Sit Skier Landon McGauley Has Got A Ticket To Trenchtown
by, Sam Leitch
Skiing is a great way to express yourself. You look at a mountain from the chair and imagine the line you want to draw. Whether you are a freeride world tour competitor planning the ballsiest line with the biggest cliff, or an old local scoping their favourite stash the freedom of skiing is rad.
Three years ago 14 year old Landon McGauley was going hard out in a mountain bike race on a muddy day. He crashed and the crazy Canadian kid suffered a spinal injury resulting in paraplegia and adaption to life in a wheelchair.
“It was the worst day” Says Landons younger brother Chris.
Luckily Landon likes skiing just as much as he likes bikes and these days shreds his home mountain Troll on a sit ski. Troll Ski Resort up near Quesnal in Northern B.C is a quiet little mountain paradise for Landon and his posse of teenage buddies. They hit the park on the sunny weekends and ride powder with no lift ques on midweek half school days. Trolls gorgeous owner Hildur overlooks their disgusting pranks.
The High Fives Foundation is an adaptive skiing organisation from California that has helped Landon in his transition to the sit ski. From the custom built sit ski to travelling to California to go surfing (on a sit board) and skiing. These guys have given Landon the infrastructure and support to go fast and have fun.
This February I took these shots of Landon and friends enjoying some good days in the sun and fresh snow at Troll.