"The growth that I found within myself on the trek has been like nothing else in my life." - Julie

​Find Your True North!

TRUE NORTH TREKS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to support young adults and caregivers affected by cancer to "find direction through connection." One of the primary ways we do this is by taking groups on free backpacking and canoeing treks in beautiful and remote wilderness destinations where they can engage in three crucial connections that are often missing from conventional cancer care: 1) connection with nature (after going through something as unnatural as cancer treatment), 2) connection with peers who get it and have walked a similar path, and 3) connection with oneself through mindful awareness practices, such as meditation and yoga. 

We offer immersive wilderness excursions, retreat-style experiences, training in mindfulness meditation and yoga, and ongoing health promotion support and resources to our alumni. Our programming is grounded in evidence-based experiential learning principles and pedagogies from outdoor leadership, mind-body medicine, leave no trace, primitive and traditional teachings, and health behavior education. ​We recognize that people from all walks of life are impacted by cancer directly or indirectly. In addition to our primary programs for young adults and caregivers, we also offer educational and supportive programming in cancer prevention and positive lifestyle behaviors to the general public and those at increased cancer risk. 

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Our website is fully responsive to any size device, however to best view some of the incredible photos and images from our different treks we suggest you use a tablet or desktop computer.

"This experience was, without exaggeration, absolutely life changing. I hiked into the woods of Montana feeling ravaged by the physical and emotional toll of cancer, and left feeling renewed, strong, brave, proud and at peace."-Gina

Why Young Adults Affected by Cancer?

When the lightning bolt of cancer strikes, the power can go out and leave a person and their family completely in the dark and disconnected from the life they once knew.

An Inconvenient Truth

Did you know that young adults with cancer are the...

• Most likely group to be misdiagnosed?
• Most likely group to have a delayed diagnosis, sometimes taking up to 2 years or more?
• Twice as likely to develop late stage cancer and experience financial problems by the cost of their treatment when they have poor insurance coverage?
• Least represented group in clinical trials research?
• Least likely to find cancer support resources that include people their age?
• With stats like these, it’s no wonder that cancer affects upwards of 90,000 adolescents and young adults every year, is the leading cause of disease-related death for this group, and compared to pediatric or older adults, has not seen meaningful survival improvements in many cancers since the 1970's!

The Adverse Effect of Disconnect

As treatment finishes, many young adults move from a highly structured network of care providers and resources to an unstructured system with little guidance or directional tools. Many report feeling incredibly disconnected from the life they once knew or the future in which they were heading. Feeling sad, stressed, scared, overwhelmed, and angry are all valid and common emotions many young adults experience as they transition into a new phase of life post-treatment.

Many young adults affected by cancer feel lost in transition as they try to re-enter important life phases and opportunities that were put on hold or abandoned because of cancer. This includes things most of us take for granted like finishing high school & college, forming friendships, dating, participating in family events, starting new jobs & careers, and getting married or starting a family. It also includes worrying if their cancer will come back, or finding out that it did and wondering what will happen next. 

"This has changed my life...it has helped me realize who I can be and the strength I really do have within" - Becky

Our 3 Crucial Connections

Since our founding in 2008, we have centered our programming around 3 crucial connections that we believe are missing from conventional cancer care, and can help those we serve get their power back on, and keep it from going out again. These are: 1) Connecting with nature after experiencing something as unnatural as cancer treatment; 2) Connecting with peers who "get it" and have hiked a similar path; and 3) Connecting with oneself through mindful awareness practices like meditation and yoga. These weren't randomly picked. Each is based on a growing body of empirical research from the fields of cognitive & affective neuroscience; social, developmental, and health psychology; and integrative medicine and public health. Our treks can help repair and reestablish our fragmented relationship with the natural world - mind, body, and soil; they can help one discover the incredible power of finding and being found; and they can plant seeds of curiosity, patience, openness, wisdom, gratitude, and compassionate awareness that may perennially blossom day after day, long after the trek has finished.

""True North Treks taught me about living again."
- Rachel

Looking for some "Tree Hab"?
How about some "Sea-Hab"?
Maybe a little "We-Hab"?
What about some "Just Be-Hab?"

If this is the kind of restoration, recalibration, and reorientation you are looking for, we are so glad you found us. And we are so glad we found you.

Experience the Power
​of Finding and Being Found