A powerhouse crew of individuals with disabilities and volunteers, led by recreational therapists at Ability360, its program 360Outdoors, and outfitter Grand Canyon Whitewater, completed a 10-day, all-accessible whitewater expedition through the Grand Canyon this past July.
The 2025 expedition featured a dynamic mix of people with disabilities — some Paralympians, some newcomers to the outdoors — navigating the physical and mental demands of one of the world’s most iconic landscapes that features one of the most logistically complex adaptive outdoor adventures in the United States. With rocky terrain, blazing desert heat, and powerful rapids, the Grand Canyon presents a challenge for even the most seasoned adventurers.
For these athletes, it also required a full suite of adaptive strategies, customized equipment, and unwavering teamwork.
Christal Ott, an adaptive athlete from Michigan who now lives in Florence, Arizona, returned for her second Grand Canyon expedition after she first completed the trip in 2017.
In her words: “When I started on this adventure, I was mentally exhausted. I was alone, struggling just to go forward. No goals and no purpose. When my husband passed away 20 years ago, I lost my support, my safety net. I was devastated. For two years, I isolated myself from everybody. I eventually worked my way out of that depression, just to get knocked down again and literally have my legs taken out from under me. I live alone. And most of my friends have four legs or wings. I pretty much have lost faith in humanity. Most people only think of themselves. Being given the opportunity to go on this expedition was life-changing. We were able to experience things that were totally inaccessible because of the 360 crew and the guides. I was piggybacked on and off the rafts, through the roughest terrain, over boulders, and through creeks, just so I could have the opportunity to be held up in front of a waterfall and feel the pressure.”
She continued: “I couldn’t find the words to express the feelings I was having. Gratitude? Compassion? Love? Mostly safe! I felt safe! I wasn’t alone anymore. Having that experience, the impact that it made on me, I knew that it was my purpose now to help others feel the same. This trip has restored my faith in humanity. Those 25 strangers are now family forever in my heart. Looking forward, I would like to mentor newly injured SCI (spinal cord injury) people. Let them know that things will get better, and that we all have varied abilities. Most importantly, there is a village of people at Ability360 to help you through your journey. I am forever grateful.”
Recreation therapists from Ability360 led the charge, curating every aspect of the trip to meet individual needs. The team helped with adaptive transfers from boat to beach, seating set-ups, an accessible hike to Phantom Ranch, and the chance to experience two spectacular waterfalls. Their expertise ensured that each athlete could access and enjoy every moment of the journey, from cruising through rapids to sleeping under the stars. Every participant of all ability levels safely navigated and engaged with the Grand Canyon’s wild beauty. This level of planning is a feat on its own, but the execution is what truly brought the magic to life.
At the heart of the trip, Gus LaZear, Ability360 Vice President of Operations and the Sports & Fitness Center, shared his steady leadership and decades of commitment to accessibility. His experience has helped open the door for people with disabilities to immerse themselves in the Grand Canyon’s grandeur in a way once thought impossible.
In his words: “Traveling the Grand Canyon by way of the Colorado River is a bucket list item for so many people, regardless of ability level. With the incredible guidance of the Grand Canyon Whitewater on and off river crew, Ability360 staff well-versed in adaptive adventures, and a crew of trained volunteers ready to travel down a wilderness environment as inaccessible as you can imagine, this team makes it possible to conquer each day down the river. Over the last four years, many people with different disabilities and conditions have experienced the canyon with this partnership. Individuals with spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, low–vision and blind, hard of hearing and deaf, people with limb differences and amputations, intellectual and developmental disabilities, PTSD, and more, have been a part of our river crew, which we refer to as the river family, as the trip unfolds.”
Athletes like Kelly Parker, a first-time canyon paddler, are proof that strength isn’t just physical.
In her words: “The love, support, and vulnerability on this trip—it changed how I see others. We weren’t just adventuring. We were healing, growing, and building each other up.”
These trips don’t happen without resources. Ability360’s Grand Canyon expedition is made possible through a web of dedicated sponsors, generous donors, and funding from community partners who believe in creating access to the outdoors for everyone. There’s a growing hope among the team that programs like this can be replicated across the country. With proper funding and national support, every state could offer its own version of an adaptive outdoor program, expanding the reach of recreation therapy and redefining what’s possible for people of all abilities.
As the last raft pulls into Diamond Creek and the crew hugs under the desert sun, it was clear that this trip wasn’t just about reaching the end of the river — it was about beginning again. It was about returning home with a renewed sense of confidence, connection, and capacity. For many, it marked a shift in what they believed they could do.
The trip of the year? Without question. But more than that, it was a reminder of what happens when people come together in the name of adventure, accessibility, and the human spirit.
The trip served as both a high-performance adaptive adventure and a broader call to action: build more programs like this nationwide. Ability360’s 360Outdoors program works to advocate for accessible outdoor recreation programs to be expanded to every state, so that individuals with disabilities looking for accessible adventures have year-round opportunities to explore, train, and connect with nature.
Thank you to the sponsors, the George Bohnert Scholarship Fund, the Stacy Fuson Foundation, Arizona River Runners, and the Grand Canyon Whitewater guides, volunteers, and supporters who made this year’s trip possible. Because of you all, barriers were broken, memories were made, and lives were changed.
Let’s keep the momentum going. Let’s make sure these experiences aren’t rare — they’re everywhere.
Join the waitlist for the 2026 Mainstream Expedition.