Queer Men’s* Rite of Passage

Saturday, July 24, 2027 4:00 PM
Saturday, August 7, 2027 12:00 PM

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The Queer Men’s* Wilderness Rite of Passage Ceremony

Sat Jul 24, 2027 - Sat, Aug 7, 2027 · OPEN

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.

What We Will Do Together

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.

Guides

You can learn about us on the ABOUT US page. We look forward to connecting!

Sam Balka (he/him/they), Callum “Bear” Bobb (they/them), Tsukasa Stonebraker (he/him), Michael Towne

Preparing for the Program

This program is a camping-based event, meaning you will be sleeping in a tent at nearly 10,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains. Come prepared with warm and waterproof layers, including footwear and pants. Wild Mountain offers fresh drinking water, outdoor showers, and a simple outdoor kitchen. Temperatures can range from the mid-40s at night to the high 80s during the day.

Most days will include time in council, so bring a comfortable chair if you’d like (we can provide one if needed). Pack layers for a variety of weather conditions. An equipment list will be sent upon registration, and extra gear is available. Please reach out if you need support.

Covid Protocol

We ask that you closely monitor your health prior to and throughout the program. If you feel unwell during the two weeks prior to the program, we ask that you contact your guides and test for covid before coming to Wild Mountain.

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 any pre-gathering calls, a nontransferable and nonrefundable deposit of $300 is required. Keep reading to learn how to register.

Donation-Based Contribution

At Wild Mountain we operate on a donation-based model and want our programs to be accessible to everyone regardless of ability to pay.

We offer a suggested sliding scale between $1200 and $4800 (which includes the deposit) that take into account the time, energy, and resources that go into this offering.

To reserve your spot in the program and attend the pre-gathering zoom call please pay the deposit below.

If you are unable to pay the minimum suggested amount, please send an email to info@wildmountainretreats.org and we will work with you to find a way for you to join us.

When you pay above our base cost, you are supporting others who may not be able to pay the minimum amount of the program, and enable us to continue offering these programs in the future. Please give what you are able. If you are unsure what you should pay, please read more here.