the beginning or end of each day where we received additional advice and could ask questions based on our guiding experience also helped a great deal. The participants arrived on Sunday and our skiing started on Monday. I was paired with a participant, Deng Kong, who is also the president of the Puget Sound SFL chapter. She was also an accomplished skier with a great attitude – all of which helped to put me at ease as her guide.

Despite the rather meager amount of snow, superb grooming each night and temperatures which stayed between 15 and 25 degrees made for good skiing until Thursday, when the temperature zoomed up to the mid 40’s and left the trails, by late afternoon, a slushy mess. Overnight freezing resulted in un-skiable terrain, so we were unable to have the usual last day races, the so-called “Olav Pedersen Race and Rally”. But with such a resilient group, we just accepted that fact and still had the opening ceremonies followed by lunch. The week proved to be much more than skiing. There were several special interest presentations in the 5:15 to 6:15 PM timeframe each night, some related to skiing, many not, such as “Get the Picture: What an iPhone Camera Can do for Blind Users”, “Waxing Techniques”, “Massage and Stretching After Exercise”, “Sea Kayaking Trips in Prince William Sound”, and “Information Session on Guide Dogs”. Each night after dinner there was some type of entertainment, often dancing to either a band or a DJ (this group seems to love dancing). One night we were entertained by a local folk singer and another night we were on our own. Some went on a horse-drawn sled ride. Others, including myself, elected to go to a local bar where they were having an open mike night. Several people from the SFL group participated. Yes there is great talent among SFLers!

On the last Saturday, usually a ski day, we instead saw the ceremonial start to the Iditarod, which started a couple of blocks from our hotel. Snow was trucked in and placed on 4th Ave and that is where the dogs started out this 11 mile ceremonial ride. What made it especially fun, aside from seeing 71 teams of 12 dogs each, all eager to get running, was that each sled sold a seat on the sled to anyone willing to put up $2000. SFL paid for such a seat on one of the sleds and then raffled off the seat, effectively turning it into a fund-raiser for SFL. The SFLer who won the raffle, Ingrid O’Connor, gave us a very detailed and captivating account of her ride that evening at dinner.

For me it was a week of learning to be a better x-country ski guide and an opportunity to make many new friends, aside from just plain having fun. And I came home impressed with the infectious enthusiasm and energy shown by my fellow SFLers. What a group!

By Nancy Brown

January 2013

The New England Regional Ski For Light (NERSFL) Craftsbury trip which took place in Craftsbury Common Vermont was my first experience as a guide with NERSFL. It was a lot of fun, and I definitely want to do it again.

For anyone, visually-impaired or sighted, who is new to NERSFL, the Craftsbury trip is ideal.

Craftsbury has many advantages for skiing, snow shoeing and lodging. (Prior to this trip, I had skied there many times and stayed overnight a couple of times.) It is the largest cross-country ski area in Vermont, if not all of New England, and yet one of the least crowded. They have snow when no one else does (I’m looking at you, 2012 ski season), and, in a good ski season (like this year), the superb snow and immaculate grooming make it a lot easier and safer for snow shoeing, skiing and guiding. The dormitory is right on the ski trails, so different groups can come and go on their own schedule. The common room could easily accommodate this year’s large turnout (about 40 of us). If I were looking for something to whine about, it’s that the dining hall is in a separate building, so you have to walk outdoors for maybe 5 minutes. The food is well worth the walk. And they are perfectly happy to accommodate special dietary needs, with advance notice. The people who work at Craftsbury are consistently helpful and great to deal with.

The other big factor in my recommending this trip is the NERSFL group itself. Blind and sighted people work together in organizing the trip, training new ski & snow shoe guides.

A lot of people have been with the group for many years, but, as a first-timer, I felt really welcome. What I’ve been telling my friends about the trip is that it’s like any ski trip, but the people are a lot friendlier.

