Ecotourism at it's finest! Adventure into the most remote and pristine sections of Colorado and the Southwest region... Private retreats are offered year round and are perfect for individuals, couples or groups with especially busy schedules. With a private retreat the entire program can be customized to fit your specific needs, making it the most life changing experience Kate offers. You'll work one-to-one with Kate who is focused entirely on you, so there is no wasted time or effort. This approach provides the greatest return possible on the total investment. Another advantage of the private retreats is the ability to chose your own travel destinations and dates.
Some of Kate's favorite destinations include:
- Goblin Valley, UT // car camping trip
- Conundrum Hot Springs, CO // weekend backpacking trip
- Palisade, CO // B&B style or camping
- Never Summer Nordic, CO // Yurt Trip (luxury camping)
- Telluride, CO // backpacking, car camping, condo experience
- Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO // car camping or backpacking trip
- Poudre Canyon, CO // car camping
- Glenwood Springs, CO // car camping, cabin, B&B
- Manitou Springs, CO // car camping, B&B
- Rocky Mountain National Park, CO // car camping or backpacking
- North Rim Black Canyon of the Gunnison, CO // car camping
- Beach of Santa Catalina in Panama, beach house
Kate is always open to suggestions and willing to try new adventures! Any adventure you have in mind, Kate will do all the research and planning needed to ensure a safe and fun retreat environment. Retreats can be catered to your every biophilic need, whether you're looking for more yoga, cycling, nutrition, or nature.
Retreat Intake Form
What's Included:
Details:
Not Included:
- Planning and preparing guidance
- Backpacking/Camping support
- Equipment and gear rental if needed for an additional fee
- Hiking Guide
- Daily Yoga, meditation and pranayama practice
- All meals nutritiously planned to fit your dietary needs (while on retreat)
- Optional private massage sessions
Details:
- Suitable for all levels -- no backpacking experience is necessary
- If Backpacking, participants must be able to hike up to 5 miles per day with a 30lb pack at altitude
- A 3-day, 2 night backpacking trip averages about $535 per trip
- Space is limited to 5-9 participants per trip (depending on destination and permit requirements)
Not Included:
- Personal gear (including your yoga mat), please see the below lists of what you should bring
- Meals while traveling to and from your destination
- Tips for guides (10-20% of trip fee)
- Transportation to and from destination
What you should bring...
Preparation:
Kate recommends increasing your exercise routine in the month prior to the trip to increase your cardiovascular/aerobic ability. Hiking, with a backpack, preferably on hills and off pavement is excellent practice. A beginning practice of yoga is also helpful.
Kate recommends increasing your exercise routine in the month prior to the trip to increase your cardiovascular/aerobic ability. Hiking, with a backpack, preferably on hills and off pavement is excellent practice. A beginning practice of yoga is also helpful.
Kate is an expert instructor and is C.P.R. and First-Aid certified. She is obtaining her Wilderness Medicine certification this Fall. She has been backpacking for 5 years and is ready to share with you her knowledge of the flora, fauna, and natural history of the Southwest region.
Kate does not normally provide transportation to destinations. If you need a ride, she may be able to fit you in for a small fee. Please call to inquire about this option. You are always encouraged to carpool with other clients.
Your trip will be reserved and paid for in advance--there is no need to remit payment at the trip site.
Kate does not normally provide transportation to destinations. If you need a ride, she may be able to fit you in for a small fee. Please call to inquire about this option. You are always encouraged to carpool with other clients.
Your trip will be reserved and paid for in advance--there is no need to remit payment at the trip site.
Goblin Valley, UTDispersed camping South of the road between Goblin Valley State Park and Little Wild Horse Canyon, maybe 5 miles from the park. Two day hikes are included.
Hike the 8 mile loop of the Little Wild Horse Canyon/Bell Canyon trail. The hike takes about 4 hours to complete. It is not a difficult and all obstacles can be easily bypassed. Explore Goblin Valley State Park where cowboys used to search for cattle. Stand in awe of five buttes and a valley of strange-shaped rock formations surrounded by a wall of eroded cliffs, a showcase of geologic history.
