My Guides

Smidge is a Labrador golden retriever mix that Staci was matched with from the guide dog foundation for the blind in April of 2014. She has a small “smidge” of black on her right hip so that is how she got her name. When Smidge is working she does a great job of navigating Staci around any obstacles they may encounter. She can also find things such as doors, stairs, elevators, cross walks, and many other standard obstacles they often encounter during travel. Smidge does not enjoy skiing, so she tends to hang out in the lodge while Staci is out on the slopes. In her free time, Smidge loves rolling on carpets, playing with her blanket, and eating anything and everything she can get her paws on. 

Sadie and Staci skied together starting in December of 2015 until March of 2018. Sadie is a ski racer from Park city Utah. She started skiing at the age of eighteen months and began racing when she was eight. Injury caused her career as an individual to end when she was fifteen, but she was still very dedicated to the sport and wanted to stay involved. Danelle Umstead, a visually impaired US Paralympic Alpine ski racer happened to be Sadie’s next-door neighbor and convinced Sadie to try guiding. She really enjoyed being able to travel the world, and the opportunities she was given as a guide. Outside of skiing, Sadie loves being surrounded by nature; whether it’s biking, hiking, or camping. In her free time, she enjoys painting and making music.