Upcoming Trips

Alaska Snow + Yoga Retreat

When: March 10th-16th, 2024, March 2025

Where: Girdwood, AK

What: Skiing & snowboarding, yoga, snowmobiling, dog sledding, glaciers

Cost: Starting at $3300

Trip size: 9-12 guests + 2 guides

$500 non-refundable deposit to book

Trip Highlights:

-Ski or snowboard Alyeska's "steep and deep" terrain in the Chugach Mountains for 2 full days and 1 night session under the lights and stars

-Unwind with twice daily yoga session led by Nicole Pineau

-Hop on a dog sled with Iditarod dogs for a tour through black spruce forests. Sit comfortably or have a chance at driving the sled!

-Hike on and around Matanuska Glacier, crawl through narrow cracks in the ice, and drink glacier water right from the source

-Snowmobile through the Alaskan backcountry to Spencer Glacier for snacks, photos, and playing on the ice

-Relax for a day at Alyeska's Nordic Spa in hot tubs surrounded by the snow covered fir and spruce

-Spend 6 days with the comfort of a ski chalet surrounded by supportive, adventurous women

-Enjoy yummy food from local restaurants

Our Alaska Snow + Yoga retreat is back!! This year is playing out to be even better than last year. We’ve added a few more activities to the trip, thrown in some planned relaxation time, included more yoga opportunities, planned for some yummy food, and have a structured format that leaves you stress free with none of the planning leg work (except for ripping through some Alaskan powder of course).

This trip is best suited for intermediate/advanced skiers and snowboarders that can comfortably and confidently ski blue terrain at a minimum. All yoga sessions will be beginner level. Guests should be friendly, open-minded and willing to partake in group activities and conversation, and ready to share a house with up to 13 other women for a week. Please note this is not an aprés-focused retreat.

What’s included:

-Transportation throughout the entire trip in 2 multi-passenger vans

-Shuttle from and to the airport (within time windows)

-All food!

-Lift tickets (IKON pass holders receives $265 discount)

-Lodging in a 15-person ski chalet with views of the slopes

-All activities including snowmobiling, dog sledding, and glacier hike

-Tips for activities mentioned above

-Twice daily yoga

-Full day at the spa (optional massage can be booked/paid separately)

-Full packing list and gear recommendations

-One-on-one pre-trip communication from your guide, Jackie

What is not included:

BYOG (Bring your own gear)

Rental gear is available, ask for details

Souvenirs

Flights to/from Anchorage

Sleeping arrangements and pricing:

*Rooms will be filled on a first come-first served basis for booking

$3650: twin bed in a bedroom shared with 4 others on the bottom floor (SOLD OUT)

$3950: Queen bed shared with a friend in a bedroom with 2 queen beds on the second floor (SOLD OUT)

$4100: Queen bed to yourself in a bedroom with 2 queen beds on the second floor (SOLD OUT) *please note this room will be shared with 1-2 other guests, but you will have your own bed

$4100: Queen bed shared with a friend in your own bedroom on the top floor (SOLD OUT)

$4250: Queen bed to yourself in your own bedroom on the top floor (SOLD OUT)

Trip Itinerary

Day 1:

Everyone flies into Anchorage. Airport pickups at pre-determined time (TBD), transport to Girdwood (about 45 minutes depending on road conditions). Dinner at the house provided by Nicole. Dinner is GF, vegan, dairy free, and AMAZING. Little welcome speech and time to hang out and get to know everyone.

Day 2: First group yoga session followed by a full day of skiing at Alyeska! Lift hours are 10:30am-5:30pm. Optional yoga session followed by dinner, and evening group topic conversations.

