On Sunday, January 26, 2025, Inclusive Ski Touring, in partnership with Kindling Collective, hosted an incredible Queer Touring Day at Mt. Abram in Greenwood, Maine. This event was dedicated to creating a supportive and empowering environment for LGBTQ+ individuals to experience the joy of uphill touring and downhill skiing or snowboarding in a financially accessible way.

We were thrilled to welcome 45 individuals to our largest Queer Touring Day yet! To make the event more financially accessible, Kindling Collective covered the costs of all rental gear and uphill tickets. Inclusive Ski Touring further supported the day by covering the cost of downhill ski and snowboard lessons, which were taught by professional instructors from Mt. Abram’s snowsports school, helping participants without downhill experience build confidence and skills in a supportive environment.

The day featured two tailored programs:

• Uphill Tour for Experienced Downhillers – Participants with existing downhill experience joined a group tour, embracing the skin track together while building confidence in their touring skills.

• Downhill Skill-Building for Beginners – Those new to skiing or snowboarding received professional instruction with the goal of gaining the skills needed to become future uphillers.

This event was filled with camaraderie, learning, and the celebration of queer identities in the outdoors. We are grateful to everyone who joined us and contributed to the inclusive atmosphere.

Our Queer Program Days would not be possible without the generous support of Blizzard Tecnica, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, and L.L.Bean. Their contributions help us continue creating opportunities for Queer communities to access and enjoy the outdoors.

Enjoy the photos below, capturing moments of queer joy on snow!

Stay tuned for more events and programs as we continue to foster inclusive outdoor communities.