As some of you know by now, last week myself and 4 others embarked on a 4 day journey. Our goal was simple: to backpack across the Presidential Traverse in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

It felt like something right out of Lord of the Rings; traveling across the lands, through forests, and over mountains of rock to accomplish the goal set before us. Except our path was to make it to the other side and not destroy a ring. But as it was for the young Hobbits, our journey was not an easy venture. Instead of battling Orcs and Ringwraiths, we had to deal with the weather which proved to be a challenging foe. On the 1st Day we were lucky. Warm weather, sunlight and the cover of trees allowed an uneventful hike straight up Madison Hut. However on Day 2, we encountered rain, fog, and 57mph gusts of wind. This was the most challenging part of our journey.

Many times during that 8 hour trek through the fog, wind and rain I wondered what I was doing out there. We had to carefully watch every step because the rocks (or boulders) were slick from the rain and gusts of wind were trying to blow us off the mountain. It was an almost 7 mile trek over uneven and unstable terrain. It was without a doubt the most challenging ordeal I have ever been through. And when my body ached and my legs did not want to move anymore, I remembered a line from LOTR, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us” – Gandalf.** I could have been at home sitting around or working a 9 to 5 job. But instead I was out in nature, experiencing the world. Pushing myself to the limits. Surrounded by my brothers who were right beside me. So we kept moving and eventually made it to the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. And we savored our rest and time together. Knowing that it was time well spent.

The next and last 2 days were a breeze compared to that ordeal. The weather decided to be kind to us and we had sun most of the way down. Even though there was some challenging terrain and rocks to overcome I enjoyed every minute of it. We took our time and stopped often to appreciate the journey and even practice a little yoga. We had gone through our Mordor and succeeded in our journey. In the end it wasn’t necessarily the completion of our journey that mattered, but the fact that we did it together.

Now I am resting and recovering, getting back into my normal routine. As always looking into new adventures. There are a few really exciting things coming up so stay tuned.

Until next time,

TC

*Quote by J. R. R. Tolkien from The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

As I sit down to write this at 5:09am in the morning I can’t help but feel butterflies in my stomach. Sure it is way too early to be up (in my opinion), but it is necessary . Why might you ask? Well I am about to embark on an exciting 4 day hike through on the Presidential Traverse, through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I will be helping to co-leading this hike with one of my best and closest friends in the world and we will be taking 3 veterans along with us. It’s exciting first to be going on this adventure, out in nature with one of my best friends but also to take some great guys out into nature and give them a new experience.

I’m going to keep this short and I’ll update everyone on this weekend when I get back.

Thank you

TC

(I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes, I’m still trying to wake up)

Back to reality after a week up in the clouds. It was an incredible experience skiing in August. It has been great getting an early start to the season. I’ve had a great progression from the beginning of camp to the end. I’m really looking forward to winter now. Mt. Hood has some incredibly challenging terrain and the snow is always unpredictable, which makes it the perfect training venue. Even though I have enjoyed my time there, it will be nice to get back to my pre-season conditioning and training. Before I jump to my newest adventures, I am extremely excited to announce that I have a new sponsor, Xevo Optics. I am so happy to be joining Team Xevo and be able to represent such an incredible brand. Thank you Mike for being an incredible person and a great friend.

I’m currently in Manchester, Vermont right now embarking on a new journey. I will be spending the next 2 months or so (with some travel in between) studying yoga and training to become a yoga instructor. I will spend my mornings in the gym and the afternoons honing my yoga skills. It is really exciting to be starting this and working with Heart of the Village Yoga. They are such an amazing group of people and I am truly honored and blessed to be working with such talented individuals. I have really found peace, clarity, and strength in yoga over the past month. I will have a long post about my journey with yoga soon but it has benefited me so much just in the last month. I hope to be able to share my message and path with yoga to others in the future.

While I may be in Vermont right now I have a lot of things coming around the corner. I will be co-leading a hike with a small group of veterans coming up in a few weeks. We will be hiking for 4 days around the Presidential Traverse, which will be a great opportunity for everyone involved. And right before that I will be headed out to Oklahoma for a sitting volleyball development camp to hopefully be considered for the National Team in the near future. Along with that I have a few speeches coming up with a few different organizations. Lots of cool things happening. Stay tuned!