Day 3: Heading up to Willow for our dog sledding day! Enjoy a 2 hour trip with the choice to sit comfortable on the sled, or help the musher drive the sled and command the dogs. Before and after the tour you'll have time to play with the dogs and puppies. Bagged lunches will be provided. Afterward, we head down to the Matanuska Glacier for a guided hike. No glacier experience is necessary and micro spikes will be provided. Crawl and climb between ice cracks, caverns, bored ice holes, and get plenty of photo ops. Head back to the chalet for yoga, dinner and evening group topics conversations.

Day 4: Morning group yoga session followed by a full day of skiing at Alyeska! Lift hours are 10:30am-5:30pm. Optional yoga session followed by dinner, and evening group topic conversations.

Day 5: Morning group yoga session followed by brunch. Afternoon snowmobile tour out to Spencer Glacier. No experience required. Double snowmobiles available, but singles recommended for maximum fun! Head back to the chalet for dinner, optional yoga, and evening group topic conversations.

Day 6: Last full day :( Morning yoga session followed by a full day at the Alyeska Nordic Spa. Full access to the hydrotherapy areas including cold-immersion and hot tubs, pools, and cafe. Massages should be booked separately and are not included in trip price. Late lunch/early dinner before night skiing/riding from 4pm-8pm, followed by optional yoga at the chalet, and one last evening group topic conversation.

Day 7: Optional morning yoga followed by airport shuttle in the morning

Coastal California Adventure Tour

When: April 19-26 2024, October 11-18 2024

Where: Catalina Island & Channel Islands National Park, California

What: Multi-day backpacking, sea kayaking, camping, day hiking

Cost: $1,900

$500 non-refundable deposit to book

Trip Highlights:

-Backpacking the 39.5 mile Trans Catalina Trail

-Viewing wild bison, island foxes, harbor seals, bald eagles, and more

-Camping right on the beach, falling asleep to the waves

-Mark a National Park off your bucket list!

-Kayaking through sea caves along untouched shoreline

-Spending 8 days with supportive, adventurous women

-Clifftop sunset wine and charcuterie on the last night

Requirements:

-Ability to carry a ~25-30lb pack for 11 miles, with incline/decline, at a 2 mile per hour pace

-Bring proper gear as outlined by the gear list sent to you

-Must be nice, and friendly! If you don’t like groups and having fun, don’t bring down the vibe :)

-We travel rain or shine. Come prepared to get a little dirty, stink like a hiker, and embrace whatever weather comes our way.

Trip Description

Whether you’re a seasoned backpacker, or this is your first time, you’ll find beauty, fun, and a challenge along each mile of the 39.5 mile Trans Catalina Trail. Crossing the entire length of Catalina Island off the coast of southern California, the trail meanders up and over the highest point of the island, through fields and valleys with sightings of the wild bison which roam the island, and offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean from clifftop hiking. You will get the chance to camp under the stars at four different campsites, two of which sit right on the beach. Test your physical and mental fortitude by carrying everything you need for 5 days on your back over varying terrain and through different weather. Cook dinner by camp stove each evening with your new travel partners, and partake in deep, engaging conversations without the distractions of day-to-day life. After successfully traversing Catalina Island via your own two feet, jump over to Channel Islands National Park, one of the least crowded parks in the parks system. Jump in a kayak to explore sea caves, kelp forests, and untouched shoreline wile viewing unique coastal wildlife. Enjoy an evening hike up above Potato Harbor for dinner and sunset, and bask in one of the most scenic spots of Santa Cruz Island. Camp under the stars and beneath the trees in one of only two campgrounds on the entire island! Feel free to let your hair down, be free of judgement, be surrounded by strong, adventurous, supportive women and lift other women up who are wanting more out of life and wild experiences.

