Special Olympians embrace outdoor spirit

Seizing a bluebird day above the fog, snow riders packed the slopes at Silver Mountain last Saturday. The people enjoying it most were a group of Idaho Special Olympic teams from the Silver Valley and Coeur d’Alene. The athletes were racing slalom and giant slalom to qualify for a spot in the Idaho State Games at Tamarack Resort in Donnelly, Idaho, later this season.

They attacked the course while family, friends, coaches and event volunteers cheered them on. The Special Olympics were created in part to help people with disabilities feel accepted. On this beautiful day, these athletes were equals with everyone on the mountain.

Across the border on Mt. Spokane, the Spokane Powder Hounds enjoyed the same lovely alpine weather.

The group meets on Saturdays in a Spokane Parks and Recreation program that gives people with disabilities an opportunity to train and compete in the Special Olympics.

Athletes wanted

The Silver Valley Special Olympic alpine team is coached by Fred Muhs, a retired college administrator from the University of Alaska living on a ranch near Harrison.

“We train weekly if my skiers are available,” he said. “They all have part-time jobs and that makes it difficult to get them together sometimes. But we have a lot of fun and that’s the main idea.”

Muhs has coached the Silver Valley team since 1988. He gets a lot of help from coaches at Silver Mountain and other volunteers.

“The program is therapeutic for all of us,” Muhs said. “I’ve known these people for over 18 years and we’re growing old together. We haven’t had any new young skiers for about three years now and we certainly would like to recruit some.”

To be eligible for the Special Olympics, athletes must be at least 8 years old and have certain cognitive or learning conditions identified by an agency or professional. It doesn’t cost anything to participate. More information can be found at idso.org.

“In 2009, the Special Olympics international winter games will be held in Boise,” Muhs said. “Hopefully, we’ll have an athlete from the Silver Valley representing the United States.”

Independence day

The Spokane Powder Hounds are based out of Lodge No. 1 at Mt. Spokane. Alice Bush, supervisor of therapeutic recreation services at the Spokane Parks and Recreation, directs the program. She’s been at it for about 23 years.

“Our primary mission is about teaching people with disabilities how to ski and snowboard,” she said. “We have students that just like to have fun, but a lot of them do want to compete in the Special Olympics.”

Bush said another objective is to help students become more independent skiers and snowboarders. Trips to Silver Mountain and 49 Degrees North are on the schedule to help them get used to visiting other ski areas.

Developing a passion for snow sports motivates them to get jobs so they can continue.

“Mt. Spokane has been an incredible partner for us,” Bush said. “They bend over backward to make sure we have everything we need. Our volunteers are college students, teachers and professionals from all walks of life. Some people have been with us for years and they’re part of one big family.”

She said the program is maxed out for this season. Openings are limited by the number of volunteers available and seats on the bus. Seventeen Powder Hounds are training to compete in the Washington State Games at Mission Ridge this March.

“The main attraction may not be the competition as much as the social experience of making the trip,” she said. “The events on the mountain are a big part of it, but traveling to Wenatchee together with friends may be more important. And if we didn’t have a dance on Saturday night, there would be a mutiny.”