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News and Information about the People and Programs of Ski for Light, Inc.
Skiing. Sharing. LearningThe mission of Ski for Light is to enhance the quality of life and independence of visually or mobility-impaired adults through a program of cross-country skiing.
As I write my first message as President, I find myself reflecting on the remarkable resilience of Ski for Light. My first term as President was more than thirty years ago, from 1989 to 1992, yet the spirit of this organization is just as strong today as it was then. What has always made Ski for Light special is not simply the skiing, but the community that forms around it.
For more than five decades, Ski for Light has brought together skiers who are visually or mobility impaired with dedicated guides and volunteers who share a love of cross-country skiing and the outdoors. Together we have created something much larger than an annual event. We have built friendships that span years, even generations, and we have demonstrated again and again what can happen when people work together with enthusiasm, patience, and a sense of adventure.
Our 50th anniversary year has passed. Anniversaries invite us to celebrate the past, but they also encourage us to think about the future. And that is what we must do now. How can we continue to grow? How can we welcome new skiers, guides, and volunteers? How can we ensure that the spirit of Ski for Light continues for the next fifty years?
I would like to encourage all of you to communicate with each other and with me and the Board. Please reach out with your ideas and concerns. Leadership is here to listen. My virtual door is always open so please don't keep those amazing strokes of genius to yourself. I can be emailed at President@sfl.org.
I am honored to serve once again and be part of our continued movement forward. I am grateful for the dedication of our Board, volunteers, and participants, which will make this possible. Ski for Light has always been a community effort, and I look forward to working with all of you as we continue this remarkable journey together.
With some time to take a breath and reflect on the SFL 2026 event I realize how close we came to having a snowless week. Arriving in Denver to see nothing but grass made me appreciate all the preliminary work that went into planning alternative activities. Fortunately, due to the heroic efforts of both Snow Mountain Ranch's groomers and volunteer shovelers from SFL we had wonderful tracks that lasted through the week.
SFL Creativity was evident off the snow where we experimented with an alcohol-free, social themed cowboy night, dispensing tasty mocktails and activities which included riding a mechanical bull and showing off our SFL lariat skills. Creativity continued in the kitchen where Snow Mountain Ranch food services staff prepared some of the best food we have ever had at an event.
SFL skiers and guides experienced the new Camper Hub facility which provided a wonderful environment to relax and have lunch. The grooming staff took advantage of the space around the new building to bring out their heavy track setting equipment for a "Touch-a-Grooming-Machine" opportunity one afternoon.
I'm always amazed by the talent within the SFL community, and this year it was evident both in our talent show and apr?s ski activities, proof that the magic of SFL week is the result of everyone's contribution. This year saw a large percentage of new faces, and I hope those of you first-timers saw a place where you can participate next year.
Thank you all for helping to make SFL 2026 a big success. I look forward to seeing everyone in West Yellowstone next year.
As I reflect on our week together, I'm struck by the magic of the cosmic collisions I experienced and witnessed over and over again. My week was full of beautiful connections, and I'd like to share just a few of the many that started even before arriving.
It first happened as I was driving along at 85 mph through Idaho on my way to Colorado from Oregon. I heard a notification on my phone and saw an email from Michael asking if I'd be willing to pick someone up from the Granby train station Saturday afternoon since I'd be arriving in a car. During a quick rest stop I replied with an enthusiastic yes, which led me to picking up Alan and his amazing guide dog Paulette as they disembarked from the Amtrak. Within the short 15-minute drive to Snow Mountain Ranch we immediately connected on all sorts of fun topics, leading to a week full of deep conversations ranging from blind tech, product design, braille, and snowshoeing with a guide dog.
Then there was the exciting unknown of being paired with a roommate. Since I arrived early for guide training, I had the room to myself Saturday night. Then on Sunday, returning from skiing, my bracelet key fob failed to open the door. I left my kit in the common area of Silver Sage and walked up to Indian Peaks to sort out the issue with the amazing support staff. As I explained the situation and the list was consulted to see who my roommate would be, the tone quickly shifted to enthusiasm: "Oh, you're lucky! You're rooming with Simon!" And nothing could have been more true. We immediately bonded like two British peas in a pod and spent the week having a grand old time sharing stories, hanging out, and building a friendship that transcends global distances.