What’s included:

-Transportation throughout the entire trip in a 10-passenger van

-Lodging in LA on the first night

-Welcome dinner on the first night

-Ferry to and from Catalina Island

-4 nights of camping permits on Catalina Island

-Restaurant dinner on night 3 of the Trans Catalina Trail

-Hotel stay the night after the Trans Catalina Trail

-Ferry to and from Channel Islands NP

-Kayaking tour + guide tip

-One night of camping in Channel Islands NP

-Transportation back to LAX airport

-Experienced and knowledgable guide

-Full packing list and gear recommendations, plus food list

-One-on-one pre-trip communication from your guide

What is not included:

BYOG (Bring your own gear) Rental gear is available, ask for details

Souvenirs

Flights

Trip Itinerary

DAY 1

Our trip begins at 5pm in Los Angeles at the Freehand Hotel. We will be lodging in an 8-bed shared room where each guest will have their own twin bed with the comfort of a storage space, privacy curtain, outlet, and lamp. We’ll enjoy a Welcome Dinner at 6pm to kick off the trip and get to know our travel partners! Feel free to go for a swim in the rooftop pool after dinner, or head to the store for any last minute supplies you may need for the trip. One airport pick up will be provided at 3:30pm. If you are not able to make the timing for the airport pick up, Uber and Lyft are reliable transport options from LAX to The Freehand LA.

DAY 2

Mileage: 11.7 miles

Elevation gain: ~2,500ft

We will have an early morning departure leaving at 5am to catch our 7am ferry to Catalina Island. Our boat ride is roughly an hour from San Pedro to Avalon, Catalina Island. Once on the island, we’ll begin our first day of the trek to Blackjack Campground for a 11.7 mile day, our longest day! We like to get the hard part done first and out of the way so that the rest is a breeze. We’ll pitch our tents at the base of Mt. Orizaba, Catalina’s highest point.

DAY 3

Mileage: 9.7 miles

Elevation gain: ~1,000ft

Day 3 will be easier than our fist day, and our destination is Little Harbor. On our hike, we’ll pass by the small island airport where we can stop for cold drinks, snacks and food, and a nice rest in some air conditioning. This rest stop allows us to not have to carry the weight of lunch in our packs for the day. Our campsite for the evening is right by the ocean, so we can enjoy a nice dip in the water if the weather allows, possibly some cliff jumping for the very adventurous, and a relaxing evening with a classic California sunset over the water.

DAY 4

Mileage: 5.9 miles

Elevation gain: ~1500ft

From Little Harbor, we will be hiking our shortest day to Two Harbors, a small town with a store, restaurant, amenities, and showers! Yes, if you’re dying for a shower by now, today is your chance. We’ll have a slow easy morning since we’ll have a short hiking day. Once on the trail, we may see wild bison as we climb out of Little Harbor. Huge views on clifftops above the Pacific Ocean await us. The climb is definitely worth the views today. In Two Harbors, we’ll set up camp, and hike the short .1 mile down to town for a delicious well-earned dinner!

DAY 5

Mileage: 7.2 miles

Elevation gain: ~1900ft

From Two Harbors, we’ll be hiking to our last (and most secluded) campsite of the Trans Catalina Trail. Our ~7 mile day leads us to Parsons Landing, a secluded sandy beach campsite with only a handful of other sites besides ours. Fall asleep to the crashing waves and feel the breeze coming off of the Pacific. The hike is a bit of climbing, and a long decent to Parsons, so you’ll definitely want your trekking poles to help out your knees for this day.

DAY 6

Mileage: 7 miles

Elevation gain: mostly flat!

Our last day of the Trans Catalina Trail! Once you finish this day, you’ll officially be a backpacker, or you’ll have a new trail under your (hip)belt to brag about to your hiking buddies back home. The terrain this day is pretty easy. It’s mostly flat with the exception of some small hills early on. We’ll be hiking back to Two Harbors via a different route from the previous day. We will need to leave a little early to catch our ferry back to the mainland. Once we take the ferry back to Sand Pedro, we will have a 2 hour drive up to Ventura where we will be staying for the night before our Channel Islands adventure. You’ll have the chance to shower, do laundry, eat dinner from wherever you please, and grab your food supply for the Channel Islands. Each guest will have their own bed in a shared hotel room.

