Sled & Steam - Minnesota
February 22, 2025 — 11:00am-2:00pm CT
Last day to register: February 20th, 2025
Join TVOP volunteer Max for a day of kicksledding & sauna-ing!
Come experience a Minnesotan winter day by gliding across the lake on a kicksled and melting your sore muscles away in the sauna. In collaboration with Dakota County Regional Parks and Saunable, participants will have access to kicksleds, a private sauna, and warm-wintery snacks. Never used a kicksled before? No worries. Dakota County staff will be on site to provide a short tutorial. Kicksleds can be used by an individual, or carry a friend.
The sauna can hold up to 10 people at a time. We will split participants up in groups so that all are able to rotate through the sauna if they so choose.
This event is for ages 14+ and intended for the LGBTQ+ community. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. The guardian does not need to register if they do not plan to participate in the event. If you require a service dog to attend, please let us know and we’ll collaborate with you on how to keep you both comfortable and hydrated.
GENERAL INFO
Location: St Paul area (Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Wahpekute land)
Parking: Free - large/accessible parking lot Pets: While we love pets, we ask furry friends to remain home on this adventure.
Meet: February 22, 2025
Details: Hybrid event with two activities taking place at the same location.
Cost: $15-$40 sliding scale. To find out where you fall best in our sliding scale, see the “How much should I pay?” dropdown below.
Bring: Warm layers & snow boots for kicksledding, and shorts/bathing suit, towel, and water bottle for the sauna.
COVID SAFETY
Masks are not required during this event, however they are welcomed if wearing one allows you to better engage with the group. PLEASE be mindful of your own and group safety. If you or anyone in your household are not feeling well, do not participate in this event.
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Of course you can always hike for free on your own! What we are offering is not just a wilderness trip, but a chance to create community. On a TVOP trip, you will meet people with shared identities, have meaningful experiences and conversations in community, have someone else plan the logistics of your adventures, and have certified Wilderness First Aiders on hand should you ever need one. All of the money we collect goes towards operating costs for our programs.
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Our sliding scale is meant to make our trips and events more accessible for those who experience financial barriers, are looking for reparations pricing, and/or have high travel expenses. Paying a higher amount allows us to provide more opportunities to others. Paying a smaller amount is recommended for those who would not otherwise be able to afford the estimated value. Please choose an amount that you will be able to pay, but will not hinder your ability to afford food, housing, etc. By paying as much as you can, we are able to serve more of our community members.
The estimated value of this Sled & Steam event is $30 per person.
Our sliding scale recommendation:
- Low: Yearly income $30,000 or under, struggles to meet basic needs
- Mid (pays estimated value): Yearly income $40,000-$75,000, some expendable income
- High: Yearly income $80,000-$100,000, comfortable, never struggle with basic needs
Need more examples? We follow the Green Bottle principle. Click here to view and find out where you fall.
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Information for our land acknowledgment was gathered from nativeland.ca, which provides an estimate of original indigenous land occupation, but does not take into account migratory patterns or movement of the many surrounding communities. We recognize the historical complexity of indigenous movement across the land, and honor with gratitude the many, many surviving native nations whose land we benefit from in our work to diversify the outdoors.
