Ski for Light, Inc. is loosely affiliated with eight regional organizations around the United States, which share our name, but are independent organizations. Each of them conducts winter events in its area that includes teaching and guiding visually- and mobility-impaired adults in cross country skiing. Several of the regionals offer other activities such as snowshoeing and downhill skiing. Some of them offer summer activities as well.
You do not have to live in or near a particular regional to attend its events. Many people (skiers and guides) attend events held by both SFL, Inc. and one or more of the regional organizations.
Three foreign organizations also have programs that are similar to Ski for Light.
Below is a brief description of the activities that each regional and international organization generally offer throughout the year. Included are links to their individual websites, and/or e-mail contact information, which will allow you to learn the details of their upcoming activities.
We encourage you to explore the offerings of these groups and to support their work.
- Black Hills Regional Ski for Light
- Colorado Regional Ski for Light
- Michigan Regional Ski for Light
- Montana Regional Ski for Light
- New England Regional Ski for Light
- Northeast Pennsylvania Regional Ski for Light and Sports for Health
- Puget Sound Regional Ski for Light
- Sierra Regional Ski for Light
- Ridderrenn
- Ski for Light Canada
- Ski for Light Japan
Black Hills Regional Ski for Light
Website: www.bhsfl.org
The Black Hills Regional SFL holds a 4-day long winter event in January and a 3-day summer event each year. The winter event offers both downhill and cross-country skiing. Lodging is generally at hotels in Deadwood, South Dakota and the skiing takes place at the Terry Peak Ski Area and the Wharf Resources Area. Evening activities are centered in this historic western town.
The summer event is usually at Camp Bob Marshall, located in the heart of the Black Hills, six miles east of Custer on the northeast shore of Bismarck Lake. Trout fishing, biking, canoeing and kayaking, and swimming on Bismarck Lake, are key recreational activities. Housing is in one room cabins with bunk beds.
Colorado Regional Ski for Light
Website: www.cosfl.org
The Colorado Regional Ski for Light generally holds two or three one-day skiing events each winter at either the Breckenridge Nordic Center in Breckenridge, Colorado, or the Devil’s Thumb Ranch Nordic Center in Tabernash, Colorado. In addition, each winter COSFL holds a three-day event at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado.
Michigan Regional Ski for Light
Website: www.msfl.org
The Michigan Regional SFL holds an annual cross country skiing event at Higgins Lake, Michigan. Lodging is at the Ralph A. MacMulllen Conference Center in Roscommon.
The event is generally scheduled for the third weekend in January.
Montana Regional Ski for Light
Website: www.sflmt.org
The Montana Regional SFL holds an annual 3-day event in West Yellowstone, Montana. The hotel where attendees stay is within walking distance of the ski trails.
They also hold a hiking event each summer in the Belt mountains, called Trek for Light. Participants stay in a rented cabin on the Yogo creek, with many opportunities for hiking close by.
New England Ski for Light
Website: nesfl.org
Contact: President Susan Bueti Hill (617) 999-9384 or
New England SFL holds two weekend events each year. These events include snow shoeing as well as cross country skiing. One event is a 4-day weekend event with lodging and skiing at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Craftsbury Common, Vermont. The other is a 3-day event with lodging at the Wayside Inn in Bethlehem, New Hampshire and skiing at either the Bretton Woods or Bear Notch Ski area.
They also offer summer events which vary each year, but are generally 1 or 2-day trips and can include hiking, canoeing, kayaking, tandem biking, and nature walks throughout southern New England.
Northeast Pennsylvania Regional Ski for Light and Sports for Health
Website: https://nepaoutdoors.org
This group conducts two week-long events each year, one in summer and one in winter.
The winter program is held in January or February. Visually impaired or blind skiers are paired with a sighted guide for cross country skiing on several trails around the lodge area. Other activities include snowshoeing, hiking, indoor shuffleboard, games such as Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, dancing, sing a alongs and a silent auction.
The summer program is called Sports for Health, and is held in the latter part of July. Visually impaired or blind participants are paired with a sighted guide for such activities as hiking, canoeing and kayaking, tandem biking, swimming (pool), fly fishing, horseback riding lessons (additional cost), orienteering using a Braille compass and pistol shooting/marksmanship.
Puget Sound Regional Ski for Light
Website: https://skiforlightpugetsound.azurewebsites.net
Puget Sound Regional SFL conducts as many as six Saturday day-trips during January, February and March from Seattle via chartered bus to Trollhaugen Sons of Norway Lodge, Erling Stordahl Snow Park, Stampede Pass, Washington.
In addition, the group hosts a five-day event during January in the Methow Valley of Central Washington, near Winthrop, Washington. The Methow Valley is home to 200 kilometers of groomed ski trails. Housing is at one of many sites in downtown Winthrop.
Sierra Regional Ski for Light
Website: www.srsfl.org
The Sierra Regional Ski for Light holds a 3-day event in early March and a single day-trip per month in January, February, and April. Most of the events are at the Tahoe Donner Cross Country Center, in Truckee, California.
Their primary activity is cross country skiing, but they have a limited number of guides available for snowshoeing.
The Sierra Regional SFL also has an annual 3- or 4-day summer/fall hiking weekend that takes place in August or September, usually in the Lake Tahoe area.
Ridderrenn
Website: www.ridderrennet.no
Ridderrennet is the worlds largest annual winter sports week for people who are visually impaired or disabled, and is the program upon which Ski for Light, Inc. is modeled. Erling Stordahl started the first Ridderrenn in 1964, with 57 participants, and it was only for blind skiers. Today, we have a full week of skiing activities and competitions, for all classes of visually and mobility disabled persons.
Each year we have 450 – 500 disabled skiers from many countries participating in different competitions at Beitostølen. We are proud of the fact that both beginners and paralympic medal winners find this week attractive and challenging.
Beitostølen is known for its outstanding skiing facilities. You train and compete biathlon and cross country skiing in the adapted ski tracks at the Beitostølen Health Sport Center. The downhill and snowboard training and competitions are in the OLAlift.
Our guides are students from different colleges in Norway. The assignment and training of guides are governed by the Norwegian School of sport sciences.
Ski for Light, Inc. sends a team of skiers and guides to the Ridderrenn each year as representatives of the organization. In addition, many others from SFL join the group each year on their own. For more information about joining the SFL group contact Marion Elmquist at
Ski for Light Canada
Website: www.skiforlight.ca
Ski For Light (Canada) Inc. is an outreach program of Sons of Norway. Each year a six-day event is held in Western Canada, and the size of the group is usually about 50 skiers and 50 guides.
Ski for Light Japan
Website: www.sflj.org
Ski For Light Japan conducts a three day event in January in Ura-bandai, Fukushima, Japan.
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