From riding across Canada from coast to coast to coast on a fixed gear bicycle, to ticking off a truly unique bucket list, watch three Canadian adventurers share their own lived experiences with wild spaces. Created by three of Canada’s leading documentary filmmakers, these raw, genuine portraits explore how the outdoors inspires and challenges us, dialing in to personal triumphs and incredible feats.



Escape

Facing Sunrise

Zìyóu (Freedom)

From riding across Canada from coast to coast to coast on a fixed gear bicycle, to ticking off a truly unique bucket list, watch three Canadian adventurers share their own lived experiences with wild spaces.

MEC Documentary Series

What’s the best kept secret about backcountry hut trips? It’s not just about the skiing. 

“People who’ve done multiple hut trips will all tell you: getting to the hut is only half the fun,” says the [Alpine Club of Canada](/en/explore/alpine-club-of-canada) (ACC), which operates the largest network of backcountry huts in North America. “It’s easy to visualize a backcountry trip as being all about the skiing, and to think of the hut as just a place to sleep, eat and dry out gear. Truth is, time in the hut with family and friends are some of the most memorable parts of a trip.” 

We couldn’t agree more. And hey, if hut memories are topped off with skiing a few lines of cold blower pow, all the better. 

To help you prepare, we called in MEC Ambassadors [Bruce Kirkby](/en/explore/bruce-kirkby) and [Yuki Tsubota](/en/explore/yuki-tsubota), along with folks from the ACC for tips on how to plan, how to book, and the number one item to bring outside of ski gear. 

## Prepare your party 

First up: assemble a group of compatible people – you will be sharing a cozy space, after all. “Make sure it’s people you want to hang out, cook and live with, not just ski with,” the ACC says.  

Along with being fun, ski-loving folks, it’s essential that everyone has taken an Avalanche Skills Training (AST) program. Start with courses through [Avalanche Canada](/en/explore/avalanche-canada); MEC is proud to be the primary sponsor of their training program. Afterward, practice using your [safety gear](/en/explore/avalanche-safety-gear-and-training) and skills with your group. Research where you’re going and know the conditions too.  

Fresh to the backcountry? Get an [introduction to avalanche safety](https://www.avalanche.ca/start-here) with Avalanche Canada, or check out their online tutorial, [Avy Savvy](https://avysavvy.avalanche.ca/en-ca), before taking an AST course.  

> “Rather than heading out with an entire group of first-timers, ensure there are some backcountry veterans along. Equally important, make sure the entire group’s risk tolerance and goals align.” – Bruce 

## Book early 

Hut reservations can fill up fast. Start planning a few months in advance if possible. Tip: ACC members can book huts before non-members, and they save about $10 per night as well. “Know the cancellation policy for each hut,” Yuki says. “I find it can make it a bit easier to plan in advance without being locked in, especially when you have a larger group of people.” Organize everyone’s details (names, contact info, membership numbers) before you book the hut. 

Because hut trips generally have to be booked so far in advance, have a range of objectives in mind. “If weather and avalanche conditions don't cooperate,” said Bruce, “you should have safe options that are amenable to the entire group – rather than find yourself dragged into unsafe conditions because of plans made months earlier.” 

*Photo: The Alpine Club of Canada, Bill Putnam (Fairy Meadow) Hut*

> “ACC membership is open to everyone, so if you’re booking a hut for four or five nights, the membership pays for itself.” – ACC 

## Get a little gourmet 

If you’re not focused on going ultralight, skip the dehydrated meals and bring real food. We’ve heard of some epic hut meals, from a full turkey dinner at the Wendy Thompson Hut to backpacks of cheese fondue for twenty.  

Shared meals with your group are awesome. Put together a Google doc to divvy up food duty (it also means you don’t have to cook every night). Also bring plenty of coffee and snacks, plus extras to share. “I can only handle so many bars and sweet stuff during the day,” said Bruce, “so I always have a bag of nuts, and a bag of landjaeger and cheese handy.”  

