What

Our retreats are an expedition into exploration and focused attention.   The programming traverses outer and inner wild landscapes with the intention of cultivating “outside in” transformation.   We cultivate that transformation in three ways.  First and foremost, all of our retreats include time in Wilderness so that we can reconnect with the power of “wild awe” and its transcendental ability to melt away the distractions from our daily and digital lives.  Second, we disrupt routines of reactivity and comfort to pursue expanded states of consciousness, with the belief that we can reveal aspects of ourselves hidden from everyday awareness. Third, we build a positive community with the belief that it can support the creation of new positive rituals and self-care.   

Where

This weekend retreat is located in New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch State Park.  Our home base for the weekend will be the AMC Lonesome Lake Hut.   Resting at 2,760 ft. Lonesome Lake Hut is the most accessible of all AMC huts.  It is located on the southwest shore of Lonesome Lake, with superb views of the Franconia Range.  The reflections of the mountains in still water are picturesque and provide a serene setting for the weekend’s mindfulness programming.   Following a brief orientation, we will begin our approximately 1.5 mile hike up to the lake, via the Lonesome Lake Trail, gaining approximately 1,000 ft of elevation.   Once we are settled into the hut, the plan is to do a short walking meditation around the lake, culminating with a sunset meditation, before returning to the hut for a home-cooked hot meal.   Following breakfast, Saturday will feature a more rigorous day of hiking.  We will continue along the Lonesome Lake trail for approximately 2 miles and 1,650 ft of elevation gain before reaching the Kinsman junction, where we will begin our traverse along the Kinsman Ridge Trail.  A 3-mile hike ascending another 1,600 ft. will bring us to the top of North Kinsman where we will enjoy lunch and amazing views of the Franconian Ridge and the Presidential Mountain Range.   Lunch will be followed by additional mindfulness programming before we begin our descent back down to the hut via the Fishin' Jimmy Trail.  There is an option to climb South Kinsman Peak, which would add approximately 1 mile and 350 ft of elevation gain.  This will be a group game day decision.  Our plan is to take a rest at Kinsman pond, before descending the ridge down a few miles along sometimes step and rugged terrain, featuring several staircases down to Lonesome Lake Hut.  Sunday,  we will descent down the High Cannon Trail back to the Lafayette Parking area, following a sunrise meditation exercise and breakfast.  Once we have descended we’ll do a quick wrap up before departing for home.   

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When

June 14th-16th, 2024, with arrival Friday 12:00 at the Highland Center and departure by 12:00 on Sunday.

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Why

It is no secret that nature has been proven to be restorative to the mind and body. We seek to expand the power of time spent in Wilderness by enhancing it with a peer-supported Community, and guided programming of meditation, yoga, breath work, and Mindfulness practices that you can take with you even after the retreat has come to a close.

How

We will use the power of awe in Wilderness towards the process of untethering from the stressors and distractions of daily and digital life. We will use our retreat location to re-connect with the natural world, and enjoy its healing powers. Our program will offer instruction on Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices that promote calm, clarity of thinking, and confidence that can be restorative and transformative to us, and our lives. We will use shared, peer-supported experiences to help promote connection, courage and willpower, leading to personal growth even beyond the summit.