Sunday evening brought another lovely surprise: the guide-skier pairings. I was told there's some sort of voodoo magic built into the matching process, and the stories held true as James, from Nashville, and I became instant buds after our names were announced. Our week together started off great until disaster struck on the first major downhill right after the five kilometer turnaround. We were descending nicely under full snowplow control when in an instant a ski edge caught, skis went parallel, speed accelerated like a rocket, and we hit a tree, all as I was trying to scream "James, sit!"
I can confidently say there is nothing more petrifying as a guide than seeing your partner careening toward an immovable object at high speed. Luckily, James heard the desperation in my voice, fell over, and skidded into the tree, saving himself from a far worse fate than the impressive goose egg he ended up with on one shin.
As we gathered our strewn kit and walked down the rest of the hill, I remember thinking, "Geez, nice one, Timothy, your first time at SFL, your very first day guiding, you're for sure getting fired!" But James and I had already built a bond, James generously offered me grace, and so we decided to shake it off and phone a friend. We reached out to Nancy and Kris for some expert guidance, specifically from the point of view of one VIP to another. After working through advice on snowplow body position and feel and doing several practice laps on the power line hill, James and I were feeling rejuvenated and ready to continue exploring the trails together.
We spent the rest of the week being smart about where we skied and which hills we walked. We ate meals together and always tried to choose a random table so we could meet new and interesting people. We also roller skated in the Kiva, sweated in the sauna, lassoed hay bale sheep, attended fascinating apr?s ski sessions, and had deep conversations on cushy couches with other new friends in Indian Peaks.
With our shared trust and confidence bolstered by a week together, James signed us up for the ten kilometer race. Starting with race bib number twenty-seven, we made our way around the course, loving the festivities and the beautiful bluebird day, taking our time to walk the hills we knew would be trouble, and cruising the well-formed tracks on the rest of the loop. And as we came back to that notorious hill after the five kilometer hairpin turn-around, we walked down, stopped by the tree, knelt, and took a selfie in proud celebration next to the groomer-scarred bark of the tree that bit us that first Monday morning.
These stories are just the tip of the iceberg. The whole week at Snow Mountain Ranch was full of collisions with exactly the right person at exactly the right moment. Ski For Light is truly a magical collection of cosmic collisions. Our community has transformed me forever.
For those of you who would like to recreate a bit of Western Night at home, Marie Huston is sharing the drink recipes she created for us!
Before turning our attention to the 2027 SFL International event, I want to thank David Fisichella, Melinda Hollands and the planning committee for an outstanding 2026 event. A special "shoutout" is in order to Don Rosenberry and his group of volunteers that shoveled and moved mountains of snow throughout the week to ensure that we had great tracks for skiing at Snow Mountain Ranch.
In January of 2027, we will be making our second visit to the beautiful state of Montana. In case you are curious, our previous visit was in 1989.
The dates for the 2027 event are Sunday, January 17, to Sunday, January 24. We will be based in the charming town of West Yellowstone and skiing on the Rendezvous Trail System. Several members of the 2027 planning committee are already hard at work to ensure that we have another outstanding SFL International week.
It's never too early to prepare for an SFL event, so stay active this spring and summer and look forward to details about the event, including applications, in early August at www.sfl.org. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in West Yellowstone.
Ski for Light, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization managed by an elected Board of Directors. Between meetings of the full Board, the business of the organization is managed by an Executive Committee composed of six Board officers and the Immediate Past President. Unless a vacancy is being filled, Board members serve four-year terms and officers serve two-year terms.
During the recent 2026 International Week event in Granby, Colorado, elections were held for about half of the twenty-five positions comprising the SFL Board. Elected to the Board for their first term of service we welcome: Deni Elliott, Merv Eriksson, Lillian Goodman, Lizzy Park, Louis Peterson, and Marian Wildgruber. Re-elected to the Board for another consecutive term were: Judy Dixon, Marion Elmquist, Lynee Forsyth, Karen Ishibashi, Amy White, and Karen Wood.
We sincerely thank the following members who have rotated off the Board, after providing many years of service to SFL: Krista Erickson, Mike Evelo, Nicole Haley, Marie Huston, Tim McCorcle, and Kevin Whitley.