Spring and Fall are the preferred hiking seasons. There are no toilets near the campsite, just bags! Modern toilets are located nearby in Goblin Valley State Park. |
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Conundrum Hot SpringsLocated just outside Aspen in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area, this rigorous eight-and-a-half-mile trail (17 miles round trip) leads to a series of undeveloped but popular hot springs pools. Time Magazine voted this overnight backpacking trip one of 50 Authentic American Experiences. Soak in steamy 102 degree water and take in breathtaking views of Colorado mountains.
This trip requires an early a.m. departure to beat midday lightning and hail storms. The trailhead starts at 9,000 feet in elevation and gains to about 11,200 feet. The first five or six miles are a slow and steady incline through thick woods, with a final two-and-a-half-mile stretch of rockier and steeper terrain. You'll find yourself surrounded by 13,000- and 14,000-foot peaks of jagged purple-gray mountaintops and once the sun sets, more stars than you ever knew existed. |
This hike is best - and many times only doable - July through October, when the trail is driest and there's little snow.
The pools are clothing optional, so the hippy-dip is up to you!
The pools are clothing optional, so the hippy-dip is up to you!
Palisade, ColoradoA pleasant climate, bountiful orchards, Colorado vineyards, and a quaint environment make for plentiful activities in Palisade. This trip includes the best of everything, whether you'd like to have a more luxurious stay in a Bed & Breakfast or rough it camping on the Colorado River.
The beauty of this retreat extends beyond hiking and includes what is known as the Palisade Fruit Loop, a 24-mile road ride stopping frequently at vineyards and orchards. Prepare yourself for wine tasting and lots of delectable seasonal fruits! This route takes about 2 hours depending on how fast or slow you chose to do it. It's all paved and has one very steep but short hill at the beginning, and then is hilly on East Orchard Mesa. |
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You do not have to have a road bike to do it, you're welcome to ride any bike you want.
The following day will close the retreat doing one of Kate's all time favorite day hikes, the Rough Canyon Lemon Squeezer. The route is tricky. Think of it as a combination of caving, bouldering, and scrambling. The unique character of the route makes it difficult to rate, but you should definitely feel comfortable with class 4 climbing and tight, claustrophobic spaces in order to climb the Lemon Squeezer. The route consists of three "caves," a spooky chockstone scramble, and a cool sandstone room. Time required is less than two hours.
Once finished hiking, we'll drive through the Colorado National Monument, which looks very different than the Lemon Squeezer, before driving home.
This trip is best done in June or August.
The following day will close the retreat doing one of Kate's all time favorite day hikes, the Rough Canyon Lemon Squeezer. The route is tricky. Think of it as a combination of caving, bouldering, and scrambling. The unique character of the route makes it difficult to rate, but you should definitely feel comfortable with class 4 climbing and tight, claustrophobic spaces in order to climb the Lemon Squeezer. The route consists of three "caves," a spooky chockstone scramble, and a cool sandstone room. Time required is less than two hours.
Once finished hiking, we'll drive through the Colorado National Monument, which looks very different than the Lemon Squeezer, before driving home.
This trip is best done in June or August.
You'll climb from cool, quiet forests of lodgepole pine, spruce, and aspen to meadows bursting with summer wildflowers like lupine, paintbrush, and columbine. Watch for elk, deer, black bears, and especially moose--this corner of Colorado is crazy with them, harboring more than 600.
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Never Summer Nordic Yurt TripColorado's mega-popular 10th Mountain Division huts get all the glory, but if you're seeking wilderness privacy at it's best, you want this off-the-radar yurt experience high in the Medicine Bow Mountains. This is your classic Rockies terrain at 13,000 feet and luxury camping at it's best, whether it's Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter!
Go in winter to enjoy the solitude on cross-country skis or snow shows, and in summer for wildflowers and hiking to Clark Peak, the highest in the Medicine Bow Mountains at 12,951 feet. All of the yurts are woodstove-heated to shirt-sleeve temperature, sleep up to 7, and have a big outdoor deck for soaking up rays or watching the sunset. Kitchen gear, mattresses, pillows, and porta-potties are provided. 