*Photo: The Alpine Club of Canada, Conrad Kain Hut*

> “My staple hut meal is Annie’s mac and cheese with a can of tuna, but I really want to try some of Colin Yen's @campwithcol recipes this season.” – Yuki 

*Photo: Kathy, MEC staffer on a trip to Battle Abbey Backcountry Lodge*

## Know your hut etiquette 

Short version: pitch in, be respectful, and carry out all your unused food. Being a good hut visitor and roomie makes a huge difference to everyone having a good time. Hut etiquette is such a big deal that the ACC put together a [two-part blog](https://blog.alpineclubofcanada.ca/blog/2019/1/28/your-voice-on-hut-etiquette-pt1) series of stories and tips from their members. A few key ones:  

- **Give a warm welcome**: When new people arrive, show them the ropes: how to get water, where food goes, and helpful tips. 

- **Pitch in with hut chores**: Fill the water buckets, carry firewood, clean up dishes that aren’t yours. It’ll all come back to you. 

- **Respect bedtime**: “I'm all for people staying up late but do it in a respectable manner,” says Yuki. “There's nothing worse than starting an early ski day tired from not getting a good sleep.” 

> “Once it’s dark, grab your puffy jacket and camera and step outside. If the night sky is clear, it will be worth every effort. Hut pics at night are amazing too.” – Bruce  

*Photo: The Alpine Club of Canada, A.O. Wheeler Hut*

## Bring the right gear 

Use our [backcountry ski touring checklist](/en/explore/ski-touring-checklist) to cover all your basics, safety and technical gear. Then plan your comfort zones: stuff to bring for hanging out at the hut. A few tips from hut pros: 

- **Hut booties**: “The number one item for any hut trip in any season is [hut booties](/en/product/5055-859/hut-booties?filters%5Bbrand%5D%5B0%5D=mec&colour=Obsidian),” says the ACC. They’re like sleeping bags for your feet and top everyone’s list of comfort items.  

- **Cozy PJs**: “I bring cozy long underwear tops and bottoms (generally [MEC T2 Base layers](/en/products/clothing/base-layers-and-underwear/base-layers-and-underwear/c/273/warmer)) to use exclusively as pyjamas,” says Bruce. 

- **Games**: Easy to carry games are a great way to meet people and hang out. Some faves? Bananagrams, Pass the Pigs, Monopoly Deal, Uno or travel cribbage. 

- **Creature comforts**: Like hand sanitizer, a face mask, ear plugs and toilet paper. 


## Want to know more about ACC huts? 

MEC has been partners with the ACC for ages, and our annual funding supports diversity and inclusion programs, ACC grant programs, and the operation and maintenance of the ACC’s hut network. We asked the ACC for a few hut tidbits to help you plan your winter and summer trips (yep, huts are great for hiking too!): 

- **Heats and eats**: All ACC huts have stoves (with fuel), mattresses, and cooking and eating utensils. Most are heated, with firewood or propane provided. 

- **Most remote**: Glacier Circle Cabin in the Dawson Range of Glacier National Park. Access is a full day’s travel across the Illecillewaet Glacier and requires mountaineering skills. 

*Photo: The Alpine Club of Canada, Glacier Circle Cabin*

- **Most accessible**: A.O. Wheeler Hut at Rogers Pass is a short walk from the parking lot in summer. 

- **Largest to smallest**: Conrad Kain Hut in the Bugaboos sleeps 35 people, Sapphire Col Hut in Rogers Pass sleeps just 4.  

*Photo: The Alpine Club of Canada, Sapphire Col Hut*

- **Best outhouse view**: [Castle Mountain](https://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/web/ACCMember/Huts/Castle_Mountain_Hut.aspx) is summer-only, and is too good not to mention. Picture an outhouse close to the edge of a 1,000-foot cliff with 180-degree views north and south up and down the Bow Valley. 

Happy hut trips! 

How to plan, how to book, and the number one item to bring outside of ski gear.

How to plan a backcountry hut trip

On the hunt for a new backcountry touring pack? We’ve got just the one – and it’s officially an award winner. Backcountry Skiing Canada just named the MEC Tour 32 Backpack as [Gear of the Year](https://www.backcountryskiingcanada.com/MEC-Tour-32-Backpack) and we couldn’t be more stoked.  

