From North Carolina to the White Mountains
The journey began before sunrise in Wilmington. Our team flew north through Philadelphia before landing in Manchester, New Hampshire.
From there, we drove deep into the mountains toward Crawford Notch , a narrow, dramatic mountain pass surrounded by towering granite walls and frozen waterfalls.
The moment we arrived, the trip shifted from travel to expedition.
We went straight to a local mountain outfitter to receive our technical gear: ice tools, insulated climbing boots, and crampons. Every student was issued equipment that would become their lifeline on the ice.
When you’re handed steel tools and spiked boots, something changes.
You’re no longer a tourist, you’re a climber.
Building a Professional Mountain Team
To ensure the highest safety and instructional standards, the Britt Foundation partnered with the Special Operations Climbers Coalition (SOCC) a veteran-led organization that connects elite military climbers with world-class mountain professionals.
Through SOCC, one of our guides was Joe Thompson, one of the most highly credentialed mountain guides in the world. The knowledge base on this expedition was extraordinary, supported by AMGA rock and alpine guides from U.S. Air Force Pararescue and U.S. Army Special Operations, both highly decorated combat veterans. One was a Silver Star recipient, and the other a Bronze Star with Valor and Purple Heart recipient.
Joe stood at the center of that expertise.
Joe is a fully certified AMGA and IFMGA Mountain Guide, a distinction held by just over 200 guides in the United States. This certification represents the highest level of professional mountain leadership on Earth, requiring extensive training and examination in rock climbing, alpine mountaineering, ski mountaineering, avalanche safety, and wilderness medicine.
Together, this team created an environment where students were not only safe, they were learning from some of the most disciplined, experienced, and capable leaders on the planet.
First Steps Onto Vertical Ice
Our first climbing day took place at one of Crawford Notch’s most accessible ice climbing areas. The approach was short, less than a quarter mile, allowing the team to focus on movement, technique, and safety rather than a long winter hike.
From the parking lot, frozen walls rose straight out of the forest. Blue-white ice hung in towering curtains. For many students, it was their first time seeing a frozen waterfall, let alone climbing one.
As the cold bit hard, the team huddled together to stay warm while Joe walked everyone through the basics. He introduced what he called the “penguin technique”, keeping your core warm, staying compact, and moving deliberately to conserve energy in extreme cold. It was simple, practical, and exactly what the moment required.
Then the real work began.
Anchors were built. Ropes were run. Systems were checked. Students learned how to swing an ice tool, how to trust the sharp points of their crampons, and how to breathe through fear while standing on vertical ice.
There was hesitation.
There were shaky legs.
There were nervous laughs.
And then there were breakthroughs.
One by one, students climbed higher than they ever believed possible, discovering not just how to climb, but how to stay calm and focused when everything feels uncertain.
Why We Do This
At the Britt Foundation, we believe leadership is not taught in classrooms, it is forged in challenge.
Ice climbing strips away comfort. It exposes fear. It demands focus, humility, and trust. When a student commits to a frozen wall, they learn something powerful:
“I can do hard things.”
That belief doesn’t stay on the mountain. It follows them into school, into relationships, into life.
This is why we go to the cold.
This is why we climb.
What Comes Next
Over the following days, the team continued deeper into the mountains, including a demanding ascent of Mt. Willard, all while climbing and operating in –10° temperatures. But what made this phase truly powerful was how it was run.
Each day was structured using the SMEAC mission-planning process, a framework used in military and high-risk operations to bring clarity under pressure:
Situation: What terrain, weather, and risks we were facing
Mission: What we were trying to accomplish that day
Execution: How we would move, climb, and manage safety
Administration & Logistics: Gear, food, hydration, and medical readiness
Command & Control: Who was leading, who was responsible, and how communication would flow
Before stepping onto the ice or starting an ascent, the full team gathered for briefings. Students weren’t just told what to do, they were shown how real missions are planned, communicated, and executed. Routes were discussed. Weather was considered. Roles were assigned. Everyone understood the plan.
Then it was time to execute.
That process transformed a group of students into a functioning expedition team, operating with discipline, confidence, and shared responsibility, even in extreme cold.
But the real summit wasn’t the top of a peak.
It was watching young people realize they were stronger than the doubts they carried into the mountains.
And that’s what Britt Foundation adventures are all about.
