It was steep and hard but we made it!!!
an early start to a long and challenging hike up the highest peak. 12 hours later - we did it!!!!
The Why
It was steep and hard but we made it!!!
A 3-night, 4-day camping & hiking adventure for women ready to connect with nature, strength, and themselves.
Join me in the wild, breathtaking beauty of the Adirondack Mountains for my 5th consecutive Adirondack Adventures Women’s Retreat - a deeply empowering weekend of hiking, camping, meditation, laughter, challenge, and rest.
This is not a luxury retreat.
This is a real one.
The kind where you earn your awe, sleep under the stars, and come home stronger - inside and out.
Why the Adirondacks?
Why Upstate New York?
I choose to lead these women’s retreats in the Adirondack Mountains because this land shaped me long before I ever knew I would one day guide others. I grew up hiking and camping in the High Peaks Region with my father, learning early the sacredness of mountain air, deep silence, and steady forward steps. Places like Lake Placid and Keene Valley are woven into my bones. This landscape is not just a backdrop - it is part of my story, my grounding, and my sense of what it means to move through the world with strength and reverence.
These mountains are unlike anywhere else on the East Coast: high, challenging, breathtakingly beautiful, and deeply sacred in nature. Being here feels like stepping out of the chaos and bustle of everyday life and back into something essential. The Adirondacks invite us to slow down, breathe deeply, and remember who we are beneath the noise - a true celebration of nature, resilience, and ourselves.
The Adventure
Over the weekend, we climb one of the Adirondack Mountains High Peaks.
Past retreats have included:
-
Mount Marcy – 5,344 ft (highest peak in New York)
-
Algonquin Peak – 5,114 ft (second highest peak)
-
Phelps Mountain – 4,161 ft (32nd highest peak)
-
Sunrise hikes up Mount Jo – 2,876 ft
Each climb is challenging. Each one is transformative.
And every woman meets the mountain exactly where she is.
There is no pressure to summit. Many women return for a second (or even third) year - stronger and more confident - completing their goals to reach the summit in their own time.
The mountains are extraordinary teachers of patience, humility, trust, and belief.
What's Included
Our weekend adventure includes:
🌲 Sleeping under the stars, wrapped in mountain air and deep, restorative silence
🥾 Hiking one of the Adirondacks’ highest and most empowering peaks - challenging, breathtaking, and unforgettable
🍽 A well-earned, delicious post–all-day hike supper at the beautiful Adirondack Loj
🔥 Campfire suppers, nourishing breakfasts, soulful conversations, and guided meditations beneath the open sky
🏞 Swimming in the crystal-clean waters of Heart Lake
🧺 A visit to a mountain valley farmers’ market - fresh food, local charm, and slow wandering
💦 Picnic lunch and swimming at a breathtaking mountain waterfall, tucked deep in nature
🌄 A sunrise hike to greet the day from the summit of Mount Jo
🥞 A cozy post-sunrise hike breakfast back at the Adirondack Loj
🛍 A short visit for shopping and sightseeing in the iconic mountain village of Lake Placid
💆♀️ A luxurious one-hour nourishing Moor Mud foot mask & ADK signature soak, lower leg & foot massage with locally crafted balsam fir oil, & a gentle scalp massage - complete with charcuterie, festive bubbly, and celebration - at the Adirondack Foot Sanctuary before heading home.
✨ You will leave feeling exhilarated, restored, and deeply empowered - in all the very best ways.
Friday
-
Morning departure from Ottawa (carpooling provided), 10am
-
3 hour drive to the Adirondacks
-
Arrive, set up camp
-
Explore campground and relax on the Adirondack Loj wrap-around deck or on the Adirondack chairs overlooking Heart Lake
-
Campfire supper
-
Evening meditation under the stars
Saturday
-
Early morning coffee by the fire
-
Breakfast on the go at Marcy Dam
-
Packed summit lunch on top of one of the Adirondack's Highest Peaks
-
Return to camp
-
Supper at the Adirondack Loj
-
Guided relaxation meditation by the campfire
Sunday
-
Campfire breakfast
-
Drive through the mountains to Keene Valley
-
Farmers’ market + local shops
-
Afternoon at a mountain waterfall
-
Campfire dinner back at the campsite
Monday
-
Pre-sunrise wake-up
-
45-minute hike up Mount Jo to watch the sun rise over the mountains
-
Hot buffet breakfast at the Adirondack Loj
-
Pack up camp
-
Restorative foot, lower leg & scalp massage + light lunch and celebratory drinks at the Adirondack Foot Sanctuary
-
Brief walk around and shopping in Lake Placid
-
Drive back to Ottawa (arrive around 6pm)
While we plan carefully, the schedule may shift due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances to ensure safety and the best experience.