For officer elections, we welcome a new SFL President, Judy Dixon. David Fisichella moves from his position as Director-at-Large to Vice-President. Melinda Hollands becomes the new Secretary, and Sheri Richardson becomes the new Treasurer. Newly elected Directors-at-Large both serving their first term on the Executive Committee are Donna Paterson and Greg Andrews. Julie Coppens will serve as Immediate Past President. We thank outgoing Executive Committee members Krista Erickson, Nicole Haley, and Tim McCorcle.
Here is the full Board roster for 2026 to 2028.
In 2002 in Granby, Colorado, skiers were offered the opportunity to ski the number of kilometers that matched the number of years SFL had been in existence-in this case, 27. I had only skied once before and 2002 was my husband Bob Hartt's first year at SFL. Bob had skied as a sighted person, so his only task was to learn to listen to and follow his guide, Bob Civiak. But I had to learn all the techniques of skiing, such as diagonal stride, double poll, and the dreaded snowplow.
The Bobs decided to ski the 27k. Not to be outdone, I approached my guide, Tamara Mount, to see if she was willing to ski those 27k with me. She was game to give it a try. We received our bag lunches and planned to make a day of it!
Of course, the two Bobs quickly left us in the dust. Tamara was quite patient with me, matching my slow skiing pace and helping me down the hills I could not snowplow. Tamara and I barely made it back before dark at 5:00 PM. I figured Husband Bob would be plenty worried about me since it was getting late, but no; the Bobs were relaxing with a beer after a great day of skiing!
Why am I telling you all this? Bob and I attended the New England SFL in Craftsbury, Vermont this March. During our first evening meeting, when we all introduced ourselves, whose name did I hear? Tamara Mount! It had been 24 years since we had skied that 27k together back in 2002. It was such fun to catch up and share events of the last 24 years and to show her that my skiing had improved when we skied together that weekend. Tamara's guiding was spot on, even though she hadn't guided much in the last 24 years.
Running into Tamara again after all those years felt like the perfect ending to an adventure that began on those snowy trails in 2002. What started as a daunting 27-kilometer challenge for a novice skier became a memory to be revisited more than two decades later. Sharing the trails with her again in Craftsbury reminded me how much of the SFL experience is not just about skiing, but about the people who guide us and the friendships that endure long after the snow has melted. It was a joy to reconnect, laugh about that long day in Colorado, and glide across the Vermont trails together once more, proof that time may pass, but the bonds formed on the trail remain strong.
Open to all, our mantra is, "Modify, modify, modify." We follow an audio, strength-training workout on Zoom, using a mat and a few dumbbells if you want. The level of the workouts is advanced beginner/intermediate, but since no one is watching, you just do what you can do! Come when you can and join us.
Wednesdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. Pacific/ 6 p.m. Eastern, 45 minutes long.
Email me for Zoom info at MWildgruber@comcast.net.
Ski for Light has been the sponsor of the ParaBirkie, a short course adaptive event we've been supporting and participating in the past four years. Ski for Light sponsorship of the ParaBirkie suffered a disappointment this year, but is still going strong. Starting with the bad news: The American Birkebeiner organization (Birkie for short) decided in December to put the ParaBirkie on hiatus. There were a number of reasons, but long story short, both SFL and the Birkie staff knew the ParaBirkie had potential to be a much better and more meaningful event for the skiers. The necessary changes, though, could not be made in time. The Birkie organization also wanted to survey past ParaBirkie participants to hear what they felt would make the ParaBirkie a destination event for them. A survey has been sent out. If you have been a ParaBirkie skier in the past and you did not receive a survey form, please let me know and I will send it to you.
On the positive side, Ski for Light's ongoing sponsorship of the ParaBirkie is paying big dividends with repeated exposure. The response at the Birkie Expo booth keeps getting better. We came away with more than 30 names and email addresses of prospective guides. It was exciting to see how many folks were seeking out the Ski for Light booth to get more information, after seeing SFL being promoted at Birkie events and hearing positive feedback from friends. As part of the ParaBirkie sponsorship, Ski for Light banners were hung at the Birkie start area and at the famous Main Street, Hayward, Wisconsin, Birkie finish line. Ski for Light is listed as a sponsor on the Birkie website, and a brief summary of what our organization is about is read aloud by the finish line announcers on a rotating basis. This results in up to 14,000 skiers and 40,000 spectators being exposed to Ski for Light!
