Since it’s creation in 1996, the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation has held tens of expeditions and offered hundreds of youths the opportunity to push back their limits while discovering breathtaking sites.
After months of preparation, all participants in the snowshoeing expedition at the Sentier des Caps in Charlevoix finally met.
Most of them met in Montreal around 9 a.m. before a 5-hour trip (including “pit stops”) to L’Auberge Le Meilleur des deux mondes (The Best of Both Worlds). The rest of the group got there one hour later, around 3 p.m.
This was followed by the distribution of the equipment on loan from the Foundation and basic instructions on the program. Before the meal, the participants put on their snowshoes for an initiation walks, which went without a hitch.
The group is uncommonly homogenous: 7 boys, 14 to 17 years old. Magic soon set in within the group.
After a hearty meal, some of the youths volunteered to do the dishes and all took one final shower before the great departure. The next seven days will offer minimal comfort but optimal self-transcendence.