Designed for in and out adventures, the Tour 32 Pack is lightweight, durable and water-resistant with all the features you need for skiing, boarding or snowshoeing. It’s also a homegrown design, created by MEC Label equipment designer Joel Forsyth. Our in-house design team is small but mighty, so it’s awesome to be recognized for the outdoor gear they’re creating. 

>"The Tour 32 is my favourite ski touring bag to date." – Backcountry Skiing Canada team 

When he’s not designing packs (or tents or sleeping bags or panniers), MEC Label designer Joel is out in the mountains testing them. And it’s during development and testing that the Tour 32’s features came to life. “When we first started this pack project,” Joel told us, “we had briefs for a 32L and a 45L pack. Through the development, it soon evolved into one pack that could expand to suit both volumes – so you only need one pack in your gear closet.” 

*Above: Joel field testing a prototype of the MEC Tour 32 Pack on a BC backcountry trip.*

## What makes this pack great 

It’s got all the usable features you need without weighing you down. Some of the top reasons why it’s been a hit so far: 

**The expanding storage.** This 32L pack has a zippered top lid, plus the option of another 10L of storage with an expandable roll-top closure.  

>“I was skeptical of the unorthodox top access but after a few days in the field I am totally impressed by the design… the ability to quickly stash snowy crampons and skins separately in between the top lid and the roll top is a neat feature.” – Backcountry Skiing Canada team 

**The versatility:** It can carry skis (A-frame), snowshoes or a snowboard, ice axe and trekking poles. There’s a stowable helmet carrier too. Straps stash away when you’re not using them to give it a nice clean look. 

**The roomy safety gear pocket:** It’s quick and easy to get to your avalanche safety gear – just zip open the front pocket. There’s plenty of space; the Backcountry Skiing Canada crew noted that “snow saws, skins and even a small ice axe can fit as well without having to cram them in.” 

**The comfort.** Main access to the pack is through a rear-entry molded back panel. Since it doesn’t have stiffeners, field testers mentioned how comfortable they found this pack to carry. “We chose a rear-entry design to make transitions from hike to ski easy and efficient,” Joel said. “Plus, you don’t have to constantly put your back panel and shoulder straps in the snow where they’d ice up.” It’s also cinchable, so you can tighten it up for comfortable turns on the descent. 

**The value.** One of the goals of MEC Label is to make high-quality backcountry gear at prices that don’t break the bank. The Tour 32 pack is quite possibly one of the best feature sets for price out there. It’s also made from bluesign® materials for reduced environmental impact. 

Huge congrats to our design team! Find out more about why it made [Gear of the Year](https://www.backcountryskiingcanada.com/MEC-Tour-32-Backpack) from Backcountry Skiing Canada.   

Backcountry Skiing Canada just named the MEC Tour 32 Pack as Gear of the Year and we couldn’t be more stoked.

Gear Of The Year: Tour 32 Backpack

Gear of the Year: Tour 32 Backpack

It’s good to be back. After two years of online MEC x POW Canada Season Opener events, we finally kicked off ski season in real life again. There were sweet ski films. Athlete panels chatting about climate change. Virtual reality backcountry huts. A prize stack deeper than first tracks on a big powder day… and so much more.  

We’ve been partners with [Protect Our Winters Canada](https://www.mec.ca/en/explore/protect-our-winters-canada) since 2018, and we were proud to donate all Season Opener event proceeds to their mission of action against climate change – which added up to over **$21,000 in total**. A huge thank you to the hundreds of people who joined us, along with our key sponsor Arc’teryx.  

If you missed out (or want to see if you can spot yourself in any of the photos), check out the highlights. 

Our Vancouver community was first up, and even though the ski hills hadn’t opened yet, people were ready to fill the MEC Vancouver store both upstairs and down. A sold out event with over 300 people in attendance – amazing.  