DAY 7

Onto our second portion of the trip: Channel Islands National Park! We will be taking the ferry form Ventura to Santa Cruz island in the morning. Once we arrive on the island, we will stow our packs and meet up with our kayaking guides. For the next 3-4 hours, we’ll be kayaking around Santa Cruz in and out of sea caves and above kelp forests with the opportunity for spotting seals, otters, eagles, and lots of fish! We will be on a private tour so our guides will be focused on just our group, and we will be sharing tandem kayaks, so two guests to each kayak. After our fun day of giving our legs a break and working the arms, we’ll set up camp and relax for a bit. We will have a chance at spotting the island fox, which are tiny and weigh around just 4lbs! They’re notorious for taking your things, so be sure to put small items and food away properly. For our very last night of the trip, we’ll be taking a 5 mile round trip hike and our dinner to the viewpoint above Potato Harbor. Cross your fingers for an incredible sunset above the secluded harbor, and enjoy the camaraderie of your travel partners and reminiscing on the incredible week you’ve had exploring in California. After dinner, we’ll hike back down to our campsite and do some stargazing before bed.

DAY 8

We will catch the 10am ferry from Santa Cruz island back to Ventura. During our boat ride, keep a lookout for dolphins and other wildlife that may be tailing the boat. Our trip concludes at 2pm after the drive back to LA. The van will be heading directly to LAX airport for drop-offs, with a lunch stop on he way, so please plan flights accordingly. If you plan to extend your trip or will be spending a day in LA for a late night flight, you will need to coordinate that on your own.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park + LeConte Lodge

3 day, 4 nights of hiking, camping, and biking!

When: May 12-16, 2024 & October 27-31 2024

Trip size: 6-10 guests

Where: The Smokies, LeConte Lodge

What: Day hiking, rustic lodge accommodations, camping, biking

Cost: May $1,500 October $1,700

$500 non-refundable deposit to book

Trip Highlights:

-Visit Great Smoky Mountain National Park

-Stay at the highest lodge on the East coast, LeConte Lodge

-Enjoy a home cooked dinner and breakfast atop LeConte

-Hike the third highest peak in the park

-Climb to the highest spot in the park, Clingmans Dome

-A leisurely bike ride around Cades Cove

Requirements:

-Ability to carry a ~20lb pack for 8 miles, with incline/decline, at a 2 mile per hour pace

-Ability to ride a bike for 10 miles on easy-moderate paved terrain

-Bring proper gear as outlined by the gear list sent to you

-A positive and friendly outlook! If you don’t like groups and having fun, don’t bring down the vibe.

-We travel rain or shine. Come prepared to get a little dirty, stink like a hiker, and embrace whatever weather comes our way.

Trip Description:

Come experience a stay in The Smokies like no other, LeConte Lodge. As the highest lodge in the East, there's no place quite like it, and only one way to get there: UP! After meeting the first evening at the NOC in Bryson City, NC, we start our adventure with a ~6 mile climb of Mt. LeConte, the third highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and about 3,000ft of elevation gain. Our accommodations boast a nearly 100 year old hand built 3 bedroom log cabin along with home cooked family style dinner, and home cooked family style breakfast the following morning. Upon departing LeConte, we'll travel downhill to Rainbow Falls, the highest single-drop waterfall in the park. We will also make a stop at Clingman's Dome and have time to enjoy views from the highest spot in the park. That evening, we'll head to our camp at Cades Cove, an old settlement nestled in the valley. The following day, we take a leisurely bike ride on the 11-mile loop road around the cove to explore the old buildings and homes in the settlement. One last night of camping allows us stargazing and a campfire. Our trip begins and ends at the NOC in Bryson City, NC.

*Please note the May and October itineraries differ slightly

October trip: Includes 2 nights stay at LeConte as opposed to 1, day hiking on the Appalachian Trail in addition to Rainbow Falls, and excludes Cades Cove due to seasonal closures.