Canmore Filmmaker Tells Local Legend's Story of What's Possible in Face of Adversity
Jordan Small
Rocky Mountain Outlook
CANMORE – An adventurous man lost his leg doing what he loved is one way to look at Kim Logan’s new documentary.
Although, what struck the Canmore filmmaker about working closely with Matt Hadley, a local legend in his own right, is not about what has been lost, it is about what is still possible.
Trailblazing: The Matt Hadley Story is a point of view documentary about the approach of Hadley’s recovery journey from traumatic life-altering injury to the new doors that have opened in adaptive outdoor pursuits, in his community and in life.
As Logan puts it, when storytelling showcases adaptive athletes like Hadley, narratives are challenged about limitations and what is possible.
“Matt has really redefined what is possible when it comes to outdoor adventuring,” said Logan. “He’s really all about pushing boundaries in new ways and the themes of the film really speak to resilience and innovation and determination, so I do think it is a powerful and moving story that has potential to resonate with a broad audience.”
Winner of the Golden Sheaf Award in the Documentary POV (point of view) category at the 2025 Yorkton Film Festival, Trailblazing follows Hadley five years after his right leg was amputated following a backcountry accident. His wife, Catherine, saved his life in the crucial moments on that fateful day.
In an instant, Hadley’s reality changed and his life forever impacted. When making the documentary, filmmaker and freelance writer Logan said it was important to make it clear to Hadley that this was his story to share, on his terms, and at his pace.
“It’s not just a story about adventure; it’s a story about trauma and identity and rebuilding a life,” said Logan. “My job as a filmmaker was to listen, to build trust, and to create a safe space for an honest conversation, that really became a foundation for everything that followed.”
If Hadley's name doesn’t ring a bell, then perhaps the mountain trails that he has created throughout the Bow Valley will.
A trail designer in Canmore, Hadley has been essential in planning, building and/or restructuring popular trails such as High Rockies Trail in Kananaskis Country, Ha Ling’s new trail, restructuring Mount Yamnuska’s trail to make it safer, and many more around the Canmore Nordic Center.
Once a pro mountain biker, Hadley ranked as the fourth best male racer in Canada at one point. While in Canmore, he was also a volunteer mountain bike coach for the Rundle Mountain Cycling Club and as a trail crew leader for Friends of Kananaskis.
Logan said Hadley was receptive to his story being told, which is one that ultimately changed his family’s life, as well.
“Matt was quick to adapt his mindset and focus on what his new reality looks like moving forward,” said Logan. “He was very quick to lean on his friends and family and community and resources available to get him back doing what he loved.”
On the Instagram page, trailblazing.film, Logan posted behind the scenes clips from the documentary.
In summer 2022, Logan’s first documentary aired on CBC’s Creator Network.
Having studied film and television at university, it had been Logan’s dream to create inspiring storytelling through film. She received the opportunity when CBC was seeking emerging female filmmakers.
After a few failed pitches, Logan reined in her “right story at the right time” with Once a cowgirl, always a cowgirl, a short documentary about a barrel racer from southern Alberta who was involved in a near-fatal rodeo accident.
Shortly after telling Katie Jackson’s journey of regaining trust and pursuing dreams, Logan rode that momentum and applied for a grant through Storyhive, which funds community-based storytelling projects across Alberta and British Columbia. When she received the grant for Trailblazing, she put together a mostly local team to help put together the film.
After about 12 months from start to finish, Logan said that she hosted a private screening of Trailblazing at her home with Hadley. She said his response was very positive when credits rolled.
“I remember when Matt and [his son] Graham left and I closed the door behind them, I just burst into tears because I felt that I had created a film that we were both proud of and I had done the story justice and that was important to me,” she said.
For more information about upcoming screenings, follow the Instagram page, trailblazing.film, and the website, kimnlogan.com/trailblazingfilm.