With the sun rising over a crisp, early December morning, father and son duo Lance and Sean Weekley piled heavy loads of food and gifts into their humble aircraft.
They packed the plane full, and with the OK from traffic control, they taxied down the runway. Taking off a few minutes later—Santa hats bobbing in their cockpit—the two flew south bound for Navajo country, eager to share their craft’s bounty, and holiday cheer.
That morning, the Weekleys, along with a host of other volunteer pilots had gathered to take part in an annual Utah tradition known as Backcountry Santa.
What is Backcountry Santa?
Conceived during the winter of 2019 by Huish Outdoors CEO Mike Huish, Backcountry Santa is a collective of volunteer pilots that fly food and gift donations to the Navajo Reservation during the holiday season.
Already a full-time commercial pilot flying A330s for Delta Airlines, Lance originally found out about the program from other pilots in the aviation industry. Sadly, he was unable to help out in the inaugural year. So when he learned the collective was rallying once again in 2020, he knew it was game on.
“I was bored on a layover,” he recalls, “and I figured getting involved would be a great way for my son to learn to fly while simultaneously doing some good.’
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On top of flying as a commercial pilot, he also runs a dog rescue nonprofit called Desert Dog Aviation with his son. Known for quick response times and big hearts, the family dog rescuers have made a big impact throughout the mountain west flying needy pups to loving homes.
“A lot of the rescue organizations just call us directly,” Weekley says. “There’s just too many links on the chain, but one-on-one, we can get the job done quickly. Sometimes my wife comes along in the backseat as chief dog petter.”
Delivering the Goods
Great for rough, dirt landings and capable of lifting a lot, Weekeley’s Cessna 185 was up to the job. Plus, deep down, the generous pilot had always wanted to fly into the Navajo Reservation to take in its natural beauty and stunning landscapes. With the opportunity to do good and enjoy another mission with his son, the stage was set for a dream come true.
“The delivery went great!” he continues. “There were plenty of hands and everyone was happy and smiling. It was a rewarding experience!”
When asked what it felt like to be Santa Clause for a day, Weekley laughed, and answered humbly. “I don’t want to inflate my ego and say we did very much … the people who donated and the coordinators who got us permission to land down there, they deserve the real credit.”
At the end of the day, Backcountry Santa isn’t just one man or woman, or even one organization. It’s a collective of like-minded folks coming together to generate goodwill, full bellies and some holiday magic for those in need.