Food & Fuel
Sample Menu Highlights
Friday – Camp Arrival
-
Camp Setup Snacks - Veggies, cheese, crackers, hummus
-
Campfire supper - Beef chili & corn bread (gf)
-
Desert - Marshmallows by the campfire
Saturday – Hike Day
-
On-the-go breakfast - coffee, protein bars, fruit
-
Trail mix
-
Summit lunch - PB&J or lunch meat sandwiches, veggies, fruit
-
Post-hike campsite snacks - veggies, hummus
-
Dinner - supper at the Adirondack Loj
Sunday – Explore Day
-
Breakfast - turkey bacon, scrambled eggs, campfire potatoes
-
Waterfall picnic lunch - sandwiches, chips, veggies, fruit
-
Campfire dinner - chicken/veggie fajitas, guacamole & chips
Monday – Final Morning
-
Breakfast - post sunrise hike, buffet at the Adirondack Loj
-
Lunch - Charcuterie and Prosecco at the Adirondack Foot Sanctuary
Dietary needs gladly accommodated with advance notice.
All Meals included unless otherwise noted.
Important Notes
Hiking in the High Peaks Region is a serious physical and mental undertaking. These are steep, rugged climbs that require preparation and a baseline level of fitness.
That said:
-
There is no expectation of how far you go
-
Every pace is respected
-
The group adapts to weather, energy, and ability
-
The experience is valuable no matter how high you climb
I am Emergency CPR & First Aid trained & certified.
Safety is always our top priority.
Investment
Total Cost: $899 + HST*
Includes:
-
Round-trip transportation from Ottawa
-
All camping & hiking equipment
-
All camping & hiking food, drinks, and supplies
-
Accommodations
-
Dinner and breakfast at the Adirondack Loj
-
Foot, lower leg & scalp massage - plus charcuterie lunch and celebratory Prosecco
Not included:
-
Travel insurance
-
Personal purchases in Keene Valley & Lake Placid
-
Independent travel to Lake Placid
*A deposit of $150cdn is required upon registration.
*To support as many people as possible in saying yes to this experience, monthly payment plans are available and can be tailored to what works best for you.
Participants traveling from elsewhere other than Ottawa - please see below.
Traveling On Your Own?
For guests joining us from outside the Ottawa area, we’re happy to make arrival as smooth and welcoming as possible.
You’re welcome to meet us in Ottawa, or we can arrange pickup from Ogdensburg International Airport.
You may also choose to meet us directly in Lake Placid or at the campground by car - there is ample parking available at Heart Lake Campground.
Guests who arrange their own travel to and from our destination, will have their weekend fee adjusted slightly to reflect transportation arrangements.
Driving distance and time to Lake Placid:
-
Burlington, VT: 62 miles / 2 hours
-
Montreal, Canada: 180 kilometers / 2 hours
-
Albany, NY: 140 miles / 2.5 hours
-
Syracuse, NY: 195 miles / 3.5 hours
-
Ottawa, Canada: 236 kilometers / 3 hours
-
Hartford, CT: 250 miles / 4.5 hours
-
Rochester, NY: 259 miles / 4.5 hours
-
New York City: 288 miles / 5 hours
-
Boston, MA: 306 miles / 5 hours
-
Buffalo, NY: 337 miles / 6 hours
-
Toronto, Canada: 531 kilometers / 6 hours
-
Pittsburgh, PA: 548 miles / 10 hours
Is This Retreat for You?
This retreat is for women who:
-
Feel called to the mountains
-
Want challenge and encouragement
-
Are ready to reconnect with their inner strength
-
Value real experiences over polished ones
-
Long for meaningful connection - with nature and with others
If that stirs something in you…
Ready to Join Us?
Spots are extremely limited (5 women only).
To reserve your place or ask questions,
Come walk with us.
The mountains will meet you where you are. 🏔️
About Beth
From a young age, Beth grew up hiking and backwoods camping with her father in the Adirondack Mountains, specifically in the rugged and revered High Peaks Region. Those early experiences—long trails, quiet mornings, mountain air, and shared perseverance—shaped not only her love of adventure, but her deep respect for the natural world.
Over the years, Beth has continued to answer the call of wild places, including hiking several of Collegiate Peaks in Colorado, reaching elevations over 14,000 feet. Each climb reinforced what she has always known: that mountains are not something we conquer—they are places we meet ourselves.
An adventurer by heart and a spiritual leader by soul, Beth understands the profound impact nature has on our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. She believes time in wild landscapes reconnects us to our strength, our humility, and our inner knowing. Through her retreats, she creates space for women to step away from daily demands, challenge themselves gently and honestly, and return home grounded, empowered, and deeply restored.
Beth has been leading these camping and hiking retreats for the past 5 consecutive summers, with experience, presence, and care—guiding others not just across mountains, but inward, toward clarity, confidence, and connection.
