To support wilderness protection and to promote access of these spaces for everyone, our group set out on a three day backpacking trip in Alberta's Kananaskis Country.
The trip was lead and coordinated by the team at Community Recreational Initiatives Society, based out of Kelowna, and featured a challenging ascent from Upper Kananaskis Lake to Turbine Canyon. The trip would cover almost 30 km, gaining aproximately 500 metres in elevation along the way. The trip was initiated at the request of Greg McMeekin, a Calgary student who has lived with Quadripeligia all of his life. While this trip is considered a strenous hike by most guidebooks, Greg was not intimidated. He was eager to push the boundaries of what he could do, and where he could go.
The Trail-Rider is a unique feat of engineering which allows physically disabled people to access the backcountry. By recreating a wheelchair capable of withstanding the demands of challenging backcountry trails, access to the wilderness has been greatly enhanced for those that would not otherwise be able to get out there. In addition to physical limitations which can prevent access to the wilderness, persons with disabilities face other significant challenges related to personal care, eating requirements, and enhanced risk of fatigue or injury. When you consider how much preparation goes into your own backcountry camping trip - it is clear that there are a great many more hurdles to clear for those with disabilities. However, Greg has never shied away from challenges, and a multi-day backcountry trip was a challenge he was ready to overcome.
There were times on the trip when each of us were exhausted. With four different positions on the Trail-Rider, the volunteers shared the load - including the packing of food, equipment, and personal care items for Greg and the rest of the team. With packs between 40 - 70 lbs, the hike itself was strenuous.
Each person on the Trail-Rider had a number of responsibilities. The person steering did a great deal of lifting to avoid major obstructions, as well as being responsible for balancing the Trail-Rider. The person leading the Trail-Rider was in charge of setting the course for the frame, and ensuring turns were executed smoothly. Each of the roped-in Hikers were given the challenge of setting a reasonable pace, maintaining tension in the line, and doing as much of the pulling as possible. Each position carried it's own challenges, but the team learned to communicate effectivly to avoid problems.
And while Greg was seated in the Trail-Rider, he was certainly not in a La-Z-Boy...The ride was often jarring, and over the course of the three day journey, he endured a great deal of physical and mental fatigue. However, it was clear that he would not let that stand in the way of this rare opportunity to get out into the wilderness, and he kept his sense of humour every step of the way.
Greg's enthusiasm was contagious - and while it was a grueling trip for everyone, we were all aware that none of us would have made that trip if not for him. Not only did he get to experience one of the most spectacular places in the world, he brought six of us along for one of the most memorable trips of our lives. Turbine Canyon (which should be one of the seven wonders of Canada) provided a most incredible natural wonder: a quick moving glacial-fed creek that has carved a 200+ foot gourge out of the earth over the course of it's life. Nestled in some of the most beautiful Alpine country we've ever seen, there were times when we thought the Von Trapp family would come skipping along the trail singing "The Hills are alive..." (in fact, we did meet a few families with accents, though they did not respond to calls for the Von Trapp's...)
On this trip, we learned the value of more than pushing our physical limits. We learned that it is possible to push others by pushing ourselves. Greg endured a great deal of physical and mental fatigue in an effort to go somewhere new, and see something he had never seen before. Ironically, it was Greg's efforts to access the wilderness that brought each of us to a place we will never forget. Each of us was given our own challenges on this trip, and while there was great anticipation to falling asleep each night, there was even greater excitement to getting up each morning. An amazing trip in an amazing place,
- Greg, Laura, Tim, Troy, Rob, Kerri, & Colin
For more information on Access to the Wilderness, please visit:
http://www.kananaskis.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=71
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