Wild Mountain Retreats Inc

Belonging is innate. It is not earned.

Wild Mountain Retreats guides wilderness rites of passage on ground we steward in the Colorado high country — ceremonies that mark the real thresholds of a life. Adolescence into adulthood. Adulthood into elderhood. Grief into whatever comes after it. Nearly every culture on earth once had them, and now most of us cross the biggest thresholds of our lives alone, outside of any community that knows what we are moving through.

The structure is old and simple. You set down what you came carrying. You go out alone onto the land, often for four days and nights, and you let it do what it does — the weather moving through, the light changing on the rock, the long hours with nothing asked of you. Then you walk back in and tell what happened, and a circle of people who were listening closely tells you what they saw in it.

In between, there is the ordinary holy work of being together. Cooking. Chopping wood. Sitting up too late by the fire. Laughing, crying, stargazing, telling the story again.

We do this work for Queer and Trans people and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and it is led by people who have lived it. Our community and our leadership are one and the same, and the work keeps changing shape as we listen to what people tell us they need. There are no gurus here. The land is the teacher, and it already has everything we need.

Come as you are. Take what the land offers. Leave knowing there is a place that holds you.

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Testimonials

Here is what participants shared at our most recent guide training for 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