Backpacking + Wayfinding Adventure
April 8 – 10, 2022
Join Angie Stegall, Executive Wayfinder, and Jayne Fought, Lead Outdoor Guide with Island Ford Adventures for a weekend of being WILDER! April 8 – 10, 2022
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
Rachel Carson
WHO: You, plus up to eight other women, will spend time backpacking, Forest Bathing, and enjoying companionship out in the clean, clear air of Pisgah National Forest. Wasn’t 2021 another year full of upheaval, change, and uncertainty? If you are experiencing an unraveling, trying to hold on through change after change, and finding yourself feeling worn down, may we invite you to bring your whole self to the wilderness to experience healing there?
COVID-19 NOTE: We’ll practice safe social distancing, hand washing/sanitizing, and (unless fully vaccinated + boosted) wear masks if we are within 6 feet of one another. You’ll sleep solo in your own tent or under a roomy tarp with one other person (sleeping head to foot with one other person for social distancing purposes).
WHAT: Rather than a hardcore backpacking trip focused on miles, this will be a gentler trip focused on rediscovering the wild places inside you. You’ll have time and space to honor the deep silences of the forest, learning some new skills related to backpacking and cooking outdoors, and receiving powerful coaching + wayfinding tools. Practice the skills of noticing, allowing, curiosity, and surrender. From that place, you’ll go deeper into the wild places inside you…by being immersed in Nature. You’ll nourish yourself after a day’s hike. You’ll sleep under the gaze of the stars, and you’ll rest your nervous system like never before.
WHEN: Friday, April 8th (start time 10am) until Sunday, April 10, 2022 (ending no later than 3pm).
WHERE: We’ll gather ONLINE for two introductory calls. The first will be about a month before the trip as a “get to know you” intro call and the second will be one to two weeks before we gather in person to answer questions about clothing, gear, food, weather, etc. THEN, we gather in person in Brevard, NC at the Headquarters for Island Ford Adventures for orientation and packing. Loading up, we’ll drive to the trailhead together for 2-3 miles of hiking per day, plus guided Forest Bathing, sit spot practices, coaching, and more. Please note you should be in reasonably good shape for this event: able to hike 3-5 miles carrying 20 pounds along uneven terrain in any weather.
WHY: Well, because 2020 and 2021 were incredibly stressful and uncertain years. And because your brain, body, and Soul are feeling the fatigue of being constantly on alert, responding constantly to change, and all the while maybe fighting the dragons of dread that our thoughts are pretty good at conjuring up.
**** Cost: $397 per person ****
Please feel free to bring your own gear (Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, cook gear, etc.). If you don’t have some or all of those things, never fear! Island Ford Adventures can supply you with a backpack, sleeping bag and/or pad, cook gear and a tent (or potentially a sleeping tarp). You will absolutely need to bring your own personal gear and food. Pricing covers: insurance, permits, gear, safety, certifications, and experience for both guides.
Food allergies and restrictions being what they are, you will supply your own food. We will send out suggestions to help you to plan, shop, and assemble your meals for the weekend.
Angie and Jayne are excellent co-facilitators. I recommend this particular event to anyone who is looking to get outdoors or experience hiking/nature for the first time or who has not gotten outdoors in a while. It is an excellent, safe way to experience the outdoors, make new friends and get a chance to reconnect with nature and yourself!
Learn About Your Guides
Jayne Fought, a born adventurer, has 30 years of diverse experiences in the outdoors. She loves sharing her passion for nature and education with the people she instructs and guides. Jayne’s certifications include: NOLS Wilderness First Responder, Trainer for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, American Canoe Association Level III River Canoe Instructor. Jayne also has ACA level IV training in Swiftwater Rescue. Learn more at Island Ford Adventures.
Angie Stegall is a born Wayfinder, helping clients find their way back to who they are at their core. She is a guide in training through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides, but has extensive experience taking groups and individual clients out for forest bathing, sit spots, and powerful nature-based coaching sessions. Angie’s certifications include: Martha Beck Certified Wayfinder Life Coach, NOLS Wilderness First Aid Responder, and CPR. Learn more at https://AngieStegall.com
To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.”
Terry Tempest Williams
May we suggestion THREE powerful reasons for you to attend this Be Wilder Adventure?
- You want to challenge yourself backpacking. Maybe you’ve never been before or it’s been (ahem) quite awhile. And Jayne Fought is an amazing instructor, so you will definitely learn about prepping, packing, cooking, setting up camp, and more. She’s all about empowering women to get outside.
- You’re mentally tired. You know time on the trail does a body, mind, and Soul good. Forest bathing activities are gentle, relaxing, and incredibly restorative. You’ll lower your respiratory rate, inhale immune boosting phytoncides, and stimulate an increase of your NK (Natural Killer) cells, the ones who sweep the body’s cells clean, eliminating or reducing tumor cells, viruses, and bacteria. And, time staring out into the landscape of trees and green relaxes your brain, which in this time of constant screen staring, plus the stress and anxiety of 2020, is a rare but much-need activity.
- You’re feeling…something. A question. A quandary. A shift in who you BE, how you want to show up in the world, or even what you’re not willing to tolerate anymore. The Wayfinding aspect is intriguing. You like questions that don’t have a easy or obvious answers. You know those questions tickle your inner Voice and that she LOVES the silence that allows her to come forward with answers. You want those answers, that inner wisdom.
“This retreat was a life-changing experience for me. I’ve been holding myself back because of fear in a few areas of my life. In 2020, I decided to challenge and overcome those fears and expand my growth and comfort zone. My take-aways from this experience are: I can do “hard things.” I can feel empowered in uncomfortable situations with the right guide/mentor and the right tools. I can face my fears and weaknesses and create momentum as I move forward towards my dreams and goals. Jayne and Angie created a safe space for me to ease into and sit with fear. I was surprised that my “fear of being outside in the dark,” wasn’t as scary as my mind imagined it would be. I met many beautiful women and made great connections. I have recommended this retreat and would do it again.”
2020 Participant
PARTICIPATION is limited to EIGHT women.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
