Umbrella Project
Finding Strength Through Shared Experience in Nature
The Umbrella Project offers backpacking, hiking, and other outdoor adventure programs designed for adults who are grieving the death of a loved one. Participants journey together, supported by grief counselors, outdoor professionals, and peers who understand the challenges of loss. In nature’s presence, they discover their own inner strength and the comfort of a shared experience.
Who We Serve
This program welcomes adults of any age grieving the death of a loved one, offering a space for connection, reflection, and renewal. In recognition of the limited grief support offerings tailored to the unique needs of young adults, we offer several trips specifically for 18-to-29-year-olds.
“The Umbrella Project backpacking trip was the first and only opportunity I have had to connect with other people my age in a similar grief situation… In the time since, I find myself regularly thinking back to a shared experience or personal breakthrough made on the trail. I’m extremely grateful.”
— Young Adult Participant
“This was one of the most meaningful and magical weekends of my life.”
Program Details
Goals
Through immersive outdoor experiences, participants:
- Explore and process grief in a supportive setting
- Build healthy coping skills for navigating grief
- Bond with others with shared experience
- Reconnect with the natural world as a source of comfort and perspective
Offerings
- Multi-day therapeutic backpacking trips on the Appalachian Trail
- Monthly support groups and hikes
- Winter grief retreats at ThorpeWood
Why is it called the Umbrella Project?
The Umbrella Project began with the Coates family’s experience of unexpected loss in 2015. In the following year, their daughter began her own healing journey by thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail – an experience that transformed her and continues to frame the program.
Their father was an artist who brought people together through what he called his “umbrella project,” placing umbrellas in unexpected spaces – across streets, on lakes, and in trees – inviting community, curiosity, and connection. When it came time to name this program, “umbrella” felt fitting: a symbol of shelter, sanctuary, and inclusion, and a way to recognize that reinvesting in life after a devastating loss is an ongoing process.
Today, the Umbrella Project continues as part of ThorpeWood, carrying forward that legacy while creating space for others to find connection, resilience, and healing in nature.
“I believe that the healing properties of a long-distance hike are like no other. The peace that nature brings does not compare to anything else. I also developed a whole new level of strength and resilience while on the Trail that I had not known was within me. Without my hiking experience, my grief journey would have been much more challenging.”
— Eliane Coates, ATC Journeys, Fall 2020
Upcoming Trips
Please join us for our June Grief Support Group and Hike on Saturday, June 27th. We will meet at the ThorpeWood Lodge at 9am. These monthly grief support groups and ...
Please join us for our July Grief Support Group and Hike on Saturday, July 25th. We will meet at the ThorpeWood Lodge at 9am. These monthly grief support groups and ...
Please join us for our August Grief Support Group and Hike on Saturday, August 29th. We will meet at the ThorpeWood Lodge at 9am. These monthly grief support groups and ...
This guided backpacking trip follows the Appalachian Trail in Maryland, offering a no-cost, beginner-friendly experience with all gear, food, and optional transportation provided. Led by Wilderness First Aid–certified trip leaders ...
Please join us for our September Grief Support Group and Hike on Saturday, September 26th. We will meet at the ThorpeWood Lodge at 9am. These monthly grief support groups and ...
This guided backpacking trip follows the Appalachian Trail in Maryland, offering a no-cost, beginner-friendly experience with all gear, food, and optional transportation provided. Led by Wilderness First Aid–certified trip leaders ...
Please join us for our October Grief Support Group and Hike on Saturday, October 31st. We will meet at the ThorpeWood Lodge at 9am. These monthly grief support groups and ...
“I felt so safe and was able to share some of my deepest pain … I wish I could have a million more of these days.”
Request Information
For more information or to register, contact our Farm and Adventure Programs Manager, Julie Christiansen.