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Telluride, CO
The town of Telluride in southwest, CO is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains. During the summer you can chose from hiking, mountain biking to river rafting and more. We can experience the San Miguel River, splashy, fast and fun, with a river rafting day trip on class II-III+ waters surrounded by solitude and beauty and hike/mountain bike up to the Lewis Mine in the Bridal Veil Basin way above Bridal Veils. This 4 mile hike has an elevation gain of 2,328 feet (8 miles round trip). The trail itself is an old mining road that was used to pack mules into the basin to work, the trail is rough and rocky and rated moderately difficult.
Of course there are plenty of hiking and biking trails to choose from, the Lewis Mine is just one of Kate's favorites. There's also 4x4 off-roading, camping, disc golf, fly fishing, glider-rides, horseback riding, swimming and even star gazing. Additionally, Telluride is home to legendary historic saloons and modern lounges and Kate is happy to show you Tellurides Historical Museum, Native American Sites, or simply take a walking tour.
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Great Sand Dunes National ParkNorth America's tallest dunes rise over 750 feet high against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains giving you the most stunning backdrop for your Biophilia experience. The 30 square mile dunefield park harbors a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, conifer and aspen forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Kate welcomes you to experience the diversity through camping, hiking, beach play, sand boarding and sand sledding, wildlife watching, horseback riding, and more.
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There are no designated trails in the sand and average hiking time to the tallest dunes is 2 hours, putting you at High Dune. From High Dune, the skyrising dune you see to the west is the spectacular Star Dune, rising 750 feet and the tallest dune in North America. To reach it from High Dune is another mile and a half up and down across the dunes t it's summit. Average round trip hiking time to Star Dune is about 4 hours.
Another option for the afternoon as an escape from the heat of the dunes are the Montville Nature Trail, named for a late 1800s settlement, Mosca Pass Trail, and the Dunes Overlook/Sand Ramp Trail. There are breathtaking views of Mt. Herard, the dunes and the valley.
This trip is best suited for Spring and Fall as summer temperatures reach up to 150 degrees F.
Another option for the afternoon as an escape from the heat of the dunes are the Montville Nature Trail, named for a late 1800s settlement, Mosca Pass Trail, and the Dunes Overlook/Sand Ramp Trail. There are breathtaking views of Mt. Herard, the dunes and the valley.
This trip is best suited for Spring and Fall as summer temperatures reach up to 150 degrees F.
Poudre Canyon, COThe Poudre Canyon is about an hour outside Fort Collins and offers a variety of campsites and options to choose from. There's hiking near Comanche Peak Wildreness and Pingree Park, as well as fishing, swimming, rafting, mountain biking, 4-wheel driving and more. Some of the campsites have picnic tables and grills, with horseshoe pits and access to a volleyball court while others are a bit more rustic. The choice is up to you!
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hiking trail in Pingree Park
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Hanging Lake Hike
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Glenwood Springs, CO Glenwood Springs sits at the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Colorado Rivers, 180 miles west of Denver. It's known for its medicinal hot sulfur springs, Yampah Caves and rich natural history and scenic beauty. One of the best ways to experience Glenwood Springs is on foot, whether you prefer a short day hike in town, a destination picnic spot by the river or an all day expedition in an alpine aspen grove making it suitable for every age and ability.
To the left is a picture of Hanging Lake, one of Colorado's most popular hikes and a rare example of a lake formed by travertine deposition. Glenwood Springs can be done B&B or Ranch style, car-camping, or backpacking. |
Manitou Springs, COWhether you're seeking majestic views seen from The Cog Railroad as it climbs Pikes Peak, or the thrill of spelunking the massive underground caverns of The Cave of the Winds, there are endless adventures in Manitou. The best way to experience Manitou Springs in all it's bounty is to stay in cabins or at a B&B. Day hikes are plentiful and there is always the epic Incline hike waiting for you to conquer it.
This trip is best done in May, June or July. |
Yogi's at the summit of The Incline.
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Please call or e-mail Kate with any questions or
to book your personalized retreat today!!!
303.578.2378 // [email protected]
Katherine M. Coleman : RYT & CNT // biophilia, LLC : yoga & holisitc nutrition therapy
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Copyright © 2013 biophilia, LLC // website made by kate
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