In 1982, recreational therapist Santo "Sandy" Trombetta from the Grand Junction VA Medical Center introduced adaptive skiing to a wheelchair-bound Veteran at Colorado’s Powderhorn Resort. What began as a daring experiment quickly spread, and by 1986, nearly 100 Veterans were hitting the slopes, leading to the creation of the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. The inaugural event in 1987 brought together nearly 90 Veterans from 27 states and proved the power of sports in recovery, earning the nickname “Miracles on a Mountainside.” With Disabled American Veterans joining as co-presenter in 1991 and the move to Snowmass in 2001, the clinic has grown into a premier adaptive sports event. Each year, it continues to showcase resilience, community, and the triumph of the human spirit.
To learn more about this story or other stories in VA history, visit these websites:
Adaptive Exhilaration: Equipment from the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic
To learn more about adaptive sports programs, visit:
https://www.va.gov/adaptivesports
To learn more about the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, visit:
https://www.wintersportsclinic.org
Author: U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
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News post in September 6, 2025, 3:06 am.
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