By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
It would take a bold skier to traverse down a hill blindfolded, but imagine that freedom for people who are blind.
‘I’ve never driven a car, but it’s the next best thing,? Karen Burke said. ‘I get a lot of people who come up to me and say, ‘wow, how can you do that?? But it’s a lot of fun. You’ve got so much freedom, freedom to move in a different way other than walking.?
Burke, of Royal Oak, skis with Optical Illusions The Michigan Blind Skiers Association, a local nonprofit organization that pairs trained skiing guides with skiers who are blind.
Being such a unique organization, Optical Illusions draws skiers and guides from all over Michigan.
One such volunteer is Lake Orion Dragon’s Youth Football coach Greg Gilbert, of Oxford, who wrapped his face in an array of warmth last Sunday, the day of the week Optical Illusions occupies Pine Knob Ski Resort in Independence Township.
Currently 18 skiers with vision disabilities are sweeping down the hills, relying strictly on sound cues for direction.
‘It’s really a humbling experience,? Gilbert said. ‘All of us people who can see, take it for granted. It’s just amazing the amount of courage these people have coming out here and skiing. I’ve had to learn to put myself in their shoes.?
Most skiers are un-tethered and on their own, skiing a few feet in front of the guides who are calling out directions from behind. Both skiers and guides wear orange vests to alert other skiers and snowboarders on the hill to be conscientious and not to separate the pairing.
Left, right, stop, go straight, 90 degree turn’any of these commands will be yelled out continuously to safely direct the skier down the slope and back to the chairlift.
Not only was Gilbert trained to safely and successfully guide blind skiers down Pine Knob’s finest, he is also trained to teach new skiers how to ski, from putting on the equipment to making turns down the hill.
‘You have to be aware of 360 degrees around you, of others skiers, of telling them left or right, if people are coming in, because there are a lot of crashes out here so you have to be careful,? Gilbert said.
Professional Ski Instructor of America (PSIA) trainer Scott Talcott is in charge of training all of the Optical Illusions guides. Talcott has been guiding for 30 years, and training other guides for 12, and couldn’t count how many skiers he has gotten down the hills safely.
Optical Illusions recruited two PSIA trainers, who must renew their certification every two years.
‘We want the guides to talk to the skiers and the skiers to talk to the guides because we do run into problems when you get icy conditions out there. The ice makes it really loud,? Talcott said. ‘It’s a lot of work but it’s a lot of fun.?
For both parties.
‘It is really fun, I like skiing. It’s not really hard,? Karl Adam, an Oakland University philosophy student, said. He has been skiing with Optical Illusions for the last several years. Adam is one of the faster skiers of the team, and skied with Gilbert last Sunday.
‘The harder thing sometimes is if the snow is really noisy the poor guides have to yell, and going into the wind I have to ski with my head sideways which makes the form not quite as perfect, but it’s necessary,? he said. ‘You just have to pay attention and do what they say because not doing so would be kind of dumb.?
Adam’s mother, Brumhilde Adam, is the president of Optical Illusions.
‘There’s a level of self-confidence that comes from being able to do this because they are really doing it independently,? she said. ‘It’s not like someone is leading you, pulling you or shoving you. This has got that element of freedom, and an element of speed.?
Optical Illusions has been in operation since 1977, and Pine Knob has sponsored the nonprofit the entire time.
With free lift passes and free rental equipment, any and all guides and skiers are encouraged to join. Guides must be intermediate, stable skiers, and will be trained alongside other instructors on the hill.
Optical Illusions is always looking for more volunteers to guide. After enlisting seven more skiers this year, volunteer guides are in high demand.
If interested, call Brumhilde Adam at?248-790-8065’or Talcott at?248-421-5700. Volunteers meet at?8:30 a.m. Sundays, except March 6-8, and the program lasts until?1 p.m.’from January until the snow is un-skiable.