Experienced, compassionate leaders Trip guides are experienced wilderness experts, emergency medical responders, and seasoned AT hikers. Grief counselors and mental health professionals are also part of our leadership team, working in conjunction with trip leaders to create an empowering therapeutic outdoor activity that honors the griever and promotes the healing process.
What’s a typical day like on a hiking trip? All trips will be conducted in small groups supported by experienced trip leaders. Except for the first night, when we’ll be staying at a campground, the group will be backpacking on beautiful sections of the AT and camping under the stars. We’ll have tarps to protect from weather, and we’ll be camping near AT shelters that have access to water and a privy. After we’ve set up our camping area, we will be preparing our own meals. Evening activities will foster sharing and bonding, with time for fun, rest and reflection.
But I don’t have any camping gear! No worries! The Umbrella Project will provide everything you need except your hiking shoes and everyday outdoor clothes. We’ll supply all hiking, cooking, and camping gear, including backpacks, sleeping bags and pads, rainwear, etc. Participants will receive a list of recommended clothes and personal items to bring.
Our trips are therapeutic, not therapy All trip participants are grieving—which means everyone has bereavement in common. The purpose of the Umbrella Project is not to provide group therapy or counseling sessions, but to bring together grieving young adults—some of whom may not know other people their age who have suffered a similar loss—and spend a week in nature.
The Appalachian Trail
Running through 14 states from Georgia to Maine, the 2192-mile Appalachian Trail (AT) is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. Initially, our trips will take advantage of the beautiful scenery, relatively easy terrain, and ready accessibility of the AT in the Mid-Atlantic region, starting and ending near Thurmont, MD. Thurmont is a little over an hour drive from many metropolitan centers, including Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.
Winter Retreat Details
- Three and a half days of curated activities specific to grieving young adults
- Three nights at the rustic Homestead House at the ThorpeWood, which has all facilities, bunkbeds, a kitchen, comfy couches and a wood stove fireplace
- ThorpeWood is a 156-acre nature-based mental health and social-emotional learning center. The beautiful mountain property, nestled 1500 feet high in the Catoctin Mountains, is near Thurmont, Maryland
- Invigorating day hikes in majestic forests
- Visits with Icelandic horses, goats, chickens and cows
- S’mores, star-gazing and grief activities by the bonfire
- Journaling, art, games and small-group sharing
- Bonding and camaraderie with others who understand your loss
- Led by experienced grief counselors and seasoned outdoor experts
- All gear and food provided
- No cost for the program
Backpacking Trip Details
- Beautiful Appalachian Trail hiking southbound in Maryland
- Fun backpacking
- Camaraderie and activities
- All gear and food provided
- First night camping at a mountain retreat in northern Maryland (with all facilities)
- Two nights camping on the Appalachian Trail (with shelters and some facilities)
- First and last days are partial days
- Transportation available
- No cost for trips
“I lost my mom to cancer in 2020 and spent a while in an angry and lonely place. The Umbrella Project helped me to connect with people that had gone through something similar and to let myself grieve in a healthier way. My mom always loved nature, so the hike made me feel connected to her and more able to heal.”
– Kasey, October 2021 trip participant
To view our brochure click here.