Our goal is to bring meaningful rites of passage into the modern world through rite of passage programs, guide trainings and mentorship, with a strong focus on supporting marginalized groups. Rites of passage are ceremonies that mark significant life phases or events, such as the passage from adolescence into adulthood, or the passage from adulthood into elderhood. These ceremonies help those who come find true belonging, connection to themselves, and to the natural world.
Among Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and Queer and Transgender communities, experiences of discrimination and systemic oppression have real and lasting impact. Suicide, loneliness, and lack of belonging or meaningful connection are all too common. For members of these groups, being witnessed, and supported as adults or elders within communities that affirm life experiences is healing and often life saving. A rite of passage helps us to let go of grief, anger, and fear that holds us back and promotes belonging and community. Please support this healing work as generously as you can!
Testimonials
Here is what participants shared from a recent guide training for folks identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC):
This truly is a life-changing experience! As a BIPOC human in this world, we need and deserve all the tender love and affirmations this world has to offer. Wild Mountain Retreats created and held the container for community to come together in belonging. It’s the most I’ve ever felt I belonged in my life. Nothing but endless gratitude!” -Kiana
"This was a life changing experience. There are so few programs that are truly BIPOC centric, and this was one of them. Above and beyond what any of us imagined!" - Ana
"One of the highlights of my life!"- Rikizi
"Becoming an elder in this multigenerational BIPOC Community was healing and inspiring. The BIPOC Guide Training created a community of safety, inclusion, and belonging." -Kim
"Wild Mountain has provided me experiences that have been incredibly impactful for me. Not only have I been able to tap into the gifts within me, I receive such an immense amount of empowerment to bring theses gifts to my community." -Katheryne
We bring meaningful rites of passage into the modern world through programs, guide trainings and mentorship to reconnect people to themselves, their community and to nature. With a focus on marginalized groups, we offer donation based and sliding scale affinity programs for the Queer/Transgender and the Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.
Wild Mountain Retreats (WMR) offers wilderness rite of passage programs and trainings, often in collaboration with the School of Lost Borders, a California nonprofit. The founders of WMR have worked as guides with the School of Lost Borders for a combined 35+ years.
Our commitment is to make this deeply healing and life changing work accessible for communities historically unable to access land or deep personal work. For the last thirteen years, Wild Mountain has offered donation based affinity space programs for the Queer and Trans communities and for the last four years, guide training programs for the BIPOC community. These affinity spaces allow those from these marginalized groups to bring this work back into their communities. Our training programs have produced guides who have started other organizations, work for similar organizations, or enhanced their work as therapists, teachers and in other people-centered occupations.
WMR is the only rites of passage organization focusing exclusively on donation-based programming for the BIPOC and Queer and Trans communities to increase access to this work. This unique place in the rites of passage field benefits everyone whose lives are touched by our work.
Organization name
Wild Mountain Retreats Inc
2012
Tax id (EIN)
87-2684044
Category
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, Environment, Community Improvement & Capacity Building
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
PO BOX 1166CO, US