Organization
Adaptive Sports Association(ASA)
Co-founded in 1983 by amputee Dave Spencer at the foot of the San Juan Mountains, the Adaptive Sports Association provides year-round outdoor recreation for people with physical and cognitive disabilities across southwestern Colorado. Programs span adaptive sit-skiing, snowboarding, white-water rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, and multi-day camping expeditions.
About
Co-founded in 1983 by Dave Spencer — a ski instructor who lost his leg to cancer — the Adaptive Sports Association (ASA) has operated for over four decades at the foot of the San Juan Mountains in Durango, Colorado. What began as a winter-only adaptive ski program expanded in 1997 to include year-round programming, making ASA one of the most comprehensive adaptive outdoor recreation organizations in the Mountain West.
What They Do
ASA offers adaptive skiing, snowboarding, and sit-skiing at Purgatory Resort in winter, and a full summer calendar including white-water rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking, canoeing, and overnight backcountry camping. All programs are led by trained adaptive recreation specialists and are tailored to individual ability levels.
Who They Serve
ASA serves children, adults, and veterans with physical disabilities (amputations, spinal cord injuries, visual impairments, and more) as well as people with cognitive and developmental disabilities across southwestern Colorado and neighboring states.
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