#YogaNyurts15

This has been a busy year for retreats for Yogi Magee Expeditions. In addition to my Telluride Yoga + Hiking Retreat (blog post to follow this week), my friend and fellow teacher Margaret and I decided to put together a Glamping Retreat. I got the idea after looking online at glamping (glamorous camping) spots and came across some yurts located about 3 hours away from Denver. Although used mostly in the winter for back country skiers, many mountain bikers and campers use yurts in the summer as a way to camp without the hassle of tents and having to bring cooking equipment. Margaret and I met several times over coffee and hatched out our plan of renting these yurts and combining yoga with hiking to make it an incredible weekend retreat. We had no idea if anyone would want to join on our adventure but we believed we had a great concept and set about to marketing our Glamping Adventure Retreat this past May.

Within a month or so Margaret and I had rented a second yurt and sold out our retreat. Unfortunately we even had to turn a few away because we ran out of space. Part of our retreat was that we would provide food and although this was our biggest obstacle we overcame it by smart shopping and bringing my husband along as our chef. We truly could not have done it without him. Our original business plan was based on having 9 girls, not 18 so the fact that we had to provide two dinners, two breakfasts and two lunches was daunting. I think Margaret and I stressed the most over how much to budget for this adventure but in the end it proved worth it. Half of the hassle of camping is knowing what food to bring and eat and, although we kept it basic, I don’t think anyone went hungry around our campfire.

We were fortunate to have wonderful weather for our retreat. It never rained, there was a full moon and it was hot hot hot during the day. In fact, our hike proved the most challenging because of the heat. The state park where we hiked in was mostly full of quad trails so the hike that we chose was a loop. If I had it to do over again I would have liked to have explored the area more myself to pick a great hike but in the end the scenery was beautiful. The wildflowers were in full effect and the landscape was awesome so even though the hike was 8 miles instead of 6 as I had been told, I believe everyone enjoyed. Besides, it was the only “thing” we had to do Saturday so the more time it took up the better. Amazingly enough we were able to keep track of all 18 girls hiking and get out in time after breakfast and yoga to make decent time!

While a weekend retreat doesn’t give the time for everyone to get to know one another very well, it did prove to be a weekend where the girls got to meet new friends. Some had known each other before the retreat but everyone blended well together. We had three mother/daughter groups, best-friends from across the country visiting each other in the middle, girls who came solo and many who only knew Margaret. The group itself is what truly makes a retreat successful and I’m happy to report that even with such a mixed group the personalities meshed. I think everyone took home a great experience, made new friends, and rekindled a love for the outdoors which was my goal. I love Colorado and all this state has to offer so much and to be able to offer that to others in a way that inspires them to get out more is what yogi magee expeditions is all about.

 

I’m already looking in to yurtsNyoga for next year’s retreat! I hope to continue to offer the excitement of the outdoors combined with the adventure of camping in a way that’s suitable for even those who aren’t self-proclaimed “campers.” As a woman I know how hard it can be to find others who share the love for getting outdoors in the summer so I’m happy to have a business that can provide this for others. If you are interested in my future retreats stay up to date on my mailing list at info@yogimagee.com or my website yogimagee.com!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1m319xjzak&feature=youtu.be
a little video of our retreat

 

Just think, this could be you!