Easter Seals Camp Kysoc's adventure program called Alpenglow Adventures accomplished the very first documented descent by trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon National Park with someone who cannot walk for the first time in Grand Canyon National Park history on November 28, 2008.  Her name was Skylar Cannon, a 13 year old girl with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. She has never walked during her lifetime.

As a result of Skylar's success, we are offering four six-day trips during March spring break 2009 to get eight others who cannot walk to the bottom by trail. We are seeking 24 college students each week to take two people with disabilities who cannot walk to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. There is no cost for the people with disabilities. College students are paying $795 to cover their lodging, food, camping fees and mule packing of supplies to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

On December 8, 2008, Jim Ebert and his Alpenglow Adventures took the very first person who could not walk, who needed assistance, to the highest Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro. This was only the second person to reach the highest Uhuru Peak by someone who cannot walk, and the first who needed assistance. His name was Juan Martin Botero. He has Friedrich's Ataxia which is a deterioating neurological disease that has already taken from Juan his ability to use his legs. As a result of Juan's success, we are offering five 13-day trips during the fall of 2009 to Tanzania to take 10 other individuals who cannot walk to the highest Uhuru Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro and then on a six day game safari.

All of America's and the world's hiking trails have been inaccessible to anyone who was wheelchair dependant until now. With the use of the Kili-Kart, which offers participant participation by pushing or braking on the wheels, and the Trail Rider, we are offering those who cannot walk the world's greatest and most scenic hiking destination objectives. We are using the only known trail transport devices in the world that are Human powered and that must be pushed and pulled by others. We are the only ones offering trips to those who cannot walk from anywhere to the Grand Canyon and to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and we are the only ones using both of these transport devices.

All revenue net income above expenses will go to support children and adults with physical disabilities to attend a six-day special needs session during the summertime at Camp Kysoc.

2009 Grand Canyon National Park Trips:

March  1-6

March  8-13

March 15-20

 March 22-27

Two teams of ten pushers and pullers (20 students) from colleges from across America are encouraged to join us on the very first offered hiking trips to the bottom of the Grand Canyon National Park to the Phantom Ranch during four  six-day hiking trips during spring break in 2009, taking eight individuals who cannot walk to the bottom for the very first time in Grand Canyon National Park history. College students will receive academic credit. During each trip, each group of 20 students will take two young people who cannot walk to the bottom of the Grand Canyon by way of the Bright Angel Trail, stay the night on the bottom and then hike back out.   These will be the very first hiking trail descents to the bottom of the Grand Canyon National Park by individuals who cannot walk. Participants from college campuses from all around the country and anyone else can participate.  This is a difficult trip because the trails have over 6,000 erosion logs and the Trailrider can weigh as much as 200 lbs. so it will have to be lifted over each obstacle going down and out. Being in shape and being able to endure a nine hour descent and a thirteen hour ascent while working as a team pushing and pulling individuals with disabilities down and back out of the world's most famous and most visitied National Park is essential. This trip is enabling individuals with disabilities to access the Bright Angel trail to the bottom for the very first time. 

The Trip Cost is $795.  This fee allows you to join a group of other college students to work as a team during each trip to push and pull two individuals who cannot walk to the bottom of the Grand Canyon National Park for the very first time in Grand Canyon National Park history. 

Within each person's trip fee, above the trip costs, is a  fundraising amount that helps to support a child or adult with a disability to attend a six day special needs camp during the summertime at Easter Seals Camp Kysoc in Carrollton, Kentucky.

The trip fee includes fifteen meals from Sunday evening to Friday lunch, one night camping permit on the bottom, six nights lodging in hotels at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, trip leadership, van rental and transporting the Kili-kart and the Trailrider to the Grand Canyon from Kentucky and using the Trailrider and Kili-kart transport units, etc. 

This is the first trip that has ever been offered in America that will take individuals who cannot walk and descend to the bottom and back out of the Grand Canyon National Park via the Bright Angel Trail. Over 36 miles of hiking and over 2 miles of vertical descent and two miles of vertical ascent will occur during each trip.

Mount Kilimanjaro and Safari Trip Dates 2009:

August 9-21, 2009

August 23-September 4, 2009

September 20-October 2, 2009 

October 4-16, 2009

October 18-30, 2009

13-Day  Mount Kilimanjaro Ascent and Safari providing two individuals per trip who cannot walk or not walk very well  trail transport to the highest Uhuru Peak summit on Mount Kilimanjaro. This is the very first trip being offered in the world to those who cannot walk that will take them to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

(Seven-Day) Mount Kilimanjaro Ascent and (Six-Day) Game Safari: Cost $5,795.  Includes all Park entry fees, guides, 8 porters to transport individuals who cannot walk, or not walk very well, to the highest Uhuru Peak summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, all meals, transfers and all tips. Does not include airfare, drinks, personal expenses.

Price includes 7 -day Mount Kilimanjaro ascent and 6-day Game Safari. Includes being picked up from the Mount Kilimanjaro International Airport, all transfers, all park entry fees, two nights lodging at the Springland Hotel, six-day hike to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro using the Marungu Route, all food, mountain guides, assistant mountain guides, porters, cooks, 2 porters per each person who carry 30 lbs. of each person's gear to the 15,520 foot Kibo Hut, all tips, six porters to transport each person who cannot walk to the summit, involving over 51 miles of transport using the Kili-kart and Trailrider. Jim Ebert will accompany you to the summit, (Jim has guided over 250 people to the summit since 1967 and has ascended Mount Kilimanjaro 13 times.) etc. Resume www.AlpenglowAdventures.org)

Six -day game safari includes: All Park entry fees, all tips, English speaking drives, 4 x 4 Safari vehicles with removeable roofs, full board lodging including all meals on safari, full day game drives, staying in the top rated Serena Lodges while in the Serengeti National Park (2 nights), Ngorongoro Crater Game Preserve (2-nights) with full day game drive on the bottom of the crater, Tarangire National Park (1-night) and Lake Manyara National Park (1-night).

 All of the 2009 trip dates involve taking two individuals who cannot walk to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and on a game safari. Others are welcome to accompany those who are being transported to the summit. All money above trip costs supports individuals with disabilities to attend a 6 -day special needs camp session at Camp Kysoc in Carrollton, Kentucky during the summertime.

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