Our mission is to bring meaningful rites of passage into the modern world through rite of passage programs, guide trainings and mentorship, to reconnect people, especially from marginalized communities, to themselves and the natural world. Rites of passage are ceremonies that take place in traditional communities all over the world, and usually mark significant life phases or events, such as the passage from adolescence into adulthood, or the passage from adulthood into elderhood. These passages initiate us into who we are as individuals, within our communities, and help us bring our strengths forward to meet the challenges of our times.
Among Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and Queer and Transgender (LGBTQIA+) communities, we hear many people report their individual experience of social oppression impacting them via suicidality, loneliness, and lack of belonging or meaningful connection. For members of these groups, being seen, witnessed, and supported as adults or elders within communities that affirm life experiences is even more vital. Rite of passage experiences help participants know themselves more deeply, and are often ways that people are able to let go of significant grief, anger, and fear that results from societal oppression, lack of belonging, and disconnection.
On the other side of a rite of passage, participants share experiences such as this: “This truly is a life-changing experience! As a BIPOC human in this world, we need and deserve all the tender love and affirmations this world has to offer. Wild Mountain Retreats created and held the container for community to come together in belonging. It’s the most I’ve ever felt I belonged in my life. Nothing but endless gratitude!” -Kiana J. (2023 BIPOC 2-Week Guide Training).
Testimonials
Here is what participants shared from a recent guide training for folks identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC):
"This was a life changing experience. There are so few programs that are truly BIPOC centric, and this was one of them. Above and beyond what any of us imagined!" - Ana
"This truly is a life-changing experience! As a BIPOC human in this world, we need and deserve all the tender love and affirmations this world has to offer. Wild Mountain Retreats created and held the container for community to come together in belonging. It’s the most I’ve ever felt belonged in my life. Nothing but endless gratitude!" -Kiana
"One of the highlights of my life!"- Rikizi
"Becoming an elder in this multigenerational BIPOC Community was healing and inspiring. The BIPOC Guide Training created a community of safety, inclusion, and belonging." -Kim
"Wild Mountain has provided me experiences that have been incredibly impactful for me. Not only have I been able to tap into the gifts within me, I receive such an immense amount of empowerment to bring theses gifts to my community." -Katheryne
We bring meaningful rites of passage into the modern world through retreat programs, guide trainings and mentorship to reconnect people from marginalized communities to themselves and the natural world. For the last twelve years, Wild Mountain has offered donation based affinity programs for the LGBTQ+ community and for the last three years, guide training programs for the BIPOC community.
Wild Mountain Retreats, Inc (WMR) was granted 501(C)(3) status in 2021, but operated as Wild Mountain Ranch, LLC from 2012-2021. We have offered wilderness rite of passage programs and trainings since our founding in 2012, in collaboration with the School of Lost Borders, a California nonprofit. The founders of WMR have worked as guides with the School of Lost Borders for a combined 35+ years.
Our commitment is to make accessible this deeply healing and life changing work. For the last twelve years, Wild Mountain has offered donation based affinity space programs for the LGBTQ+ community and for the last three years, guide training programs for the BIPOC community. Collectively, the WMR guides have offered rite of passage programs to more than 500 individuals. Since becoming a nonprofit, 20 BIPOC people have been able to attend a BIPOC-specific rite of passage guide training through WMR and 150 individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ have attended a rite of passage or Queer-affinity training at WMR. These affinity spaces allow those from these marginalized groups to overcome the many barriers to access wild lands and deep personal work for themselves and to bring this work back into their communities. Our training programs have produced guides who have started other organizations or work for similar organizations, or enhanced their work as therapists, teachers and in many other people-centered occupations.
WMR is the only rites of passage organization focusing exclusively on donation-based programming for the BIPOC and Queer communities to increase access to this work. This unique place in the rites of passage field benefits everyone whose lives are touched by our work.
Organization name
Wild Mountain Retreats Inc
2012
Tax id (EIN)
87-2684044
Category
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, Environment, Community Improvement & Capacity Building
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
PO BOX 1166CO, US