When the Cold Tested Them, Leadership Was Forged

Temperatures plunged well below zero. Wind chills reached levels many of the students had never experienced. Flights were delayed, plans shifted, and every participant was pushed far beyond their comfort zone.
And that is where the transformation began.
When our alumni team stepped into the frozen landscape of Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, they expected ice climbing. Every student came prepared with the best equipment they could get.

When the Ice Is Real, So Is the Growth

Some experiences don’t just change what you can do, they change who you believe you are.
This January, the Britt Foundation led a team of students from Wilmington, North Carolina into the frozen heart of the White Mountains of New Hampshire for a professional, grade ice climbing expedition. What they encountered wasn’t just snow and cold, it was fear, responsibility, and the opportunity to rise above both.
This was not a sightseeing trip.
It was a leadership mission.

Stepping Into the Granite State: Why Place Matters in New Hampshire

As we prepare to head north for our upcoming ice climbing expedition, we’ve been talking a lot about the environment we’re stepping into, not just the cold, but the place itself.
Because New Hampshire isn’t just a location on a map.
It’s a landscape with a story.
A story shaped by granite, wind, mountains, and people who have learned to survive and adapt in some of the harshest conditions in the Northeast.
And that story matters.