“No frills…all thrills!”
A rustic yoga retreat on the edge of the BWCA
Retreat Dates & Staff
Retreat One: August 10-13, 2023
Leader + Yoga Teacher, Stacy Nightwine
Yoga Teacher + Group Guide, Jessica Baumhofer-Frank
Wilderness Canoe Guide + Group Guide, Nora Woodworth
Wilderness Canoe Guide, Shannon McGrath
Retreat Two: August 13-16, 2023
Leader + Yoga Teacher, Bryana Cook
Yoga Teacher + Group Guide, Amal Karim
Wilderness Canoe Guide + Group Guide, Nora Woodworth
Wilderness Canoe Guide, Jessica Wiens
Join us- Adventure Awaits!
These retreats are open to all levels of yogis and includes all meals, a BWCA day trip, and all the amenities Birchwood has to offer...think sauna time, campfire gatherings, and wilderness immersion.
What’s Included
3 Nights | 4 Days | Yoga | Workshops | Meditation | Journaling | Lodging | Meals (V, GF, DF options) | BWCA Day Trip | Hiking | Canoeing | Rock Climbing | Campfires | Swimming | Time for Relaxation | Wildlife | Adventure
Arrivals + Departures
Please arrive at 4pm on your first day - we all meet together at the boat landing at the end of the Gunflint Trail (approximately one-hour drive from the town of Grand Marais).
Departures will begin at roughly 10am on the last day.
Location
Journey with us way up north- to the tip of the arrowhead. Our destination is at the end of the historic Gunflint Trail, and a 2 mile boat/canoe ride up the Seagull River. Birchwood Wilderness Camp is located at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
There is approximately one-hour of additional drive time down the Gunflint Trail as you leave the town of Grand Marais. There is not cell service on the Gunflint Trail. You will have wi-fi access in the dining hall at Birchwood Wilderness Camp and access to a landline onsite as well.
Packing
We will provide you a detailed packing list. Packing as light as possible will be important, that being said we also have a barge that we can put our bags etc on. The barge’s name is Barracuda!
Opt outside
Four days and three nights of simplicity. We will spend much of our time outside, rain or shine. And yes, there will likely be bugs! August in Minnesota can certainly be interesting. Sometimes we get lucky with zero bugs and perfect weather, but we cannot guarantee that of course. Rain gear, and bug spray/head net are items included on the detailed packing list to registered attendees.
Photo: Ashley Bredemus
Photo: Jeffrey Anderson
Accommodations
The camp provides basic bunkhouse accommodations - rustic, one step up from tent camping. We will be sleeping in bunk houses without electricity. The windows to the bunk houses are screens only. Guests will sleep on the bottom bunks.
There are 7 bunk houses in total: 6 of them have four beds and one of them has six beds. You bring your own bedding - a sleeping bag and pillow will suffice. After a long, fulfilling day of outdoor adventure that little bunk bed will feel like a heavenly cloud.
The shower house, including sinks, toilets, and showers are located in a separate building, a short walk from the cabins. Yes - there is running water and hot amazing showers!
During free time, take advantage of the serene waterfront, secluded hiking, wood-fired sauna, GIANT WATERSLIDE, and more. Woohoo!!
Dining Hall
The dining hall has electricity and Wi-Fi. There is drinking water to fill water bottles.
Meals
We will eat all of our meals in the dining hall, except for the day trip into the BWCA where a bag lunch is prepared for you to bring along. Birchwood Wilderness Camp staff do an outstanding job preparing our meals. Accommodations for dietary restrictions and allergies are well cared for (i.e. V, GF, DF etc.)
Yoga Classes
Our yoga classes will take place in the great outdoors, on the gorgeous custom yoga deck overlooking the BWCA boreal forest treetops. In case of inclement weather, we will move to an indoor space overlooking the Seagull River.
The setting will provide opportunity for deep introspection, as well as connection amongst our intimate little community for the retreat.
Every yoga class will be suitable for all levels: beginner to experienced.
Yoga Teachers and Wilderness Guides
Stacy Nightwine
August 10-13, 2023 Retreat One: Yoga Teacher + Leader
200 RYT, Yin Certified
Stacy lives in the woods outside Two Harbors, MN. She brings the FUN! She is a Golden Girl’s enthusiast, animal-lover, outdoorsy lady with the best Minnesotan accent around. Stacy loves to hike, explore, relax at a campfire, enjoy good company and laughs, and she is always up for a sauna session.