The meals and evenings were animated by lively (loud) conversation(s). If you have ever attended an extended family gathering of Jewish or Italian folks, it’s kind of like that. And people look out for each other. On the second day, I switched from skiing to snowshoeing, and someone who saw me getting ready to go out insisted on lending me her gaiters. On the last day, as I was starting to drive home (with my visually-impaired passengers), and somehow chose to drive into a ski trail, rather than the driveway, a bunch of folks (blind and sighted participants and one of the Craftsbury staff) helped me get my car out of the snowbank in short order.

I had very little contact with blind people before this trip. I knew a few things, like offering my arm as a guide when walking. And, many many years ago, I saw the movie “Butterflies are Free,” and, although I couldn’t tell you anything about what the movie was about or who was in it, the one thing I can remember is that the sighted person said “steps,” and the blind guy asked “up or down?” On this trip, even before I got to Craftsbury, I learned from my blind passengers, at our roadside stops, to say whether a door opens from the left or the right.

For anyone who is considering becoming a ski or snow shoe guide, I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys skiing or snow shoeing and who likes people. It is not particularly difficult, but it does require a couple of hours of training. (The national Ski For Light organization has an excellent training manual, and the NERSFL folks, sighted and visually-impaired alike, have a lot of beneficial experience to share, and, even after the well-organized training, we went out in groups, which was a great way to gradually give us more responsibility. You do have to be an advanced skier to guide visually impaired skiers. The primary skills you need are more mental than physical: communication and perception.

The communication skills, which you can learn in an hour of training, are to speak consistently, clearly, accurately, and concisely. For example, one of the first things you are taught is to use standard language for turning left vs. stepping sideways to the left. Also, there is specific language for an emergency stop vs. just wait a second here while I check the map. And, of course, you ask the blind skier what’s most important to them.

The perception skills, which I found myself learning gradually while serving as a guide skier, are both to observe the skier (so that you can detect and correct when s/he is going off course) and to observe the characteristics of the trail: straight or curved, flat or up or down, if on a hill how steep, how reliable are the tracks, are there bumps or obstacles or other “trail anomalies”, trail-edge characteristics (e.g., tree, ditch). This may sound overwhelming, but, I should say, the great majority of the time, the trail characteristics were: flat or gentle hills, straight or gentle curves, perfect tracks, pristine snow, no obstacles, no one else on the trail. (This is typical of Craftsbury in mid-winter; your trail characteristics may vary.)

In snowshoeing, I was less concerned about steep hills (I’d still describe them, of course, but it wasn’t as though the snowshoers were in danger of accelerating out of control) and more concerned with trail-edge characteristics (because the “trail” was really just two snowshoe-widths of packed-down snow). The most common trail-edge characteristics were trees, although, even there, I made a distinction for evergreen trees, which, for some reason, I chose to describe as “soft trees.”

It occurs to me that, as a sighted person, well not to gloat about it, but I am constantly absorbing a tremendous amount of visual information, and, without thinking about it, organizing it. As a guide, my job is to prioritize, condense, and verbalize that information, preferably in somewhat fewer than 1000 words. To some extent, this applies to guiding even when away from the skiing environment. For example, awareness of “trail-edge characteristics” would have been useful in guiding visually-impaired participants through a crowded retail store landscape on the way to Craftsbury.

I always enjoy skiing at Craftsbury, and on this trip I enjoyed learning to be a ski and snow shoe guide and, come to think of it, this was also my first time snowshoeing at Craftsbury – but I also really enjoyed the evenings. Some people went to the sauna or to watch the NFL playoffs in the TV room, but most people hung out in the common room. I learned and forgot dozens of names. I did pretty well at the auction and raffle on Saturday night, but skipped Sunday’s Scrabble and card games so I could get a good night’s sleep before driving home.

All in all, a memorable and rewarding experience.

