Gregg Kuersteiner skidded down the mountain, arms flailing, before coming to rest, entangled in the orange netting lining the slope. He waited patiently for someone to come and pick him up.

Kuersteiner isn’t like most skiers on Toggenburg Mountain. He has muscular dystrophy and makes his way down the mountain in a sit ski with a small team to guide him and pick him up, should things go wrong.

Dusting the snow off his goggles, his procession carried on. Kuersteiner led the way, guided by the reins tethering him to his guide and a snowboarder bringing up the rear.

“Luckily, I had a leg up on most people, or so to speak, because I’d skied standing so I already knew how to do it, just not on my butt,” Kuersteiner said.

Arise & Ski adaptive winter sports program is one of the oldest of its kind in central New York. Founded in 1995 by Syracuse native Christopher Weiss, who acts as Kuersteiner’s guide, the program works with people with a variety of disabilities including spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy and more. For Kuersteiner, the program has allowed him to revisit his favorite childhood sport and pass on the tradition to his children.

“Gregg grew up skiing his whole life and when his disability started limiting his abilities, he didn’t want to ski, because he thought it wouldn’t be the same,” Weiss said. “Finally his brother, who was a volunteer here at the time, convinced him to come and he’s been coming ever since.”

The Arise & Ski program at Toggenburg is the only one of its kind in the area, as the nearest place with an adapted skiing program is at Greek Peak in Ithaca. Song Mountain also has a deaf skier program. Skiers with the program range from experienced skiers like Kuersteiner to beginners.

Kuersteiner first revisited skiing after a 10-year hiatus. He picked it up again 11 years ago when his first daughter was 2 years old. He has now been skiing for 45 years and laughed that his children still haven’t caught up to him in speed.

Skiing runs in Kuersteiner’s blood. His father, Rudi Kuersteiner achieved the highest level of ski school qualification ever awarded and was a ski school director for many years. Gregg didn’t have to pay for a lift pass until he was 40 years old.

Although his father died before Gregg’s children were born, he believes he is carrying on the family legacy. Although his dad didn’t get the chance to see Gregg sit skiing, Gregg said he would approve, adding that “he was little bit nuts too.”

Rachel Gilbert | Co-Feature Editor

Weekend ski trips to Toggenburg are now a family affair for the Kuersteiners. Gregg will head up the mountain with a team from Arise & Ski while his three children tackle the smaller slopes. His wife Melissa holds down the fort at the base of the hill.

Melissa described her husband of 16 years as a thrill seeker. She laughed, recalling the first time they went out.

“He literally fell at my feet at PJ Dorsey’s (a local Syracuse restaurant) because it was all wet,” Melissa said. “It took five of us to get him up so he always says that he ‘fell for me.’”

Gregg has been in a wheelchair for nearly five years and has been “doing things he shouldn’t” ever since.

He mows the lawn in the summer and accompanies his children on bike rides. He has even fashioned a plough for the front of his wheelchair so he can clear the driveway.

However, skiing opened up more doors for Gregg. He described the experience of freedom on the slopes.

Weiss agreed that the therapeutic value is what keeps people coming back. He said that often, the best reactions to the feeling that comes from hurtling down the slopes comes from family members, and Melissa agreed.

As Gregg flew down the slopes, occasionally interrupted by a fall, the mountain was filled with his infectious, booming laughter. Each time he fell, a new quip emerged from the snowy mess of skis tangled on the hill.

Gregg said when he is on the hill, his family doesn’t have to worry about him because there is someone else to pick him up.

“He’s so used to it, he starts laughing when he falls so you can’t help but laugh along with him,” his daughter Elise chimed in. “He doesn’t let pain get the best of him.”

Despite the occasional hiccup, Gregg is one of the more skillful sit skiers with the program. He said it took him only one run to learn the art of sit skiing. Weiss added that each skier has their own goals and the program operates on three principles.

“We want to have fun, we want to be safe and we want to be teaching something, or have a student learn something,” Weiss said.

Rachel Gilbert | Co-Feature Editor

Weiss said the experience offers benefits, both mentally and physically, to participants. He said sometimes they won’t even strap on their skis since even spending time in the snow can bring out a positive reaction.

Like other participants, Gregg said he faces a few challenges when skiing. If he goes too slow, he is more likely to fall over. He also has to work very closely with his team. When the stabilizer behind him changes, they both have to adapt and work together.

The team plays a crucial role in Gregg’s weekly Saturday ski trips. They help him onto the chairlift, pick him up when he falls over and make sure other skiers don’t get in the way of the juggernaut team.

Gregg described the guide as a boat anchor, adding that because Weiss is behind him, he has no idea what he’s doing but he “drags him pretty well.” He said when standing and skiing, the legs act as a shock absorber, whereas when sitting closer to the snow, it’s like being in “a race car.”

After numerous trips up and down the mountain, Kuersteiner retired to the Foggy Goggle bar for a bite to eat and a drink with his family. His son made the trip up the big hill for the first time that day.

Kuersteiner may be fast, but his children are starting to catch up.

Published on February 28, 2016 at 9:13 pm

Contact Rachel: rcgilber@syr.edu