West Kelowna firefighters serve as ‘sherpas’ for disabled man’s breathtaking wilderness trip

WEST KELOWNA – Local firefighters have again made possible the annual Fire in the Mountains, a dream trip to the wilderness for a disabled person.

This fall, Logan Miller, 20, with the help of the firefighters, completed the alpine circuit at Cathedral Provincial Park, near the U.S. border.

Logan had an active youth but has a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder that has put him in a wheelchair. He was selected from many other applicants.

His father Rick joined him for the camping trip of a lifetime, made possible by a team of West Kelowna firefighters and the Trailrider, "a unique single wheel disc brake fitted chair.”

After some training, the team was able to navigate basic and technical terrain, attached to the Trailrider with padded waist harnesses and ropes.

It stood them well during a tough three-day hike involving steep slopes, strong headwinds and rocky terrain, all the while safely guiding Logan’s chair.

The payoff for the entire crew was breath-taking views of the Cascade Mountains and the smile of Logan’s face, says Capt. Nathan Pike, one of Logan’s “sherpas”.

Pike said the trip was a huge success and the West Kelowna Professional Firefighters local 4457 will begin taking applications in January for next year’s trip.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.