Government Camp, OR – The U.S. Adaptive Alpine Ski Team has camped out at Mt. Hood for its first on-snow training session of the summer. Athletes in attendance included 2010 Paralymic medalists Alana Nichols (Farmington, N.M.; sit-ski), fresh from an appearance at the ESPYS, Danelle Umstead (Taos, N.M.; visually impaired) and Paralympian Tyler Walker (Franconia, N.H.; sit-ski).n”Conditions have been really good and the snow surface has been awesome,” said U.S. Adaptive Alpine Head Coach Ray Watkins. “We’ve had some consistent conditions, which is what we are after with the team.”

The camp consisted of a two-week block of training in the lanes at Mt. Hood. All members of the team worked on the same task, fundamentals, with the key word for this session being, “simplify.” The athletes’ main focus was to work on the simple fundamentals of ski racing while they dialed in their equipment and feel for the snow.

“We are going right back to fundamentals, simplifying as best as we can and taking the energy and momentum down the fall line, not across it,” explained Watkins.

Athletes were receptive, showing signs of improvement. Walker wass making steps in the right direction back to the top of the podium. Nichols and Umstead were skiing solidly with their sights set on IPC World Championships in Sestriere, Italy in January.

The team now has a break from camps for the month of August. The next session is a conditioning segment scheduled for Sept. 19 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.