Climb It For Climate returns October 12 to Sugarbush’s Lincoln Peak featuring a group rally hike. The hike will be followed by keynote speaker Carolina Rubio- MacWright, a POW ambassador, ultrarunner, lawyer, and immigration activist.
She will speak about her work combining her passion for trail running with the need for engaging and supporting refugee populations in New York City. Her nonprofit, Touching Lands, partners recent refugees and immigrants with local mentors and allies, and uses running as the platform for creating community and teaching people their rights.
The fall rally is the first of this year’s Climb It For Climate events. There will be two more uphill skiing rallies on December 5 and March 28 to bookend the season. These events will follow a similar format as last year’s event, which featured a climate-related ski film festival and an expert panel discussing ways the community can engage as climate activists. Both upcoming events will partner an uphill tour with presentations and community conversations.
New for the 2025-26 ski season are a series of Uphill Challenges. There will be two timed uphill events, where participants will see how quickly they can climb from the Base Lodge at Mount Ellen to Walt’s Lodge. Those events take place January 31 and February 28, with more details to come.
Organizers are launching an uphill challenge series that focuses on consistency and resilience more than speed. Participants will skin up any of the mountains on the Monroe Skyline (Mount Abraham, Lincoln Peak, Mount Ellen, and General Stark’s Mountain) as many times as they can throughout the winter season. While they are at it, they have the option to help raise money for Mad River Valley climate resilience education and projects. Any funds raised will help provide climate education to local schools and community members, and help undertake critical projects to support a more climate-resilient future.
More details will be shared at the upcoming rallies on October 12 and December 5.
The hike on October 12 will start at 3 p.m. outside of Castlerock Pub. All are welcome and encouraged to hike as far as they like. Upon returning from the hike, there will be free pizza and salad, as well as a cash bar. Rubio-MacWright’s talk will start around 6 p.m. People don’t need to hike to attend. Visit the ‘get involved’ section of www.friendsofthemadriver.org to register.
“The goal of these events is to help people in the recreational community recognize their power to take collective action on issues related to climate change,” said Luke Foley, Friends of the Mad River climate and engagement manager.
Climb It For Climate was created and is hosted by Friends of the Mad River, the Mad River Backcountry Coalition (MRVBC), Sugarbush, and POW (Protect Our Winters).
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