We were honoured to welcome local athletes and climate action advocates to every Season Opener. In Vancouver, speakers [Greg Hill](https://www.instagram.com/_greghill_/), [Ben Pelto](https://bpelto.github.io/), [Sandy Ward](https://www.indigenouswomenoutdoors.ca/our-team) and [Yuki Tsubota](/en/explore/yuki-tsubota) spoke about the importance of community in the outdoors, why they feel connected to POW Canada, and their experience of climate change in action.  

After watching the film *Imperfect Advocate* with Graham Zimmerman and learning about action over perfection, one of our audience members commented that we shouldn't “be fearful or guilty, just be inspired to make a change.” Our goal is to learn and improve, not be perfect.  

>"We don't have to do 100 things perfectly, we don't have to do 100 things imperfectly, let's just start doing something." – POW Athlete Erin Mielzynski

Yes, we were in person, but we couldn’t resist a little virtual reality. Arc’teryx brought their backcountry hut experience to each of the events. (If you ever have the chance to try it out, highly recommend. It’s like stepping into a backcountry hut, but without the smell of sweaty ski gear.) 

*Photo: Enzo Fabrizio Cuyan-Lopez / @clenzof*

At all our events, we showed the film *Sunbirds*, a beautiful ode to winter. Our outdoor Montreal event got a unique chance to hear first-hand what it was like to create the film from director [Alexa Fay](https://www.instagram.com/_alexafay/) and producer [Sophie Claivaz-Lorangez](https://www.instagram.com/sophieclaivaz/).  

The Montreal speaker panel included POW Canada host Arianne Dufour, Émilie Richard (from [Les Chèvres de Montagne](https://www.instagram.com/les.chevres.de.montagne/)), Alexa Fay, Sophie Claivaz-Lorange, and Dominic Boucher (from [Avalanche Quebec](https://www.instagram.com/avalanche.quebec/)). We talked about community and the changes to winter in Quebec over time. 

Protect Our Winters Canada signed up about 450 new members at the event – so awesome! Each new member is a vote for our environment. It’s [free to join](https://www.protectourwinters.ca/become_a_climate_athlete). 

In Toronto, POW Canada’s Executive Director [Ali Wines](https://www.instagram.com/ali_wines/) and two incredible POW athletes, [Mario Rigby](https://www.instagram.com/mariorigby/) and [Erin Mielzynski](https://www.instagram.com/erinmielzynski/), were our panelists for the evening.  

Mario’s focus is on sustainable adventures, and he spoke about his experience growing up in Turks and Caicos Islands, walking across Africa, and how transitioning away from fossil fuels can help remediate the disproportionate impacts of climate change affecting Black and other marginalized communities globally. Erin shared her experience in the Olympics and the changes in snow conditions she’s seen over the years.  

>With current projections, the Ontario community can expect the [ski areas they grew up on to disappear by 2080](https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/pow/pages/473/attachments/original/1622831634/Losing_Our_Cool__Summary_Report_FINAL.pdf?1622831634), as the average snow season would be less than 20 days, bringing a positive urgency to the discussion. 

In Calgary, winter arrived in full force… which was great for the snow pack, but not great for our outdoor event plans. A huge thank you to Commonwealth Bar for donating their space as we shifted venues.  

Our Calgary panelists [Haley Daniels](https://www.instagram.com/haleydanski/), [Thana Boonlert](https://www.instagram.com/thana.boonlert/), [Karson Sudlow](https://www.protectourwinters.ca/science_alliance) and [Cassie Ayoungman](https://www.instagram.com/cass.aym/) encouraged everyone to reach out to our local leaders and tell them what matters to their voters, along with encouraging positive conversations with friends and family around climate change. Calgary had a ton of electric crowd energy, plenty of laughs, and a grand prize winner who jumped out of his seat. An awesome way to cap it all off.  

There were prizes a-plenty at each event, including epic grand prizes that combined $250 MEC gift cards with guided backcountry ski/board trips for the winner and five friends. 

Snow community: we were so happy to see you in person again. Massive thank you to all the MEC staffers, volunteers, and our sponsors: Arc’teryx, Guru, Rittersport, FATMAP and local breweries – we couldn't have done it without you. See you on the mountain. 

