CLIMATE COMMUNITY IN THE WILD
A 4-day, 3-night backcountry experience.
September 2023
A remote alpine valley within 3 hours of Denver
Wilderness Retreat for Climate Leaders
We've heard the call, and chosen to dedicate our working lives to the climate crisis - and we crave connection with others who've done the same. Join us on this journey into the mountains, and return with a greater sense of clarity for your mission, connection with the more-than-human world, and deep community support.
Connect with your inspiration and purpose.
Connect with a curated community of climate leaders.
Connect to the complexity and wonder of the wild, animate world.
Go beyond "networking" and build authentic, lasting connection.
It's difficult to live as someone who has felt the true scale of this planetary moment. Many of those we share our lives with don't have the desire or capacity to explore the ecological crisis and how we respond to it. On this wilderness immersion, we're curating a group of committed climate leaders who will journey together into deeper conversation, support, and clarity around how to best show up in this critical moment.
Through facilitated wandering, reflection, and group conversation, we'll find our way back into a wild state of mind. We'll let our experience of time slow down, and listen to the inner voice that emerges from this spacious quiet.
What We'll Do
Gather on a Friday morning, and ascend into a remote alpine basin.
Base camp for 3 nights - sharing meals, stargazing, and enjoying the spaciousness of unhurried and unscheduled connection.
Deepen our connection with ourselves, each other, and the natural world - through practices, perspectives, and wanders honed through years of guiding in wilderness.
Return on Monday afternoon - connected, rejuvenated, and inspired.
What We'll Do
A curated group of 12 climate leaders.
We're ready to learn - from each other and the more-than-human world.
We want to open our hearts and relax our strategic minds.
We're called to deeper connection with the animate wilderness that surrounds us.
Our care for the natural world drives many of us, yet we spend our days in front of a screen.
Rediscover your inspiration and motivation in community. Wander into the wild.
Physical Requirements
No backpacking experience is required, but participants should be able to carry a 35 lb pack for 8 miles at altitude. Because we'll be base-camping, we won't be doing this for multiple days consecutively. Most of our hiking will be without our full packs. Our intention for this immersion is not physical exertion, though most of us will be challenged to some degree. If you have doubts about your physical capabilities, please apply and ask one of the guides for clarification.
Cost -$850
This covers wilderness guiding, facilitation, and permitting. We don't provide gear or food but will work with you to ensure you're well-prepared in every way.
If finances are a barrier, please reach out and we'll find a solution - we don't want cost to prohibit anyone from joining.
We're also happy to provide supporting documentation for getting this retreat reimbursed by your employer as professional development.
How can immersion in the natural world help us show up more skillfully, vulnerably, and courageously?
Meet Your Guide
Dom Francks
Dom guides wilderness immersions to deepen our connection with the more-than-human world. He’s taken groups into the wild from Patagonia to Alaska with Outward Bound, Montaia Expeditions, and Chulengo Expeditions. His orientation to the animate world is inspired by the Animas Valley Institute, where he trained in the Yearlong Soulcraft Immersion. He’s a certified Wilderness First Responder and lives for movement in the mountains. Along with his guiding work, Dom is a coach helping clients weave lives of integrated wildness.