By Lew Lasher

August 7-9, 2009

It was a sunny and warm August Friday afternoon that found me en-route to the Riverside MBTA station to meet up with my carpool to Bethlehem NH for a NERSFL weekend of hiking, kayaking and general fun. With a forecast more or less devoid of rain and a large group of fellow outdoor enthusiasts (close to 20 NERSFL members and almost that many Adaptive Sports Partners friends) to join me, I had high expectations for the trip. . . and I was definitely not disappointed.

Kathy and Victor, our hosts at the Wayside Inn in Bethlehem New Hampshire provided clean spacious rooms with decks overlooking a babbling brook, delicious breakfasts and a homey living room in which we could relax during the evening. These accommodations were a real ‘find’ and NERSFL will certainly stay at the Wayside again.

In coordination with our friends from Adaptive Sports Partners, we divided into 2 groups on Saturday for an ‘easy’ hike and a more challenging hike. Both options provided ample scenery and diversity of terrain to please us all. Sunday found us again divided into 2 groups for kayaking: one group paddled on Moore Reservoir at Perkins Landing while the other made what sometimes felt like a mad dash down a 7-mile stretch of the Pemigewassett River (Thornton to West Campton). One thing we all did together was eat! Our Adaptive Sports Partners friends hosted a wonderful barbecue on Saturday night. It was great fun to eat (and drink!) outdoors. What could be better than delicious food eaten al fresco?

It would be hard to think of anything that could improve on this weekend and I look forward to having another great summer NERSFL weekend trip in 2010.

by Cindy Wentz

August 3-5, 2012

NERSFL’s summer trip highlighted staying at the Royalty Inn in Gorham, NH, renewing friendships, playing cards poolside, and of course, dining together. A warm welcome to Sharon Ferris, our newest guide. Eighteen adventurers from four different states participated. On Saturday everyone hiked. Two groups were designated based on how vigorously each person wished to hike. The trail was cool and shady without roots and rocks. Before leaving, Sunday, many browsed or shopped at the quaint country store across from the hotel

by Shelley Wine

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A beautiful sunny August weekend greeted us on the summer New Hampshire hiking trip, attended by 12 VIPs and 10 guides (including one who joined us upon learning from a friend that guides were needed for a safe and successful hike).

The Saturday hike departed from the Dollycop campground with an ascent of part of the Great Gulf Notch trail, then a portion of the Great Gulf Links Trail complete with a swaying walk on the wooden suspension bridge over the Peabody River. The trail presented challenges to many due to the rocky and rooty terrain underfoot but talented guides and hard-hiking VIP’s worked together to enjoy a three hour long trip. Some ended their excursion with an icy and refreshing plunge into the swimming hole at the side of the Peabody River where we joined Dollycop campers including a reluctant Husky.

For much-needed sleep and repast, we enjoyed the hospitality of The Royalty Inn in Gorham. Saturday dinner at the Inn included Italian specialties, luscious banana pie and a chocolate birthday cake (with a Happy Birthday sing-along for Abby)

Dinner was followed by conversation poolside and games of Hearts.

We began Sunday morning devouring stacks of blueberry pancakes. Some then enjoyed a refreshing walk on the Pine Mountain trail while others splashed in the outdoor pool at the Inn. A third group purchased knick-knacks and fudge at the Scoggins General Store across the street from the Inn. Jalapeno, rum raisin, rocky road, and vanilla were the favorites.

We want to be sure to send our healing thoughts and prayers to Michael one of our intrepid guides, who was in a car accident on his way home, with mild injuries, thankfully.

by Jennifer Harnish

March 2-4, 2012
A First Timer’s Perspective

Over the first weekend of March 2012 I had the opportunity to attend my first ever New England Regional Ski for Light event and it was an absolute delight.

The group of skiers, snow shoeing enthusiasts and guides from all over the Northeast gathered on Friday evening at the Wayside Inn in Bethlehem, NH for the first of what would be several scrumptious, energy and calorie rich meals that would sustain us through two days of fantastic skiing and snow shoeing.