If you have been thinking of helping us promote Ski for Light at the Birkie Expo, skiing or guiding in the ParaBirkie, joining the fearless Ski for Light Drift Busters Giant Ski Team, or sharing in the excitement of volunteering at an aid station on race day, 2027 offers a unique opportunity! Normally there are 3 weeks or less between the end of SFL and the beginning of Birkie events. In 2027 there will be a month to get home and repack. Birkie events will be February 24 to 27. If it works for you to come to Birkie Week 2027, send me a message at evelosfl@charter.net. You might just catch an incurable case of "Birkie Fever!"
"I learned how much richer your understanding of the world gets when you step into spaces you have never been before." Makayla Fischer, 2026 Ski for Light student intern, captured the magic of guiding for the first time as she reflected on her experience at Snow Mountain Ranch.
Maya Tarnowski, another intern joining Ski for Light as a first-time guide, described her learning to put her expertise as a ski racer into verbal descriptions of terrain and technique: "Words carry weight; clarity is a form of care."
Alex Winn, social media and publicity committee intern was surprised to find that saying her name as she entered or left a conversation had a profound effect on her. Conversations at Ski for Light felt more meaningful, she said, "because I was being addressed directly, and I was addressing others directly."
Internships provide college students experiences that they could never get in the classroom and that often redirect their future. In joining our community for the February 2026 event, the three interns stepped into spaces they had never been, a community in which accessibility for everyone is the essential element. In return, the interns provided Ski for Light with action plans for future recruitment of college-aged guides and skiers. The interns described ways to reach excellent skiers, who like themselves, would be eager to learn how to guide. They provided elements for a youth-focused campaign to attract members from adaptive sports organizations throughout the country.
"Alex took our social media game to the next level with her creative ideas and careful execution," said Julie Coppens, who was finishing up her term as SFL President and serving on the publicity committee with Marie Huston. "Maya and Makayla were two of our strongest guide trainees," she added.
Maya's skier, Nino Pacini, and Makayla's skier, Louise Evans, both finished first in their respective divisions of the 10K race. Yet such success was secondary for the ski pairs. Makayla saw that her clear, timely verbal cues gave Louise the independence to make her own, confident decisions. Louise said Makayla's eagerness to explore with her made "every minute fun." Maya said Nino calmed her uncertainty and transformed her perspective of guiding a blind skier by reminding her daily they were going outside to "play." She said their success was not measured in miles or speed but in good questions and shared laughter. Nino said he appreciated Maya's caring nature and her ability to incorporate guiding suggestions immediately as they worked together.
Makayla Fischer is an Economics major at University of Utah. She is the second member of Delta Gamma Sorority to intern for Ski for Light, following the success of 2025 intern Lily Edwards at Soldier Hollow. Maya Tarnowski is a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Denver, who learned practical aspects of adaptive sports equipment design and tactile mapmaking while at Snow Mountain Ranch. Alex Winn is a Media and Journalism Studies major at the University of Denver who developed expertise in incorporating alt text and audio description with her social media photo and video posts. All three look forward to future years at Ski for Light events.
We're excited to announce a new initiative designed to strengthen the future of Ski for Light: the Jean Replinger Fresh Tracks Initiative! This three-year pilot will provide financial scholarships to promising younger first- and second-time guides to help them return, build lasting connections, and become part of the next generation of lifelong SFL volunteers. The program is fully funded through a generous gift from Jean's estate in memory of her lasting contributions to SFL. Jean was a longtime guide who quietly and generously supported younger, first-time guides by covering their costs to attend. Many of those individuals went on to become dedicated, returning members of our community-a testament to Jean's belief in the power of investing in people early. We are deeply grateful for her legacy, which will continue to open doors, build friendships, and keep Ski for Light thriving for years to come. Below is an article Jean wrote for The Bulletin in Spring of 2008.
If you would like to learn more about the Fresh Tracks program, please reach out to the Major Donor Committee Chairperson Amy White at mountainsky11@gmail.com.
The Ski for Light Event (because of its activities, mission and participants) has been a precious gift to me personally, as it embodies and models many things I value in life: being outdoors in winter, specifically cross-country skiing in the countryside—teaching others the skill so they can have that love and freedom as their own—sharing with a population that might not otherwise be able to know of this wondrous sport—spending a week with a wonderful group of people who appreciate sharing and playfulness.
