integratingskills
DISABILITY ON THE MONTAINS
People with blindness, spending the night in a snow cave or walking unaided without an arm for support across a snowbound plateau, in the middle of winter, in Norway. Wheelchair users like Joelette enjoying the Ordesa Canyon or the summit of Teide; the highest peak in Norway. Where are the limits?
I strongly believe that every individual has the ability to exceed their own limitations, regardless of their physical ability. Indeed, I have witnessed people with blindness and people with disability, push far beyond any concept of their physical limits because above all, these limits are products of our psychology.
I discovered the world of guiding people with handicap in the mountains almost by chance, and yet, it has since become one of the most favourite aspects of my profession, as the wilderness, or mountain environment provides the perfect terrain to anyone who is prepared to challenge their own “limitations”. In finding this page you may also be one step closer to challenging your own perception of your abilities and, in this sense, I offer you my hand, knowledge and experience to help you break down those internal barriers.
integratingskills
YAMAL
Let's share the migration of one of the last nomadic peoples on the planet, the Nenets, who every year roam the cold lands of northern Siberia with their huge herds of reindeer looking for pasture. Perhaps one of the last truly nomadic and authentic experiences that can be lived near the old continent.
After travelling for a week across the frozen lakes and rugged terrain of the Hardangervidda Plateau in Norway, dragging our pulkas and sleeping in tents or in the snow caves that we had constructed, I heard a person with blindness say “I have seen again…”.
I truly look forward to helping more people to find this feeling in themselves.
WINTER HIKING
GREAT TREKKINGS
We have circumnavigated the Mont Blanc Massif for nine days, crossing the borders to three countries. We have followed in the footsteps of Osa Camille through the Pyrenees for seven days. The great treks are a unique experience of inclusion, in which the abilities and capacities of all members of the group are humanised towards an unforgettable experience.
We can ascend Galdhopiggen, the highest peak in Norway, trek the Grande Sassiere, the highest of its kind in the Alps, Mulhacen, Toubkal, Kilimanjaro…which mountain do you dream of? What is the next challenge you wish to face? The next barrier you would like to break? My experiences in the mountains with people with blindness have been truly unforgettable, both for them and for me. Where shall we go?
ASCENTS
JOLIETTE CHAIR
Fortunately, today we have the tools and aids available to assist people with reduced mobility, in accessing the most spectacular mountain landscapes. The "Joilette Chair" safely brings within reach an ascent to the summit of Mulhacen, a tour of the Ordesa Valley or a climb on the Teide. I will find the solution for you to realise your dreams.
Whether a person with blindness is enduring the night alone in a snow cave which they constructed for themselves, or informing their companions about the best way to create fire in nature, or orientating themselves using the position of the sun…survival is a team goal and everyone’s abilities are valuable. Let’s work together on yours…
SURVIVAL
MYTHICAL PATHS
On past experiences we have hiked the King’s Trail, the Cares Gorge, the Borosa River, the greenest routes, mythical trails which are well documented for their beauty and accessibility, the perfect locations to immerse yourself fully in nature. I wish to accompany you to those destinations which have occupied your mind for so long.