For more photos from the event, check out our [full Facebook album](https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10158843907676610&type=3). 

After two years of online MEC x POW Canada Season Opener events, we finally kicked off ski season in real life again.

Protecting Our Winters, One Event At A Time

Protecting our winters, one event at a time

2022 was a huge year for giving back to the outdoors – and we’re here to celebrate that. Did you know that MEC continues to dedicate nearly $1 million each year to our [Outdoor Impact](/en/explore/outdoor-impact) program? That’s on top of the over **$48 million given to outdoor causes** since our community giveback started back in 1987.

Check out what MEC and our Outdoor Impact partners have been up to in 2022 below – from avalanche safety training grants to kids’ mountain biking programs, it’s a huge list of highlights.

Speaking of highlights, we want to say a big thank you for Giving Tuesday: with your support of Sock Week, MEC and Smartwool were able to **donate $15,000 to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society**. It’s just one of the many ways our community has come together to give back to the outdoors this year.

## Events that give back
This year, in-person events returned to MEC. We were so excited to welcome people in stores with [The Empowerment Festival](/en/explore/the-empowerment-festival), [An Evening with Tommy Caldwell](/en/article/we-spent-3-days-with-tommy-caldwell-yes-it-was-awesome), [Pride Climbs](/en/explore/pride-climb-events) and [Season Openers](/en/explore/season-opener). We even kept the virtual fun rolling with [Climb for Climate](/en/explore/climb-for-climate). 

In total, our **2022 events raised $53,836** for groups like The Lady Alliance, Protect Our Winters Canada, the Climbers’ Access Society of BC and more. Big thanks to everyone who joined us – stay tuned for more!

*Photo: Tommy Caldwell at the sold-out event to share his latest film CUDDLE and meet MEC members.* 

## Gear that gives back
As an outdoor retailer, donating gear is one of the most effective ways we can help break down barriers that prevent more people from getting outside and connecting to nature. 

In 2022, we launched [Queer Gear Kits](/en/explore/community-grants), a new annual initiative, which provided a total of **$17,000 in funding and camping gear from MEC for four LGBTQ2S+ community groups** getting more folks outside. 

This year, as part of our continued journey to Truth and Reconciliation, we donated **$40,000 worth of outdoor gear and technical clothing to four Indigenous communities** to support land and water based outdoor programs. 

*Photo: Outdoor gear being packed up and distributed in support of local Indigenous communities.* 

## Nationwide partners
We’re proud to partner with incredible Canadian organizations all year long. See what initiatives they’ve been working on in 2022, with support from MEC.

### The Alpine Club of Canada
With 24 regional sections, year-round mountain adventures and a big system of backcountry huts, the [Alpine Club of Canada](/en/explore/alpine-club-of-canada) has a 116-year history of getting into the alpine. 

**Peaks of 2022:**
- Developed and advanced the diversity and inclusion offerings of their [**Mountain Adventures Program**](https://adventures.alpineclubofcanada.ca/WEB/Camps/Programs/Diversity_and_Inclusion_Home.aspx) (check them out – it’s a growing list).
- Had over 80 participants in their **women and non-binary, BIPOC, BIWOC and body-positive camps** and instructional courses – awesome! 

> “It was truly exhilarating being in the mountains with such a supportive and enthusiastic team and I can’t wait for the next one.” – Gwen, participant in the [2021 BIWOC Intro to Mountaineering Camp](https://blog.alpineclubofcanada.ca/blog/2022/11/17/acc-biwoc-intro-to-mountaineering-camp-2021-bow-hut)

### Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
Since 2013, MEC has partnered with the [Association of Canadian Mountain Guides](/en/explore/association-of-canadian-mountain-guides), an organization that trains and certifies guides and instructors in climbing, backcountry skiing, hiking and more. We’re proud to support their Adventure Access program to connect young people with ACMG instructors for safe adventuring outside. 

