Beauty is not just what you see, it’s what you feel. And nobody explains that concept better than visually impaired skier Austin Shepherd in the video about his experiences with Telluride Adaptive Sports Program.
“I can feel the mountain that’s under me. And I can feel that there are mountains around me. To me, it’s just instinctual. I know when the mountains are there … I feel very lucky that I’m still able to experience all the beauty that’s here in Telluride.”
You might think that a person who can’t see, can’t ski—especially after a few runs with your goggles fogging up—but that’s exactly the kind of miracle that TASP makes happen every day. TASP supports athletes of all types, rock/ice climbers, mountaineers, skiers, snowboarders, and cyclists, with all types of physical, social, and cognitive disabilities. They break through barriers and show people what is possible.
TASP lets people like Austin experience the beauty of this place in their own way. The nonprofit organization served more than 400 people this past summer/winter, and trained 174 volunteers who donated 7,634 hours of their time. But those volunteers are also given a gift, the same opportunity to experience the true beauty of Telluride—not just its mountains or its scenery, but the incredible community of people that makes this place special.