Her yoga classes are lighthearted, functional for all bodies and ages, and taught in the Hatha and gentle Vinyasa style.
Stacy also owns her own yoga business in Two Harbors: Lake Effect Yoga.
Bryana Cook
August 13-16, 2023 Retreat Two: Yoga Teacher + Leader
LICSW, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP | Northern Yoga and Wellness
Bryana lives in woods in Longville, MN with her husband, toddler, newborn, dog, cat, and chickens. She enjoys teaching gentle and fluid vinyasa classes, focused on pranayama, paired with soothing movements and methodical strengthening. She is also passionate about individual Yoga Therapy appointments; assessing the needs of the individual and empowering one to a path toward optimal health and wellness. Read more about her work here: What is Yoga Therapy?
In addition to yoga, Bryana is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). She loves to pair topics of mental health with the practical tools of yoga. She is also in the midst of pursuing her 800 hour - yoga therapy certification (C-IAYT) through Inner Peace Yoga Therapy and the International Association of Yoga Therapy (IAYT).
Bryana loves the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. She cherishes her annual trip into quiet beauty and solitude with just her friend Nora and their two dogs. Sharing the magic of soaking up the area is a true gift.
Nora Woodworth
August 10-13 and 13-16, 2023 Retreat One & Two: Wilderness Guide + Group Guide
Nora lives in Trempeleau, WI. She will help you muscle a canoe across any portage, identify mystery poop or plant-life on the trail, and read you Sigurd Olson in savasana (or as a bedtime story in a tent if you’re really lucky). Winter is her favorite season, but spending time deep in the wilderness in any season is her ultimate love. She assists our summer Adventure Awaits retreats at Birchwood Wilderness Camp and we are so lucky to have her! A little more about Nora…
Spending summers at a Northwoods camp in Longville, MN ignited my passion for nature and the great outdoors. I studied Conservation and Resource Management in my undergrad, but quickly realized I’m terrible at desk jobs and great at getting kids riled up in the outdoors. So… now I have a Masters in Education and teach environmental education for a small nonprofit called Happy Dancing Turtle. I started a second branch in the Driftless Region and live in the Mississippi River town Trempealeau, WI with my husband, Jake, and my furry sidekick, Stryder.
I love hiking, camping, paddling, snowshoeing, taking nature pics, traveling, and reading in a hammock.
I’ve been certified in first aid, cpr, and lifeguarding for 14 years and have done my Wildland Firefighter Training, but sure hope I don’t need to use any of those skills on our retreat!
Shannon McGrath
August 10-13, 2023 Retreat One: Wilderness Canoe Guide
Shannon's number one hobby is to try all hobbies. But, she mostly finds herself on adventures in the outdoors, as that is where she feels most alive. Her biggest adventure took her on a 51-day canoe trip in the Arctic, and she has been leading any willing friends on canoe trips ever since. She is a repeat Boreal Bliss Yoga retreater and dreams of completing yoga teacher training to share her love of Yoga with others.
Shannon resides in Shoreview, Minnesota with her two kids and dog, which are the loves of her life. Her day job is advancing Infrastructure Asset Management throughout the state and country. She is trained in wilderness first aid, CPR, and wilderness survival skills.
Jessica Wiens
August 13-16, 2023 Retreat Two: Wilderness Canoe Guide
Jessica discovered her love for the outdoors, camping, hiking, and yoga all as a 20-something adult. In 2012, Shannon (one of the other Retreat Wilderness Guides) asked her to go on a 7-day canoe trip to the Boundary Waters. Jessica had never portaged, never spent more than an hour in a canoe, and never slept on the ground, but she was immediately hooked.
Jessica is thrilled to honor her 10th anniversary of knowing the Boundary Waters by helping to share its wonder and appeal with others. She'll help you feel confident about balancing the canoe on your shoulders and paddling. She can also share insights into future day trip and overnight options, entry permits, gear preferences, packing lists, food prep, map reading, and more.
Jessica lives in Northeast Minneapolis with her husband and 1-year-old son. She loves being in the passenger seat on road trips with a coffee in one hand and a paper map in the other. She works in government public relations and is a repeat Boreal Bliss Yoga retreater.
Jessica Baumhofer-Frank
August 10-13, 2023 Retreat One: Yoga Teacher + Group Guide
RYT 200, Yin Certified
Jessica Baumhofer loves the outdoors: hiking and camping are among her favorite activities. She lives in St. Paul, MN and teaches inviting gentle yoga classes. She is a graduate of Boreal Bliss 200hour Yoga Teacher Training.
