Imagine yourself lying down in a field of purple, bright shades of pink, and yellow wildflowers, surrounded by towering peaks. The wildflowers are at their peak, the days are a perfect temperature and you have connected with other women who are happy to be sharing this adventure with you in the San Juan Mountains. You can feel the peace and quiet seep into your soul as you relax in this abundant natural setting called High Camp Hut. The instructors are telling inspiring stories about what it takes to bloom in these high alpine meadows and you realize that nature works on a different time schedule that you might want to think about adopting!
Upon arriving at the High Camp Hut you will feel the peace and quiet of this serendipitous place. The open meadows give a sense of openness surrounded by tall dark evergreens and majestic peaks. The spacious log cabin is a thoughtfully crafted basecamp inspiring a sense of belonging. There is no WiFi at the High Camp Hut but we promise you a better connection.
As you walk into the lodge you are greeted with the smell of spruce from the split firewood. Upon entering the next room you will find comfy couches and chairs to relax in after a day of exploring. There is a large dining table and kitchen. Many family pictures and history of High Camp are on the walls. Laughter and meaningful conversations are shared in this comfortable setting.
There is one bedroom on the ground floor and upstairs there are 5 bedrooms with either 2 or 3 new comfortable single beds, and your own reading light. All beds have new flannel L. L. Bean flannel sheets and a Rumpl blanket to keep you warm.
The pristine nature that surrounds High Camp will make you feel connected to our Mother Earth and excited to learn more about the plants that call this place home.
LEADERS
Karin Teague, the executive director of the Independence Pass Foundation above Aspen, will be sharing all her amazing knowledge about the plants that grow in this area from bog orchids to what the picas eat during the winter... you will be amazed how these plants survive and bloom in this harsh climate.
Amy Beidleman will inspire you to try your hand at watercolor painting. You will be surprised with her detailed instructions that you can actually paint a sunflower or mountain vista that you will want to frame when you get home!
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Chelsea from the Fireweed Café in Rico will be our chef while you are here. She will provide fresh, imaginative and delicious meals. She cooked for a retreat last fall and it was so good I have to have her come cook for us this summer. Her desserts are to die for!!!
If you ever feel hungry we have lots of healthy snacks to put in your day pack. We also supply Nuun hydration tablets for your water bottle to make sure you drink enough water every day.
The luxury of having time to relax in the mountains where the peace and quiet inspires you to breath deeply and your brain lets go of the stress from your busy life in town. You will disconnect to reconnect to yourself.
You will become part of an amazing community of women who realize the importance of protecting our environment.
You will watch the stars moving across the sky from the wood fired hot tub after a fun filled day of hiking, learning and laughing. Life is good and simple! We have extra towels and we heat water for showers on the second and third nights.
We have a first aid kit in the cabin, and extra oxygen bottles if you feel like you need a boost. There is a sattalite phone in case of emergencies.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
You will want to bring the usual clothes for a hut trip and we include a packing list 3 weeks before you arrive. Here are a few items you might forget, a bathing suit, a flashlight, a long sleeved shirt to keep the sun off your arms, and some warm clothes for the early mornings and evenings when the temperatures cool off.
Tips are greatly appreciated for our thoughtful and kind employees.
ITINERARY
The Retreat starts Friday morning at 10:30 just outside of Telluride near the Society Conoco… this might be a strange place to meet but this will be the last place we have cell service for the next 3 days. If you are running late it is really important that you let me know. My cell number is 970-708-3786. Please call us so we don’t worry about you!
We will be handing out lunches, notebooks and pens for you to put into your day pack. Please make sure your water bottle is full of water. This will be your first chance to meet the other women who will be joining you for the next few days. We welcome any questions you might have.
From here we drive about 25 minutes to where we park our cars. We will transfer your gear into our four wheeler to take up to High Camp. There we will leisurely hike about a mile to lunch identifying flowers along the way. After lunch we head to High Camp, your home for the next 3 nights.
Upon arriving to the cabin your stress level lowers and the peace and quiet soothes your soul. You made it and you wonder why you were so nervous… You will learn that High Camp is a very special place and serendipity will make you smile.
The next two days will be spent learning about flowers and painting them, but more importantly you will experience an adventure to remember. You will learn how important nature is in our lives and how we are connected to the land. You will experience the mountain joy and how the mountains make you feel that you are part of something bigger than yourself. You will have time to soak in the wood fired hot tub and stare at the stars floating above you. Or you might want to just sit around the campfire discussing who knows what… but soon it will be time for bed and dreaming about the beauty you saw that day.
Sadly the three nights will have gone by way too fast, you will be packing up and hiking down with new friends and a desire to join us the next year….
THE TAKEAWAYS
A retreat that will kindle your love for high alpine meadows.
Karin will help us identify and learn the names of over 100 plants
You will gain an understanding what it takes for these plants to bloom
We have magnifyers to really observe how delicate and colorful these flowers are and how they get pollinated to grow another season
Amy guides you along the way to paint a landscape or details of a flower. She starts with us making a color wheel which teaches us how to try to get just the right colors.
I like that she shows you how to paint a certain flower or scene and then you get to try it. This gave me confidence that I could also try to paint like she can!!
PRICE
All inclusive $1295
CANCELLATION POLICY
A 50% deposit is due at booking and is nonrefundable. Final payment is due 45 days before the retreat. Because every participant is important to us and we only offer 12 spots it is very important that you make every effort to come. If you need to cancel we sometimes have a waiting list and we will make every effort to book your spot. Thanks for your understanding.
TRAVEL PROTECTION
Because there are costs that you will incur if you cancel the spaces on this trip that we’re now holding for you, or in the event you need to be evacuated during the trip due to an unforeseen illness or injury, we strongly encourage our guests to purchase an optional travel protection plan. A travel protection plan may help reimburse the cost of your pre-paid, non-refundable payments in the event you are prevented from taking your trip for a covered reason. Trip participants must understand that in the event of an illness or injury on a wilderness trip, evacuation can be prolonged, difficult and expensive. For complete details and to purchase the plan we highly recommend, visit Squaremouth.com
FRIENDS OF HIGH CAMP (OUR NON-PROFIT)
High Camp is under a conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy protecting it from further development. We became a 501(c)3 organization last year. Our mission is to share the love and care of nature through education and exploration. The Retreats we offer at the High Camp Hut make High Camp unique and inspiring.
WHO IS CINDY FARNY?
Cindy Farny is the owner of High Camp and The Executive Director of Friends of High Camp… I am passionate about this magical place and it is my privilege to share this wildly beautiful location with you and as many people as possible. The retreats that are held here are because I believe in bringing people who don’t know each other to meet and share our common humanity and to form a community with nature as our focus. I have spent way too many hours inside in front of a computer, or making sourdough bread for over 16 different restaurants in Telluride, or helping my parents run Skyline Guest Ranch. High Camp has saved me, spending time in nature has saved me. I know first hand how important it is to slow down, listen, and share something that means a lot to me. It is my dream to keep this place open to these kinds of retreats long after I have moved on from this earth.
High Camp Hut Friends of High Camp
Box 2226, Telluride, CO 81435 highcamphut@gmail.com
970-708-3786
Please join me on this retreat and you will know why nature is so important in our lives and places like this need protecting. “Everyone needs a little High Camp in their life.” Thank you for signing up. It is an experience that will shift the way you think… you will appreciate the time you spend outside in nature and on your Journey into Awe!
