Backcountry Bliss Retreat- February 2017

There are so many things that can't be planned for going into one of our weekend retreats. Will there be enough snow? What will the temps be? Will we forget something...? At our inaugural retreat last February, we got 14 inches of snow over the course of the weekend. We had more fluffy stuff than we knew what to do with! The skiing was beautiful and the cozy, fire-side evenings were wintery perfection. All conditions were sensational! We had contingency plans for our outdoor adventures, and the upside of not being socked-in with a snow storm would have been better lake and mountain views. But even if we had never stepped into our skis or onto our mats, the weekend would have been well worth it. Why? How could that be true? Well, because of the ladies who arrived on the doorstep of Donovan's Point that Friday evening.

Minutes after everyone arrived, it was as if we were all old friends gathering for a reunion. The posts and beams echoed with stories, giggles, and a crackling fire. As we shared our first family-style dinner, I realized that this was the big WHY of our retreats. THIS is the thing that happens that we cannot plan for or predict, at best we can only try to facilitate. It's the powerful connection and friendship forged through a shared experience. It began almost immediately and then became stronger as we helped each other through the physical challenge of getting up to the start of the Sherbie, then as we squealed and cheered all the way down. With that fantastic sense of accomplishment we headed back to the cozy to thaw out, relax and reflect together. 

We love curating these experiences as a platform to share our affinity for backcountry skiing and how we utilize yoga as a vehicle for better body awareness. We are proud to share our home here in the White Mountains and to use our knowledge as DPTs to help people move more responsibly to prevent injury. We know that people leave our retreats having learned the proper mechanics of skiing and how to align well in a yoga posture, but ultimately, when all is said and done, the real magic is found in the gathering of the group; those human interactions that unfold organically over the course of precious time spent together. We can't wait for another epic retreat season this winter!