Staying Active
Wintertime in Vermont provides an endless amount of opportunities to stay active and continue to explore the outdoor world. At True North, our young adults go on various day trips and multi-day expeditions that help to develop a love for the quiet beauty of a snowy winter day. From snowshoeing along a frozen river to downhill and cross-country skiing, our young adult groups find plenty of ways to enjoy the wonders of a Vermont winter.
Skiing
One of the favorite day trip activities of our young adults is skiing. For a long time, Vermont has been an East Coast haven for cross-country and downhill skiing, and the young adults take every opportunity to honor this history. On various Thursdays, you can find them hitting the slopes at our local ski resort, Sugarbush. Beginners and advanced skiers and riders find success with the support of their True North group mates and guides riding along with them down the trails. Often times, the young adults also head out to Blueberry Lake to cross-country ski. While this is a new skill for many of our students, after a short instruction session, they find it to be a great way to get a workout and explore the beauty of the Mad River Valley.
Expeditions
Every other weekend, the young adult program goes on an expedition. Two of our favorite spots for a winter weekend away are the Adirondack Loj near Lake Placid, NY and the Merck Forest in southern Vermont. Both of these locations provide a secluded cabin-camping experience surrounded by various hiking and snowshoeing trails. The wood stove cabin atmosphere also allows for plenty of time for reflection and growth.
Service
Even in winter, the young adults continue to find ways to serve the greater community. On Tuesdays, they provide a helping hand to local non-profit organizations. Most recently, the young adult groups helped the Montpelier Parks Department organize the Winter Festival. True North groups helped build igloos, a tree maze, and a story telling stage for the festival, which is an opportunity for 500 local children to learn about and enjoy the season. In the near future, the young adults will be cooking meals for a local homeless shelter and helping out at the Vermont Food Bank.
When they are not skiing, on a service trip, or on an expedition, the our young adult groups are typically either snowshoeing around the local forests, learning to rock climb at the local gym, or hunkered down by the fire working on their hard skills and supporting each other through the therapeutic process. With winter in full swing, it can be tough to find ways to stay upbeat and active, but our young adults find new activities to help them continue to accomplish their goals.
