When Trailblazing: The Matt Hadley Story screened to a sold-out audience at artsPlace in December and twice more in January, it was easy to see the appreciation—and admiration—mountain folk have for Matt’s story.

“I knew a lot of people in the crowd, and the very enthusiastic standing ovation was really emotional for me,” Matt says. “I think there’s recognition of the challenges of what I’ve gone through and how the community has rallied behind to help support me through that, like ‘hey, we’re all here for you.’ It made me feel a sense of pride and thanks.”

“If you’ve hiked or biked in Canmore, you’ve definitely travelled on a trail that Matt had a hand in either designing or building,” says his friend Pate Neumann in the film.

Matt’s passions—mountain sports, coaching, and trail building—converged in the Canadian Rockies in a way that made it natural to build his life here since 2011, and it’s through these activities that he created deep connections and made lifelong friends.

Life was plugging along quite beautifully while he pursued things he loved most, until a hiking accident on a vacation in Utah in 2019 forced him to rebuild everything from scratch.

The loss of his leg threatened not only his career, but the outdoor life he had built around it.

A trailblazer in more than one way, Matt isn’t one to back down from a challenge.

As an accomplished mountain biker, he raced in Canada Cups and World Cups; winning titles and even becoming the fastest couple in Canada with his wife, Catherine Vipond (whom he met on the competition circuit).

As a trail technologist, he is widely known for his innovative approach to design through high-profile initiatives such as the Yamnuska Trail Project, which resulted in significantly decreased rescue missions on the mountain.

And, as an above-the-knee amputee and adaptive athlete, he has pioneered creative solutions to designing and building his own prosthetic attachments that are paving the way for others who want to pursue outdoor recreation after a life-altering injury.

Following the accident, Matt quickly learned that his community’s way of life is not only rooted in outdoor recreation—it’s in caring for one another.

And people kept showing up when he needed it most. From his wife, whose unwavering dedication aided his long and complex recovery; to friends and family who offered their hand day after day; to organizations like Rocky Mountain Adaptive that worked with him on new ways to move; to folks near and far who supported how they could—crowdfunding to help cover medical bills, using their skills to help with physiotherapy and getting back to sports, or knocking on his door ready to adventure together.

“Friends reached out in many different ways and continued to show up to get me out the door and experience the mountains again,” Matt says.

When director Kim Logan approached Matt about making the film, they shared the same goal—to inspire others to rethink their limits and reimagine what’s possible. It was one more way he felt he could contribute something meaningful.

“As a local legend whose coaching, trail building, and quiet influence have shaped our mountain culture, the film became a way to honour Matt's legacy and broaden the conversation about who belongs in the outdoors,” Kim says.

The community showed up to the full screenings of Trailblazing, eager to contribute to the conversation about redefining how we pursue outdoor recreation.

“During the screenings at artsPlace, we got into some great discussions about improving accessibility for all in Canmore, so that was quite empowering—not just having it be about me but also about the community and how others can relate to my story,” Matt says. “People asked what they could do and how to get involved.”

Seven years after the accident, Matt is still pursuing his passions along with a new adventure: becoming a father. More than ever, he’s excited to raise his family in a community where mutual care and appreciation for the outdoors are deeply ingrained.

“It’s a place with a lot of opportunity, a lot of great programs, and a large cohort of friends who like doing similar things,” he says. “It’s definitely exciting to raise my son here.”

Photos from the film courtesy of Kim Logan