Tri-Service

Could You Ski Down A Mountain Blindfolded?

It would be most people's worst nightmare to have their vision impaired at the top of a snowy mountain, but for one of the competitors at the Inter Services Snow Sports Championships (ISSSC), it's a daily occurrence.

Veteran Ash Winter has a condition which seriously limits his vision.

Keratoconus causes the cornea to weaken, get thinner and change shape. He said:

"If you imagine looking through a windscreen that's maybe frozen, that's probably about halfway to where I am... All I can see really is white. I can't see any of the contours, any of the snow conditions... I rely heavily on a guide. Basically I've got to trust him."

Ash says it helps that both he and his guide are armed forces personnel.

Kate Wathall took to the slopes at Meribel to see just how hard it is to ski with impaired sight.

More from Forces TV: RAF Thrive In The Snow At Meribel