Thank you all for your continued support

Currently sitting at a golf resort, spending my afternoons soaking up the sun, enjoying nature and relaxing with some amazing teammates. And while the afternoons are more like a relaxing vacation, my mornings are a completely different story.

Just finished Day #3 of a ski camp at Mt. Hood in Oregon. Pretty crazy to be skiing in the beginning of August in the USA. But it’s happening. And it is pretty freaking* cool.

The morning starts off at 5:30am where you have a quick breakfast, grab what you need and head off to the mountain. Loading the lift by 7:30, you have to upload one lift, put on your ski gear and hike up to another lift before you can even hop into your skis. But it doesn’t take too long till you are flying down a slope (that is also a volcano) that’s over 8,000 ft. Sure there’s not a lot of snow around, and it turns into mashed potatoes** by 11am. That doesn’t matter. Everyone out there lives to ski and will go through dirt, rocks, and countless other obstacles just to make a few turns. Just living the dream.

5 more days here at Hood. Looking forward to continuing to progress my skiing. This is the perfect time to go back to basics and really focus on form. It’s not fun working on drills all morning, but it will pay off in the long run. The first 3 days have been amazing. And I am thrilled with how things are coming together. And there are still 5 days left.

Until next time.

TC

*This is my personal opinion. If you are not a fan of skiing in the summer you may have a differing opinion.
** A term used by skiers for when snow becomes very soft and mushy

365

That is the number of days I wait each year for camp. I spend a year waiting for one week to roll around. It might sound a little crazy  waiting all year for one week, but this is always one the best weeks of the year. The week where all you hear is silly camp songs being sung. The sound of golf carts zipping thru the paths. Campers running and yelling, as happy as can be. Zip-line, rope course, swimming, basketball, sitting volleyball, fishing, canoeing, archery and so much more. This is what camp appears to be on the outside. But it really is so much more.

I started attending the Amputee Coalition’s Paddy Rossbach Summer Youth Camp over 12 years ago. While it feels like a lifetime ago, this experience has played an integral part in changing my life. I first came to the camp like many others, as a camper. At the time I did not want to go. I begged my parents not to leave me alone for 3 days with people I had never met before. However, shortly after arriving I realized there was more to this camp. First off almost every single person was an amputee. Being that young it was such a cool experience seeing so many people just like me. It allowed me to be myself. Truly myself, with no fear of judgement from anyone. As the camp progressed and it became time to leave, I realized something else. That we were a family. Not by blood, but something almost as strong (and in some cases even stronger). We are amputees and people with limb-loss. Often we are singled out for being different. But at camp if you have all of your limbs you are different. It is one of the few places that allows us to be exactly who we are. No one will think twice seeing a line of various prosthetic arms and legs by the pool. Or a few guys tearing apart a wheelchair to realign it. It is all just another typical day at camp.

I have continued to return to camp except for 1-2 years where I was off pursuing other things. I honestly had such an incredible time being a camper and meeting so many outstanding people. Making new friends and catching up with old ones. Eventually though, everyone grows up. Maybe not your soul, but in age at least. After I became to old for camp, I realized that I couldn’t just stop going. I wasn’t about to forgot about camp after spending half of my life attending. So I took the next step, and became a counselor. And being a counselor for the last five years. I have gained a whole new perspective. First off I would like to apologize to my past counselors, especially the ones when I was 10-13. Being in charge of young campers is incredibly tiring. They not only wear you out, but try to go off on their own at every opportunity. However, seeing how each individual camper grows and changes throughout the camp is worth every minute. Saying goodbye on the last day and having them tell you it was the best week ever or that they aren’t afraid to show off their “leg” is the most rewarding part of this. I believe it is important to remember where you came from, and give back to the people/ groups that have helped you along the way. True being in a different role is still incredibly fun. I do get to drive a golf cart around after all 😉 but I also have the chance to make a difference with the campers just like my counselors did for me. I can show them that there are so many opportunities in life and they can accomplish just about anything if they try.