*Photo: ACMG top rope course with Multicultural Trail Network at Wasootch Creek.*

**Peaks of 2022:**
- **DEI training** for ACMG members and instructors, including 6 professional development workshops.
- The **Adventure Access Program** supported a ton of groups, including Banff Pride, The Crush Collective, Vancouver Queer Climbers, Multicultural Trail Network, Soul of Mistaki and the Calgary Board of Education.
 
> "This program provided such a safe and gentle as well as gender-affirming and accepting space that we could all be more ourselves, more vulnerable, and have a more fulfilling experience." – Participant from the Multicultural Trail Network course

### Avalanche Canada
[Avalanche Canada](/en/explore/avalanche-canada) has been a valued MEC partner since 2001. A not-for-profit organization dedicated to public avalanche safety, they issue daily avalanche forecasts, offer avalanche awareness and education programs, and support instructors of Avalanche Canada training programs.

*Photo: MEC Avalanche Safety Grant training course in action, with K8 Mountaineering group learning skills for the winter backcountry.*

**Peaks of 2022:** 
- For the second year running, the **MEC Avalanche Safety Grant** provided Avalanche Canada Training courses to four organizations serving IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour) communities.
- **More than 12,000 participants** completed a course through the Avalanche Training Program in the 2021–22 season ([see this year’s courses](https://www.avalanche.ca/training)). 

> “The Avalanche Safety Training is awesome, very informative especially for me who honed my skills in a mountaineering setting.” – Student from K8 Mountaineering, a recipient of the 2021 grant 
 
### Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
An MEC partner since 1988, [CPAWS](/en/explore/canadian-parks-and-wilderness-society) is Canada’s only nationwide charity dedicated solely to the protection of public land, freshwater and ocean with a strong national and regional presence across the country.

Take action to protect 30% of land and ocean in Canada!

**Peaks of 2022:**
- **Launch of [We Can’t Wait](https://cpaws.org/wecantwait/)**, a new interactive web hub created to help Canada reach its 30X30 goal: protecting 30% of land and ocean in Canada by 2030. 
- Ready to take action? [**Sign the pledge**](https://cpaws.org/wecantwait/#take-action) and find areas needing protection in your region.

### Leave No Trace 
An MEC partner since 2006, [Leave No Trace Canada](/en/explore/leave-no-trace-canada) is dedicated to raising awareness for the importance of respecting Canada’s wilderness with research-based solutions to protect and enjoy our natural areas.

Principle 2: Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces - Leave No Trace Canada

**Peaks of 2022:**
- In one of many Truth and Reconciliation efforts, Leave No Trace staff and volunteers took part in **cultural awareness training** with Tataga Indigenous Consulting Firm. 
- Launched a **new video series** to share the 7 principles of Leave No Trace – watch one of them above and find the rest on their [video training page](https://leavenotrace.ca/video-training-page/). 

### Parkbus
Since 2010, MEC has supported [Parkbus](/en/explore/parkbus) to connect people with nature through bus services to national and provincial parks from major cities across Canada. MEC partners with Parkbus to run two special programs focused on community building, education, inclusion and diversity in the outdoors: [ActiveDays](https://activedays.parkbus.ca/) and [NatureLink](https://www.parkbus.ca/naturelink).

*Photo: Parkbus group on a park trip with MOSAIC.*

**Peaks of 2022:**
- Brought **more than 1,700 people** to parks and conservation areas through ActiveDays programming.
- **Expanded outdoor programs** to include canoeing, paddling, apple picking, maple syrup harvesting and mindfulness activities.

> “Having guides organize the logistics and lead us through the parks have been wonderful and safe experiences to discover nature and meet new friends.” – Tony, regular Parkbus attendee

### Parks Canada
[Parks Canada](/en/explore/parks-canada) and MEC have worked together since 2011 to offer Learn-to Camp, a program that builds confidence and skills so that new campers can discover the joy of tents and s’mores. 

*Photo: S’mores time with Learn-to Camp at Porteau Cove Provincial Park, BC.*

**Peaks of 2022:**
- Hosted **more than 1,000 [Learn-to Camp events](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/serapprocher-connect/ltc-dlc)** (in-person and virtual), including 40 [overnight events](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/serapprocher-connect/ltc-dlc/nuit-night) to help more than 65,000 folks get outdoors. 
- **Grew a fleet of regional programs** like Ottawa’s new Learn-to Paddle activities and the expansion of Learn-to Paddle activities in Montreal. 