For her, “yoga is coming to my mat and connecting deeply to myself through my breath and movement. It is my way to focus and center myself and slow down the chaos. It allows me to manage my mental, physical and spiritual health in a beautiful way. Yoga is not only movement but a way of life- aspiring to living more ethically and purposefully.”
Jessica says, “Boreal Bliss changed my life, when I went to my first retreat I learned that “if you are breathing you are practicing Yoga” I had never felt that before. I felt so moved and connected with my self. I wanted to help others feel this way and that Yoga is for ALL bodies!”
Amal Karim
August 13-16, 2023 Retreat Two: Yoga Teacher + Group Guide
MPA, RYT 200
Amal lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband and black Lab. Originally from Bangladesh, Amal has also lived in five other countries throughout her life. Currently, she works at the Constellation Fund, a foundation that conducts evidence-driven grant-making to poverty-fighting organizations in the metro area. Amal has a masters degree in public policy with a special interest in education policy.
Amal loves to cook, work in the vegetable garden, and do trivia - she was a contestant on Jeopardy in February 2020! Since moving to Minnesota, she has completed three Boundary Waters camping trips and is thrilled to be able to spend more time in such a special place.
Amal is a proud graduate of Boreal Bliss’ first cohort of 200 hour Teacher Training. She teaches welcoming and energizing vinyasa classes that are sure to leave you smiling.
Penny (& Arlo)
Birchwood Wilderness Camp Owner, Photographer, Retreat Group Guide
Penny (aka Ashley Bredemus) is our site host for this beloved retreat. She lives at Birchwood year-round with her husband Stryde and dog Arlo.
Penny’s grandparents are the original camp stewards, who have inspired both Penny and her father (Uncle Dan) to currently own and operate the camp. Penny and her incredible team not only guide children in this special place throughout the summer, but our group of yoga retreaters for the past three, going on four years have fallen in love with this precious place.
Follow Penny on instagram @ashleybredemus and youtube as she and her husband build their dream home on the grounds of Birchwood Wilderness Camp.
Arlo is larger than life and embraces all that Birchwood Wilderness Camp has to offer. She is full of spunk and personality. We love joining her for howling sessions. She greets us many times throughout the day but goes to enjoy her own savasana in her house during yoga and play times.
Thank you Penny, Uncle Dan, Stryde, Arlo, Nemo, and the Birchwood Wilderness team for always treating us with such love. And gosh ya’ll are FUN!!!!
Workshops
BWCA Day Trip Options
Romance Lake
Seagull Lake
Cache Bay
Rock Climbing | Hiking | Meditation | Journaling | Campfire | Canoeing | Water Play
We will take advantage of all Birchwood Wilderness Camp and the BWCA has to offer. BWCA day trips, morning hikes in the wilderness, evening campfires overlooking the Seagull River, yoga/meditation sessions outside on the scenic hidden deck, and boating to a beautiful rock climbing location will all be highlights.
BWCA Day Trips
We will have three day trip options in 2023. You cannot go wrong with any of these adventures!
While in the BWCA, we will canoe, practice mindfulness, explore, breathe, and soak it all in.
All day trip gear will be provided such as: canoe, paddles, lifejackets, BWCA permit, and lunch. Bring your own water bottle. We have refill options for filtered BWCA water and/or iodine treated.
Day Trip Option 1: Romance Lake
Hike from Birchwood Wilderness Camp property to a secluded Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness lake where your canoes await you. With no public access to these pristine waters, you are sure to experience quiet, serenity, and breath-taking beauty. We enjoy lunch on a big rock in the peace and quiet of the wilderness. Swimming and cliff jumping during lunch are our favorite activities here.
This trip is recommended for our beginner paddlers. It’s also highly enjoyable for intermediate to experienced paddlers.
Day Trip Option 2: Seagull Lake
Paddle from Birchwood Wilderness Camp into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on Seagull Lake. Paddle past BWCA campsites, take in the beauty of the islands and cliffs. Enjoy breathtaking views from the Little Palisades. We park our canoes, hike up the Little Palisades, and enjoy lunch with a stellar view.
This trip is recommended for our intermediate to experienced paddlers.
Day Trip Option 3: Cache Bay
Tow-boat taxi from Birchwood Wilderness Camp to Cache Bay. Guided paddle in Cache Bay to witness indigenous pictographs and option to paddle further to a waterfall (if conditions allow). Enjoy lunch at a BWCA campsite.
