Summer Programs: CCASC offers many adaptive sports opportunities in the summer, featuring day and weekend-long programs including kayaking, mountain-biking, fly-fishing, paddle-boarding, rock-climbing, camping, and hiking. Southern California Edison generously designated a secluded camping area on Shaver Lake for CCASC’ s programs, facilitated our use of Balsam Forebay for fly-fishing and kayaking, and provided access to a fantastic mountain bike trail where participants can ride CCASC’ s fleet of adaptive cross-country mountain bikes. We also have set up several climbing routes on a granite wall accessible from Shaver Lake by kayak.
Summer Programs: CCASC offers many adaptive sports opportunities in the summer, featuring day and weekend-long programs including kayaking, mountain-biking, fly-fishing, paddle-boarding, rock-climbing, camping, and hiking. Southern California Edison generously designated a secluded camping area on Shaver Lake for CCASC’ s programs, facilitated our use of Balsam Forebay for fly-fishing and kayaking, and provided access to a fantastic mountain bike trail where participants can ride CCASC’ s fleet of adaptive cross-country mountain bikes. We also have set up several climbing routes on a granite wall accessible from Shaver Lake by kayak.
On December 5, 2015, John Cook, better known as“ JC” traveled to China Peak Mountain Resort with another wounded Veteran, Justin Bond, to check out the program at the Central California Adaptive Sports Center, having heard that CCASC had“ sit-skis” in which persons with leg amputations, spinal cord injuries, and other disabilities that cause persons to have difficulty walking could learn to ski. JC has a“ below the knee” amputation( BKA) of his right leg. The snow skiing experience was new to JC. Little did he know that he was about to begin an exciting new chapter in his life.
At 6 feet tall and 185 pounds, JC put his athleticism to the test and began skiing on a“ bi-ski”, a device that has two skis mounted below a seat, connected by an articulating device and, in some cases, a suspension system similar to that of a motorcycle.
Within two days of instruction on the beginner slope, JC was able to steer and stop the bi-ski without an instructor’ s direct assistance. He had progressed to the point where he required only an instructor to“ tether” him from behind, using two 12-foot straps to assist with speed control.
In the winter of 2016, JC continued his pursuit of mastering the bi-ski and progressed to being tethered on intermediate runs( blue square). By the end of that season, he was skiing solo, or“ untethered” as it is called in the Adaptive world.
By the winter of 2017, JC had switched over to a“ mono-ski”, a device that has only one ski beneath the seat, and requires greater ability to balance than the bi-ski. In one season, JC became a“ phenom” on the mono-ski and had achieved the status of a local celebrity at China Peak.
In December 2017, JC traveled to the“ Hartford Ski Spectacular” in Breckenridge, Colorado where he attended week-long clinics with hundreds of other wounded Veterans, culminating in a ski race at the end of the week. While JC had no intention of competing when he arrived, his confidence had increased to the point where he said:“ why not?” So, he entered the competition. When the snow settled, JC and his team had won a Silver Medal.
JC has been an inspiration to us all, including all of the wounded veterans that he has brought to CCASC to help them“ re-discover” life. Thank you JC for all that you have done.
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