And that’s what camp really is about. Allowing the campers to be themselves and hopefully make a difference along the way.

Well until my next adventure,

TC

First off it has been way too long since I last posted on here. To be honest, I forgot I had this blog! Oops.

I want to start by thanking everyone that has helped me over the years but especially this season. It was a long winter but a really productive one, so thanks!

For anyone that hasn’t followed my other social media posts, let me update you on this season:-

Podiums:

Huntsman Cup – Park City, UT
2 Silver Medals (2nd Place Finishes)

Empire State Games – Whiteface, NY
2 Gold Medals (1st Place Finishes)

U.S. Adaptive Tech Nationals – Loon, NH
3 Bronze Medals (3rd Place Finishes) and 1 Silver (2nd Place)

I was also able to earn a spot in the World Cup Finals at Aspen, CO and was able to secure some strong results in 2 of the races.

It was overall an excellent season. I had quite a few solid results which translated into an improved International Standing. But most importantly my skiing has really come together over the past 6 months. I put in a lot of time, effort, and hard work and it is finally paying off. The season might be over but I am excited at where I left things and feel confident that next season I will not only pick up from where I ended this year but also improve.

The next 2 years are going to be a bit of a whirlwind. Next year (2017) there is the World Championships in Italy that I’m working to earn a spot at. And right after that will be the 2018 Pyeongchang, South Korea Paralympics. It’s crazy to think that the games are under 2 years away. So with that I intend to spend the next 2 years continuing my hard work and doing everything I can to become the best skier possible. Not the easiest task, but I know I can achieve it.

Well with that I think i’m going to head to the gym and get back to work. There’s always something to do!

Stay tuned for more.

All the best,

TC

“Never ever give up, because you can accomplish anything if you try”

Oh btw, I intend to post more frequently (at least a couple times a month, hopefully once a week).

Hi everyone,

Well things have been pretty wild post-sochi. First off it has been great being back home in Pennsylvania. I do miss the slopes but it is always good to come back to your roots. Basically as soon as I got home (mid April) I started a little speaking tour. Nothing to crazy, but I had the chance to speak at a few schools, special events, and probably the biggest one – the Berks County Community Foundation’s Best of Berks Luncheon. It was a big event with around 400-500 people there. It was great to be able to go and share some of my experiences with them and give some words of wisdom. I still have a long way to go, but I have learned a lot, especially about myself, in the past few months. I have really enjoyed all of the speaking events and I hope to do more in the future. P.S. if you are interested in me coming to speak at an event please contact me! If i’m available I would love to! 🙂

So besides my speaking tour I also had the great honor to be able to participate in the 2014 Olympic Day. I went to the Boys and Girls Club in Lancaster and the Tri-Valley YMCA’s Celebration of Olympic Day. It was great for me to be able to go and meet all these great kids and spend the day with them. We talked about the Olympic Spirit and good values. It was such an honor for me to take part in the event. And I look forward to being a part of it in the future!

Well in a few short days I will be flying to Ohio and participating in the Amputee Coalition’s Paddy Rosbach Summer Youth Camp. It is a 5 dayish long camp where amputees ages 11 to 17 come out and spend time together. It is such a great opportunity for them, especially since for most of them it is the only time they get to be with some one like them. I went to camp for years as a camper and I really look forward to coming back as a counselor!

And that about wraps up what’s going on with me right now. Besides all these things going on I am still training and getting ready for this season. I still have my sights sight and goals loaded. Skiing is still my number 1 focus and I am very excited to pick up from where I left off last season.  Good things are coming!

Until next time,

TC

So where do I start…. First off i’m really bad at updating this blog… I apologize..
Between my crazy schedule and the lack of internet in areas I just forgot about this blog. So I do apologize. But on to the fun stuff.

