Wheelchair Sledding Craziness

Wintertime isn’t all about staying inside. Venture to the nearest snowy hill, and what do you see? A bunch of people sledding, and it’s possible for you to get out there too!

From using a common household item like a laundry basket to harnessing the brute power of sled dogs to pull you up the hill and back down again, there are ways you can still get out there and experience the thrill of sledding even if you can’t walk.

Dreaming of riding that icy hill too? Check out these three accessible sledding videos we’ve uncovered below!

Video #1: Boy pulls two siblings on a sled

Be careful. You’ll likely fall in love with these three siblings who’ve devised a way to enjoy sledding and include their little brother who has Larson’s Syndrome (a genetic joint disorder which makes him use a powerchair). The solution – have him pull the sled with his wheelchair as his siblings ride behind on it.

This trick only works because the two siblings are so light, buy holy cow does it want to make you a kid again. They nearly wipe out at the end too, and that only makes it all the more fun.

Watch: Sledding with a Wheelchair

Video #2: It’s the dogs’ turn

For those of you who love your canine companions, maybe you can manage a little bit of dogsled action like the guys at Arctic Aventure, a wintersports outfit in Montreal, Canada.

They offer incredibly cool wheelchair dog sled holidays where they will transfer you onto a sled so you can be pulled by sled dogs (and an able-bodied musher of course). They even offer a little cubby hole so you stay warm while riding on the sled through the elements.

Watch: Wheelchair dog sled holidays Canada – Arctic Aventure

Video # 3: DIY accessible sled from a laundry basket

What do people do when it suddenly snows in warmer parts of the country? Why they do goofy things of course, like create accessible sleds from laundry baskets.  Better than a regular sled because of the higher sides, a laundry basket is one of the easiest household items to turn into an accessible sled.

In this video, a mom takes her teenage son with spinal bifida out for a ride in the ‘ol laundry basket and while he doesn’t look too amused, the mom sure seems to be pleased with herself. Has anyone this tried this before?

Watch: Adapted sledding

The next time snow starts to fall near you, think of sledding. Life is too short to stay on all four wheels and the adrenaline rush you get from something as simple as going down a hill can be completely priceless.

How have you created an accessible sledding experience?

Watch the videos!

– Boy pulls his siblings on a sled

– Wheelchair dog sled holidays Canada – Arctic Aventure

– Adapted sled made from a laundry basket http://movies.netflix.com/Defaultv