"This was the first time in 10 years since my first diagnosis that I allowed myself to be vulnerable and fully accept and process this strange gift that cancer has been. I was finally among my peers."- Josh

Mission

Unlike grid north or magnetic north, True North is marked in the skies by the position of the North star. For centuries it has been used for celestial navigation by seafarers and explorers to help them determine their whereabouts and cross featureless oceans without having to rely on random chance. Having cancer as a young adult can utterly demagnetize a person's life compass, leaving them feeling lost, off course, and without direction. True North Treks shares a common belief that connecting with the healing space found in nature, connecting with others who have hiked a similar path, and connecting with oneself through mindful awareness practices, can help young adults and caregivers re-magnetize their compasses and forge new pathways beyond their dis-ease.

Our 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 missing from conventional cancer care: 1) connection with nature (after going through something as unnatural as cancer treatment), 2) connection with peers who have walked a similar path, and 3) connection with oneself through mindful awareness practices, such as meditation and yoga. Beyond our treks, we offer free online mindfulness meditation classes twice a month, we organize race teams at different Spartan events across the country to promote mind-body health and fellowship, we raise awareness for the plight, fight, and might of young adults and caregivers affected by cancer through screening our documentary short film, and we provide free health promotion coaching and support to all of our alumni.

Guiding Core Values

Our guiding core values permeate all aspects of our programming with participants as well as in the day to day operations of our organization. Here are a few of them in no particular order:

Exuding Including. At TNT we are committed to and are actively working toward a culture of greater equity, diversity, and representation among our program participants, guides and staff, volunteers, partners, and contractors. This work is ongoing, and we continue to listen, learn, and act. Our goal is for TNT programs to be safe (emotionally, physically, and socially), welcoming, and accessible to all who are eligible.

Embracing the Funk. One of our sage wilderness guides Lars Hall can often be heard shouting, "Embrace the funk people!" to participants out in the field, as the dirty, sweaty, smelly, dusty, muddy, un-showered, back-country funk starts to set in. As a Zen Master of back-country Funk himself, Lars knows that at its core, embracing the funk is a survival skill about welcoming new experiences, especially those that might seem unpleasant or different at first, with an attitude of openness and acceptance.

Manifesting the Five F's. Created by Co-Founder David Victorson at O'Hare International Airport during a pre-flight family huddle with his then small children about to fly internationally for the first time, the Five F's stand for Focus, be Flexible, have Fun, when things don't go our way try not to Freak out, and when all else fails, Fuhgettaboutit. The Five F's can come in handy just about everyday in every situation, especially when spending multiple days and nights sleeping in the woods with a group of strangers.  

Leaning In NOT Pushing In. Outside of abiding by our safety protocols and "kind human being" requests, there's not much else we require of our participants on our treks. We invite and encourage all the time and ask participants to take advantage of this unique opportunity to see what it is like to lean in and step outside of their comfort zone should moments call for it. We let participants know that what they put into their trek is directly proportional to what they will get out of it.

Keeping Our Eyes on Our Own Mats. It is a natural human occupation to compare ourselves and our situations with those of others. Whether it's where someone went on vacation or how much they earn, to what kind of cancer they were diagnosed with or what treatment they received and from whom, usually at some point these comparisons open a door to suffering with self-statements like "if only I could be more like that...if only I were better at...if only I had gotten what they got...why can't things work out for me like that?...how is it possible they had that happen and I didn't???..." It's not too different from looking at others in a yoga class and seeing how flexible and graceful and holy they look, perfectly positioning their malleable bodies into beautiful, super-human alignment and form...in these moments it is best to just keep our eyes focused squarely on our own mats.

Going Slow to Go Fast. This was a saying Co-Founders Scott and David Victorson's Grandfather would say to them from time to time. In our ever-increasing "on demand" way of life, this old school philosophy can sound romantic, but man is it hard, especially when you want to go fast. On our treks, wherever we are is exactly where we need to be. We of course have a plan and itinerary, but it's flexible enough to allow us to roll with the punches should a hike,  paddle, or summit need to be rescheduled or replaced with something else. We hike and paddle at the pace of our slowest participants and this is great because it keeps things slow enough for us to take everything in and not auto-pilot our way through a beautiful forest or sunset. 

