The Queer Men’s* Wilderness Rite of Passage Ceremony
Queer and trans men belong fully in the natural world. The natural world is where we can freely plant our feet and step into our queer gifts and wisdom. We carry wounds not because of our queerness or transness, but because of the dominant culture's inability to hold the fullness of our beings. In the fullness of our queerness lies the antidote to our wounding, not the source.
The time has come for queer men's healing, to hold our stories of trauma and grief together, to step into community with other queer men and with the land, to allow our desires, our shame, and our visions to be loved and witnessed. This rite of passage is an updated kind of coming out for your life. Connecting deeply to yourself as a queer man and fully embodying all of who you are, is both a radical act of communion with all living things and a rebellion against forces of hate and division! This program is known to deeply transform lives. You will leave more as the person you have always been most authentically, and have most been called to become.
If you are ready and feeling the call to step into the fullness of who you are, the fullness of your heart as a queer man, then please join us for a deep ceremony of personal work and collective healing and liberation. Your queer existence is a precious gift and deeply needed in these times. We warmly invite you and we humbly call to you to join us.
For only the second time ever, a group of all queer men will be joining together on the land for a full rite of passage. Join us in a supportive circle, surrounded by the tallest peaks of Colorado and sleeping beneath a sky full of stars. This ceremonial rite of passage is created specifically for anyone identifying as or adjacently as a queer man (beyond the binary!), if you have questions about your belonging in this group, please reach out!
*We recognize and honor that the word "queer" has been used in the past as a derogatory term and is still hurtful for some in the LGBTQIA2S+ community. We use the word here as an inclusive term and shortcut for the LGBTQIA2S+ lettering. Similarly, our use of the term 'man' encompasses the expanded spectrum beyond the binary of cis-men.
Program Overview
This rite of passage unfolds in three distinct phases: Severance, Threshold, and Incorporation.
Severance: In the first days, you’ll step away from everyday life and begin to release what no longer serves you. Through storytelling and deep listening, you’ll be witnessed and heard in a supportive community of queer men. Together, we’ll set an intention for the threshold time.
Threshold Time: You will spend four days and nights solo in the vast wilderness of a Colorado National Forest. This is a time of deep introspection and connection with your life and the natural world. A nearby “buddy” will check for a daily signal to ensure your safety, while basecamp remains close enough for support. There is no prior camping or wilderness experience required.
Incorporation: Returning from your solo, you’ll rejoin the group at Wild Mountain. Here, you will share the story of your journey. Your guides will reflect or ‘mirror’ your experience back to you, helping bring your experience into the world in a solid, tangible way. Through witnessing, your story and gifts are celebrated—not just by you and the land, but by your community. Finally, in this phase we will prepare you to re-enter your life, to be able to carry your story, and your gifts, back into the world for the year-long unfolding of the incorporation process.
Program Logistics
Once you register, you'll receive detailed info, but here are the key basics. The program is based at Wild Mountain.
Arrival: Plan to arrive in Buena Vista, CO by 4:00 PM on Saturday, July 24th, 2027
Departure: The program will close by 12:00 pm on Saturday, August 7th, 2027
Please confirm your travel plans with your guide team before booking to ensure you don't miss vital group or land time. Carpooling is encouraged and often arranged among participants.
Pre-Trip Zoom Call
We will have a group zoom meeting about 30-60 days in advance of the program to go over questions, support communication around rides and meal sharing, etc. Please be on the look out for that date to be announced!
Guides
Sam Balka
Callum “Bear” Bobb
Tsukasa Stonebraker
Michael Towne
You can learn about us on the ABOUT US page. We look forward to connecting!
Practical Preparations
This is a camping-based program, so you'll be sleeping in a tent at nearly 10,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains. Temperatures can range from the mid-40s at night to the high 80s during the day. Wild Mountain provides fresh drinking water, outdoor showers, and a simple outdoor kitchen. You'll need to bring your own food and personal camping gear, along with layered clothing suited to a full range of weather conditions.
Most days include time in Council, so feel free to bring a comfortable chair (we can provide one if needed). You'll receive a full equipment list when you register. If you need to borrow any gear, we're happy to help; just let us know in advance. And again, no camping or wilderness experience is required.
Hygiene and Covid Protocol
We have developed protocols to help keep everyone healthy while we gather. All participants are asked to take a Covid test within 48 hours before the program. We ask you to let us know before you arrive if you are feeling any flu or cold-like symptoms.
We ask that you closely monitor your health prior to and throughout the program as well as practice excellent hygiene and frequent handwashing.
We will discuss as a group any concerns once we meet together and please feel free to reach out with any questions.
Deposit
To secure your spot and participate in the pre-gathering Zoom call, a non-transferable and non-refundable deposit of $200 is required by May 25, 2027, along with registration forms.
Contact our admin at babs@wildmountainretreats.org for your payment link.
Donation-Based Contribution
Our intention is to make this program accessible while sustaining our team of Guides and Assistants. It costs approximately $800 - 1200 per participant to run this program.
Beyond the deposit, please give what you are able, recognizing the time, energy, and resources that go into this offering. Those able to contribute more make it possible for others to join.
Registration & Questions
If this speaks to your heart, we invite you to take the next step—onto the land, into community, and into all of who you are.
If you have questions or want more information, please don't hesitate to reach out to your guide: Sam Balka at sambalka3@gmail.com
We can't wait to welcome you onto the land!