> “The most valuable part of this trip for my family was to learn how to camp. Now, my kids cannot wait for the next camping trip.” – Learn-to Camp participant, 2022 

### Protect Our Winters Canada
MEC was a founding Canadian partner of [Protect Our Winters Canada](/en/explore/protect-our-winters-canada) when they started in 2018. They’re committed to uniting the outdoor community to advocate for policy solutions to climate change. 

*Photo: POW Canada athletes Erin Mielzynski and Mario Rigby with Ali Wines (Executive Director of POW) talking about climate action at the MEC x POW Season Opener event in Toronto.*

**Peaks of 2022:**
- Launch of their biggest program so far: a membership program called [**Game On Climate Change**](https://www.protectourwinters.ca/game_on). It’s a first-of-its-kind program to incentivize and mobilize over 40,000 members to act for climate policy reform – and it’s [free to join](https://www.protectourwinters.ca/become_a_climate_athlete).
- MEC also helped POW with fundraisers like the **Climb for Climate Challenge**, which raised $25,000 during Earth Month.

> “We’re stoked to continue to connect with our communities in-person again through events like the MEC Season Opener and more to come!” – Arianne Dufour, Director of Development and Partnerships

### Spirit North
[Spirit North](/en/explore/spirit-north) has worked with MEC since 2018 and is dedicated to empowering and inspiring Indigenous children and youth through power of sport and play. Working in partnership with communities, Spirit North co-creates and delivers regular land-based sport and activity programs designed to reduce barriers to participation such as geographical isolation and socio-economic limitations, while integrating community traditions, values, and beliefs.

*Photo: Kids about to roll out on the trails at the Outma Squilx’W Cultural School Bike Festival.*

**Peaks of 2021/22:**
- Delivered programs to over **5,400 Indigenous youth in 61 communities**.
- New Cannondale bikes were donated to Outma Sqilx’W Cultural School (Penticton Indian Band) to support the **Spirit North Mountain bike program**.

> “These students have built skills and confidence through the Spirit North programs that will translate into deeper learning in the classroom and more likelihood that they will want to continue in sport in their futures.” – Teacher, Outma Sqilxw Cultural School

### Take Me Outside
Since 2011, we’ve partnered with [Take Me Outside](/en/explore/take-me-outside), a non-profit organization that works collaboratively with educators and school boards to encourage children and youth to spend more time outside. 

*Photo: Kids escaping the classroom and enjoying class outside for Take Me Outside Day.* 

**Peaks of 2022:**
- [**Take Me Outside Day**](https://takemeoutside.ca/tmoday/): 6,500 teachers and 340,000 students participated with speaker presentations from Indigenous knowledge keepers, Olympic athletes, authors and environmental activists.
- [**Take Me Outside for Learning Challenge**](https://takemeoutside.ca/take-me-outside-for-learning-challenge/): more than 5,000 teachers committed to taking their learning outside consistently with students for the school year.
 
### On a local level
In 2022, we worked with local partners across the country, like [**Hike MTL**](https://www.hikemtl.com/), [**Belay All**](https://www.belayall.com/), [**Avalanche Quebec**](https://avalanchequebec.ca/en/) and the [**North Shore Mountain Bike Association**](/en/explore/local-partners) (NSMBA). 

MEC is proud to have been a supporter of NSMBA projects over the years, and we’re stoked to work with them again. We’re the sponsor for Expresso trail, which had 4 trail improvement days, thanks to 45 volunteers and 150 hours of work in the dirt.

NSMBA Volunteer Builders - Shore Sessions Ep_2

A huge thank you to our Outdoor Impact partners and MEC members for their support all year long. Stay tuned to see what initiatives we have planned for 2023!

Check out what MEC and our Outdoor Impact partners have been up to in 2022 – from avalanche safety training grants to kids’ mountain biking programs, it’s a huge list of highlights.

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