Getting Each Others Backs. On our treks, we actively look for opportunities to serve one another and get each other's backs, from calling out a branch or uneven terrain to those behind you on a hike, taking part in meal preparation or cleanup, helping someone tighten their PFD strap or apply some sunscreen, to showing up, sharing, listening deeply, honoring silence, and bringing one's full self.

Calling People In (vs Calling them Out). No one is exempt from having a "human being moment" where something is said or done that might hurt another's feelings, or somehow disrupt the flow, vibe, or safety of a situation or space. Should moments like these happen on or off our treks we try to err on the side of calling that person in, vs. calling them out. Calling someone in means circling back in private to bring attention to their behavior and help them understand its implications, while calling someone out uses a public space to accomplish this. There are times, however, depending on the behavior or situation, when calling someone out is also effective and perfectly acceptable, especially if it helps others in the group feel supported, validated, or safe.  

Being On The Same Team. When one of those human being moments happens and someone says or does something that makes us feel annoyed, angry, hurt, or defensive, stepping back to remember we are all on the same team can be just the reframe necessary to help us actually get there.

Assuming Good Intent. What would happen the next time someone cuts us off in traffic if instead of laying on our horn and screaming profanities, we wondered if the person was actually OK. Did they spill hot coffee on their lap? Are they rushing an injured family member to the hospital? Assuming good intent is key to short circuiting amygdala hijacking and remembering that we are all on the same human being team.

Honoring Our Best Teachers. While no one likes to fail, when we can step back and see our screw-ups, mishaps, disappointments, struggles, and times when our button has been pushed by someone else as honoring our “best teachers”, it opens limitless possibilities for learning, growth, emergence, letting go, healing, and being.

Keeping our Cups “Empty Enough.” It's nice to have a full cup, but when it is constantly filled to the brim, we cannot receive what others have to offer and share. There's just no room. We must therefore leave our cups empty and open enough to be able to receive the gifts from others around us. This is akin to the concept of beginner's mind, or having an attitude of openness, curiosity, and lack of preconceptions about something, even when at an advanced level. It has been said that in the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few.  

Feeding the Right Wolf. TNT Co-Founder and wilderness guide Scott Victorson often shares the tribal parable of an Elder Grandfather explaining to his Grandson about a great battle occurring inside all of us between two wolves. One wolf represents anger, greed, jealousy, and mistrust, while the other wolf represents love, gratitude, trust, and compassion. When the Grandchild asks which wolf wins the battle, the Grandfather replies, "the one you feed." This isn't always easy, especially when one wolf is hungrier than the other, but holding this intention, every day, is how the "right wolf" gets to eat.

No Bad Weather, Just Bad Gear. When nature doesn't cooperate (e.g., mosquitoes, rain, horse flies, lightning, extreme change in temperature) we aim to be as prepared as possible with the right gear and equipment, which can make just about any circumstance better. This mindset can also extend beyond nature to life in general. That said, we also understand and acknowledge that not everyone has access to "good gear" or to any gear for that matter, which is why we do everything we can to make sure everyone has equitable access to what they need.  

Leaving No Trace. TNT Co-Founder and wilderness guide Gwen Victorson made this value a permanent one for TNT, consistently teaching these principles to even the most seasoned guides out in the field.  Even though it seems simple,  it can be so easy to succumb to old habits of washing up the dishes in the river or throwing our apple core into the forest. Leaving no trace takes conscious effort and intention. It is about compassion. On all of our treks we teach and model leave no trace principles, which means our collective footprint cannot be detected by others coming into the field after us  - no wrappers, food scraps, or disturbed environments. It means our waters are healthier and unpolluted. It means wildlife is respected, and beautiful things found are appreciated but ultimately left in place for someone else to discover. Everyone's birthright is to be able to go into nature and not know that someone else has been there before them.

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