True North Collective

Sober camping trips in the Minnesota woods.

That’s the plan, anyway. We haven’t run a trip yet. Right now we’re finding out who’s interested, and the first trip will be free, with limited spots.

Join the waitlistAbout the first trip

A sober space, open to every recovery path. Joining the waitlist doesn’t commit you to anything.

Sketch map of the campgroundA gravel road comes in from the southwest to a clearing with a main lodge and six cabins on the west shore of a private lake. A dock and a fire circle sit at the water. Trails loop through the woods and around the lake, and a small point of land reaches into the lake from the west.DockThe road inSix cabinsLodgePrivate lakeTrailsFire circleThe pointNSketch map, not to scale

Where things stand

We’re two guys with an idea and a piece of land we’re allowed to use. Here’s how we plan to get from that to actual trips.

  1. Gauging interest

    We’re here

    We want to know who would come, when, and what they’d want from a trip. The waitlist is how we find out.

  2. A first trip, free

    A small group from the waitlist, at no cost. The point is to work out the kinks: food, sleeping arrangements, how much to plan and how much to leave alone. No date yet.

  3. Regular trips

    If the first one goes well, we’ll set a calendar. Dates and prices come later, and people on the waitlist will hear first.

The trip we have in mind

This is what we’re picturing. The first trip is how we find out which parts hold up. All of it would be optional, including the meetings.

  1. The drive up

    North of the Cities the cell signal drops and the pines close in. Roll the windows down. The air smells like lake water and pine resin.

  2. The lake

    The trail bends and there it is: spring-fed, no motors, no houses on the far shore.

  3. Your cabin

    Wood walls, a bed, a wood stove. Drop your bag on the porch. The phone can go in a drawer.

  4. Fire at dusk

    Somebody gets the fire going down by the water before dark, and people wander over with mugs.

  5. Morning on the dock

    Coffee, mist coming off the water, maybe somebody already out in a canoe. Nothing on the schedule is required.

  6. The long table

    Dinner in the lodge. One long table, a shared kitchen, probably too much food.

  7. The drive home

    Quieter than the drive up, with a few new phone numbers in your pocket.

Who it’s for

People who are already sober and want to spend time outdoors with other sober people. It isn’t treatment or therapy.

Fish, sit by the fire, share a meal, go to a meeting if you feel like it. Or sit on the dock all weekend and talk to no one.

Who we are

Want to come on the first trip?

Get on the waitlist. It takes a minute, it’s private, and we’ll email you when there’s a date.

Join the waitlist