This trip is recommended for our intermediate to experienced paddlers. This option will be via invite, first preference given to returning Adventure Awaits retreaters. Opting for this trip means that you will individually apply with the Canadian Quetico for a day permit prior to summer. Cost is approximately $30 additional per person for the permit. Directions for this will be emailed to you.
What’s Included
Lodging, Meals, Yoga, Meditation, Hiking, BWCA Paddling & Portaging 101 Workshop, Canoeing, BWCA Day Trip, All Gear for BWCA Day Trip, Rock Climbing, Journaling, Campfire, Relaxation, and Recreation: Sauna, Swimming, Waterslide, Rope Swing
Requirements
You do not need prior yoga/canoeing experience to attend. An open mind and willingness to learn will be important. You do need to have the physical ability to sit in a canoe and/or on hard surfaces on the ground outside.
We will be spending all of our days outside rain or shine. Planning on bugs and bug bites (mosquitoes, flies, etc.) is probably safe to assume. Planning on memories that last a lifetime is also safe to assume! This will require a flexible attitude, and the strength and stamina to enjoy it!
No Cell Service
There is no cell service on the Gunflint Trail. Keep that in mind while traveling to our destination. A paper map or printed directions may come in handy! We will send detailed directions and instructions to registered guests prior to the retreat. Please make sure to check your emails starting at 8-weeks prior to the event.
While at Birchwood Wilderness Camp, there is Wi-Fi and electricity in the dining hall only. You can make calls/text via Wi-Fi if your phone has that capability. You can charge your phone in the dining hall. There is also a landline phone to use onsite and we provide you with the number for your family to use as well.
Overview
Hop into a canoe, and find your self set in the tranquility of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Imagine sitting on your yoga mat and looking out into Northern Minnesota's most tranquil landscape and the beauty of the untouched land, as we move and breathe to the rising and setting of the sun allowing us to tap into our most authentic self. With less distractions, we are able to tune into our progress and personal growth. We progress on a mental, physical, and spiritual level. Surrounded by not only Mother Nature herself, but with other beautiful, like-minded women setting out to begin or deepen their yoga journey.
This yoga retreat is open to all-levels of yoga practitioners. Come with an open heart and adventurous spirit!
Investment
$800 per person
Includes: 3 Nights/4 Days, Lodging, Meals, Yoga, Meditation, Hiking, BWCA Paddling & Portaging 101 Workshop, Canoeing, BWCA Day Trip, All Gear for BWCA Day Trip, Rock Climbing, Journaling, Campfire, Relaxation, and Recreation: Sauna, Swimming, Waterslide, Rope Swing
Registration
sold out with waitlist available below
August 10-13, 2023 or August 13-16. 2023
REGISTERED YOGIS - PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAILS! Approximately 6-8 weeks prior to the weekend, we send you emails with important information regarding your weekend retreat including itinerary, FAQ, pre-retreat survey with roommate requests, dietary needs, and more. Your timely response is important. Thank you!
BIPOC Scholarships
As part of our ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion in the yoga space, we are offering scholarships to Black, Indigenous, people of color at our summer yoga retreats. Please fill out a BIPOC scholarship application here. Thank you!
CANCELLATION POLICY
We hope that you can appreciate the amount of time, love, and energy we wholeheartedly put into each retreat. Not just during the event, but the many months leading up to it.
Prior to 8 weeks: $80 fee
4-8 weeks notice: $150 fee
4 weeks and less notice: 75% of total amount fee
14 days or less notice: no refunds available
LOOKING FOR MORE FRILLS?
Check out our June Retreat at Madden’s Resort on Gull Lake!
June Retreat: Luxurious Lake Life in Brainerd, MN
Packing List for your Retreat
A more detailed packing list specific to this retreat will be emailed to you a couple months prior to our adventure.
Yoga mat
Journal or notebook and writing utensil
Yoga block
Small blanket for savasana & meditation
Bathroom supplies and toiletries: bath & hand towel, washcloth, shampoo/conditioner, soap, hand soap
Swimming towel & swimsuit
Yoga clothes
Layers for clothing
Water bottle
Travel coffee/tea mug
Beverages and snacks of your choice
Rain gear
Good book to curl up with
Hiking boots
Sandals
Sleeping bag
Pillow and pillow case
Ear plugs (if you are a light sleeper & concerned about getting good sleep)
Flashlight and/or headlamp
SUNSCREEN AND BUG SPRAY
More detailed packing list for BWCA day trip to follow for registered retreaters (BWCA day trip gear provided: i.e. paddle, lifejacket, canoe, lunch)
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