I have been on a crazy roller coaster ride the past month. It has been incredible. Sochi was amazing! The view, experience, Opening and Closing Ceremonies…. Words can hardly describe it. I’d like to take this moment to thank everyone that has helped me reach my goals. My friends, family, coaches, first instructors, teachers, but most importantly my parents. Without their support I could have never gotten this far. And things are far from over, but more on that in a bit.

So Sochi was amazing. And my race went really well. I went out and put down two of my best Giant Slalom runs ever. And it showed. I was able to move up quite a few spots and finish in 27th place out of about 50 standing male athletes. So I am really happy with how my first trip to the Games went.

When I got home I was hit hard by jet lag. But I had no time to relax. I had about 2 days off and then back to training. Because Nationals was right around the corner. So exactly a week from when I made my trip home we set off for Park City, Utah for U.S. Nationals. Overall the week was not my best skiing. I got a nasty cold right before I left so I was fighting that most of the week. And the snow conditions were not the best. But that’s ski racing. Even with those obstacles I was able to get two 3rd place finishes (one in the GS Noram Race and the other in the Slalom National Race). So I finished 2 out of the 4 races but ended up with 2 Bronze Medals. Not a bad way to end the year. After we got back from Nationals I was home for a few days and then off to Washington.

I went to Washington, D.C. with just about the whole U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Delegation. It was once again such an incredible experience that is hard to describe in words. But I’ll try. So first thing in D.C. was the Best of U.S. Awards. WOW… I have to say if you ever get the opportunity to walk a Red Carpet for any event, do it! It was so much fun walking down the Red Carpet and being around the media. WOW… It was such a great show (at the Legendary Warner Theater). There I got to met some many Olympians including Mikaela Shiffrin and Sage Kotsenburg… Yeah two Olympic Gold Medalists. Whoa… So the next day was arguably the best day of my life and best part of this whole experience; the White House Trip. We got a tour of the White House and eventual we got to meet the President and First Lady. Whoa…. It was such an incredible experience to meet President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. I even got to shake both of their hands!! Whoa..
The rest of the trip was relatively calm with some great classes and speakers talking about everything from education to fundraising. And we got to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier at a private screening… If you haven’t seen it you need to, it’s that good.

So now I pretty much wrapped up that last month. I am back in Colorado now packing things up. I leave April 17th to head back to PA. Time to get back to training and figure out my next plans. I have had now about 2 weeks off to relax so it’s about that time to get back in the gym and get ready for next season. I mean I only have 4 years till Korea!!! So far my plan is to move back out here to Winter Park next November and train full-time. And who knows maybe I’ll pick up a Summer Sport too…….

Well that’s it for me. Time to go do something productive, like pack up this box sitting in front of me…
Thank you again to everyone for all of your support. It really does mean a lot to me. And I hope I made you proud and will continue to do that over the rest of my career. I am not slowing down anytime soon! So go TEAM USA!!!

Sincerely,

TC

WOOO!!! In about 10 Days I will be on the journey of a lifetime! Headed to Russia to compete in my first Paralympic Games! I am super excited and can’t wait to represent the USA and try to bring home the GOLD!! I officially leave on March 2nd and come back on the 17th.

I just recently got back from Aspen, Colorado where i competed in the US Adaptive Nationals. I was able to manage a 4th place finish in the Super-Combined Event (the event consists of a Super-G Run and a Slalom Run). This was my first actual Super-Combined so I am really happy with my finish.

So I am going to be racing in the Giant Slalom Race in Russia. The race is on March 15th but it will be broadcasted on the 16th on NBC Sports at 4:30am. It will also be streamed live on teamusa.org. Here is the schedule of the coverage http://www.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics/Features/2014/February/19/NBC-Olympics-announces-television-schedule-for-Sochi-2014-Paralympic-Winter-Games.

As I enter my final days of training before the games I am extremely grateful for all of the support from everyone! I really appreciate it and it helps knowing I have all of you behind me supporting me!

Please check out my Facebook athlete page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tyler-Carter/186930097884?ref=hl) Tyler Carter and my twitter account @tcski2014 for instant updates on what I am up too!

This is going to be an amazing journey and I’m glad you are all coming along for the ride!

Thank you!

TC