Equally, it has been a precious "gift" that I could give my students and friends for whom cross country skiing plus generosity and sharing with others is a natural pleasure, as it is for me.
It is a gift that keeps on giving…and multiplying. Over the years, SFL has accepted 49 people it has been my privilege to recommend and/or financially assist. I am thrilled for those I've recommended who have been able to and have chosen to return repeatedly. The 45 who were guides racked up 200 guide years, i.e. some returning as many as 16,18 and 19 years. This exemplifies SFL is a "gift that keeps on giving" and that there is a "multiplier effect."
I am especially proud and pleased that many have assumed leadership roles in SFL over their years in attendance. They gave their gift and served with their own distinction. Some of many examples…many followed in my footsteps, serving on the Board of Directors, in being Event Coordinators. One helped me write and re-write the original Guide Training Manual. Several followed in my footsteps as Guide Training Coordinators, many served (and continue to serve) in the large cadre of Guide Trainers. As I was selected to attend Ridderennet in Norway in 1983, several have been selected in later years. As I was awarded the first Ridderrennets Venner's Vandrepremie (Presidential Award) in 1985, two of these people have now also received it. One helped design the fine SFL logo we use today. One designed and oversaw the development of the film on SFL history. One helped with filming and appeared in the SFL training film, etc. It's as Bjarne Eikevik, early SFL president used to say, join in, be safe and "make a good thing better."
It's about giving a gift to a receiver, who becomes the owner of that gift in such a way they can "give it on".
So, I thank my lovely friend Brit Peterson for making such an award possible and, as I accept this precious award, it's really not about what I've given; it's about what I've received and been able to give others. - I wish to commend those to whom I've introduced the SFL gift because of what they have done with that gift. AND I wish to commend SFL for the gift it is to each of us.
Each winter, Ski for Light skiers and guides leave two parallel tracks in the snow - one for the skier and one for the guide. Those tracks fade with the next snowfall, but the friendships, freedom, and confidence they create last a lifetime.
The Tracksetter Society is a way for you to make sure those tracks continue for generations to come. By including Ski for Light in your will, estate plans, life insurance policy or living trust, you help ensure that future participants - visually impaired, mobility impaired, and sighted guides - can experience the same joy, challenge, and community that make SFL so special.
You don't need to be wealthy to make a lasting difference. Even a small percentage of your estate or a modest gift to our endowment can help keep Ski for Light affordable for participants and guides as expenses continue to rise each year. Your legacy can be the confidence of a first-time skier gliding down a snowy trail, or the laughter of two lifelong friends who met through SFL and never looked back.
This year, we are deeply grateful to honor Charles Wirth, Renee Abernathy, and Joseph and Suzanne Brown, who have each remembered Ski for Light through a legacy gift. They will be deeply missed within our community, but their generosity ensures that their spirit and their love for SFL will live on in every skier and guide who follows in their tracks.
Becoming a Tracksetter is simple - and it's a beautiful way to make sure your love for Ski for Light lives on. To learn more, visit https://www.sfl.org/donate/ or contact SFL's Individual Donor Coordinator Amy White at 206-910-2430 or mountainsky11@gmail.com. Together, we can keep setting the tracks for those who will follow.
Ski for Light, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible organization (ID #51-0175938.)
Our thanks go to the following companies that have provided products or services to help support Ski for Light 2026. Many of these companies have stood behind us for years. We are grateful for their ongoing support. Be sure to think of our friends when you're gearing up for your next adventure.
Borton Overseas TravelSki for Light, Inc. is loosely affiliated with eight regional organizations around the United States that share our name, but are independent organizations. They are located in New England, Northeast Pennsylvania, Michigan, South Dakota, Colorado, Montana, Northern California and Washington. Each group holds one or more winter events that include teaching and guiding visually- and mobility-impaired adults in cross-country skiing. Many of them also offer summer programs, ranging from single-day hikes to week-long adventures. To check out the offerings of each organization for this year visit their respective websites, all linked from the Regionals page on the SFL website at www.sfl.org/events/regionals.
The SFL Bulletin is published three times a year. It is available in ink-print or via e-mail. If you wish to change formats, please send your request to: info@sfl.org
The current as well as past issues of the Bulletin are also available online at www.sfl.org/bulletin
Ski for Light, Inc. is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.