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Carn trekker's Grand adventure 11.04.08

by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent

CARNDONAGH'S Cormac Skinnader would have been forgiven for putting his feet up for a couple of days last week after returning home from a ten-day charity walk to raise funds for the Irish Wheelchair Association.
Mr Skinnader, one of four Donegal people to make the trip, raised over €7,000 for the Association through his participation in the walk in the Grand Canyon.
Over 110 Irish people travelled to take part and between them over €400,000 was raised. Skinnader, the Carndonagh GAA club PRO, said the walk was quite tough at times.

Cormac Skinnader with fellow trekkers at the Grand Canyon.

“For the first three days we were based in Flagstaff. The city is 7000 feet above sea level. On the first day I noticed that the air was thinner than I was used to."
The walks varied from the leisurely to the demanding.
“The most difficult walk was when we had to negotiate a pass down to the floor of the Grand Canyon. Not everyone

was able to do that one,” added Mr Skinnader.
The Grand Canyon was a highlight of the whole trip for Mr Skinnader.
“The Americans call the Grand Canyon the most awesome site. We did a seven-mile walk around the north rim and then visited the new Skywalk on the west rim of the Canyon. The floor is made of glass and you can look down at the floor of the Canyon.”
Other highlights of the trip for Mr Skinnader included the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert. “The Petrified Forest is an area of the Arizona Desert where trees that fell many thousands of years ago have reduced to stone. You can still see complete trees.”
The team went out on the 19th of March and returned on the 29th.
Mr Skinnader said he hoped that some of the money raised would be made available to projects in Inishowen that aid the Wheelchair-bound.
“It was a tough task to raise the money, but the work is well worth it if you can help create equal opportunities for people in wheelchairs to participate in society.”
One Donegal woman on the trip, Una McGarrigle, was on her 16th charity walk for the Irish Wheelchair Association. Mr Skinnader said that he would like to help out again in the future.

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