Honestly, as a newcomer to my regional Ski for Light organization and to the pursuit of Nordic skiing I was a little apprehensive about meeting other skiers and figuring out how things worked. My apprehension, however, soon proved to be wasted mental energy as I was embraced, encouraged, supported and befriended by all who were present. I had the privilege of meeting an enthusiastic and diverse group of folks that had all come together with one common purpose and that was to have a terrific weekend of skiing and snow shoeing and that is exactly what we did.

Bright and early Saturday morning, introductions were made, event schedule and guidelines were reviewed and the most exciting part, skier and guide pairings were announced. Breakfast was spent getting to know each other a little more and then we were off to begin our adventure.

The weather started out a little sketchy with an interesting mix of precipitation ranging from cold rain and fog to sleet, then snow and that was just on the drive from Bethlehem to Bear Notch Ski Touring Center. Upon our arrival at Bear Notch the precipitation settled into a steady pelting of icy snow that bounced off heads and backs and presented us with what was optimistically described as “a character building experience”. So as a group we collectively mustered a little faith and a lot of guts, clipped into our bindings and headed out onto the trails.

Our faith and courage soon paid off as shortly after leaving the center the storm cleared, the sun came out and the kinder, gentler side of Mother Nature revealed itself all around us.

Bear Notch offered a wide variety of terrain for skiers and snow shoeing of all abilities from gentle winding paths through the forest and along a river to steeper more challenging trails and even a loop down into Bartlett Village and back along an old rail bed. No matter which trails you chose the conditions were pleasing to all.

After our first exhausting and exhilarating day of skiing and snow shoeing we reconvened at the inn and gathered for yet another fabulous meal with good company and conversation.

Some of us hit the hay early on Saturday night in preparation for another day on the snow, while others took part in an epic, long into the evening Scrabble game.

Sunday morning meeting heralded new skier / guide pairings and plans for yet another terrific day of skiing and snow shoeing at Bear Notch. Trails had been newly groomed over night and conditions were reported to be even better than the previous day.

The Sunday morning meal brought even more great camaraderie, conversation and blueberry pancakes. If you were in attendance, you know all about the blueberry pancakes and nothing more needs to be said. If you were not present, consider attending the next NERSFL Wayside Inn event if for no other reason than to experience the life altering blueberry pancakes.

Another phenomenal day on the trails began under sunny skies and the newly paired skiers and guides headed out for yet another challenging adventure of mind, body and spirit.

As a newcomer to the sport of Nordic skiing, my experiences had been pretty much limited to the green and blue trails and practicing techniques like diagonal stride, sprinting up hill in the tracks, snowplow, double poling and getting back up after falling down. So when my guide, Donna Patterson casually mentioned that we could ski down into Bartlett Village with only a short section of trail rated in the BLACK category, I bolstered my confidence and said, “Sure Donna that would be fun”. All the while thinking to my self, “OMG, how will I ever survive this”. Then fate intervened and presented me with that little extra kick in the butt I needed to get the job done. At the trail intersection where we picked up the black diamond run down to the village we encounter a skier coming up that trail who took one look at my “BLIND SKIER” bib and immediately took the liberty of judging the proverbial book by its cover. “Oh no, you don’t want to taker her down there” he repeated emphatically to Donna, “it’s really steep and fast, I don’t think it’s a good idea to taker her on that trail”. Well, say no more, my mind was made up once and for all. Even if I had to slide down the steep parts on my butt, I was going for it, because after all, here was this total stranger assuming that I was somehow less capable based solely on the fact that I was visually impaired. So off we went and between Donna’s superior guiding and my renewed self confidence we ROCKED the “steep and fast” part of the trail. What an absolute thrill.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and Sunday afternoon the group dispersed and headed back to our respective homes, families and work. However, I am confident that I speak for all who attended when I say we made that journey home riding a natural high born out of personal achievement, a spirit of adventure, a strong sense of accomplishment, new skills learned and many new friends made. I can NOT wait for the next NERSFL event!

By Heather Berg Colchester, VT