Frilufstliv

January 4-7, 2024

Camp du Nord | Ely, MN

Friluftsliv translates to: open air living

Get in touch with your true Minnesotan spirit this winter season!

Friluftsliv is a Norwegian term that embraces outdoor living and reconnecting with nature.

Winter Yoga Retreat at Camp du Nord

Ely, MN

We are so in love with Camp du Nord in January. The excitement of the New Year, fresh snow, cross ski + snowshoe trails, sledding hills, twinkle lights, lakeside sauna + ice hole cold plunge, cozy wood fireplace with giant windows in our yoga space….ahhhh, winter wonderland abounds.

the ideal setting to embrace the Norwegian concept of Frilufstliv

Camp du Nord is located on Burntside Lake, just outside of Ely and on the edge of the BWCA

Fun facts about friluftsliv:

Friluftsliv has its own law, Friluftsloven, which includes the right to roam.
Norway has several outdoor kindergartens (friluftsbarnehager), where children spend 80% of their time outdoors.
Many Norwegians look for an active partner, and it’s not unusual to go hiking or cycling on the first date.
In Norway, there are government-sponsored “libraries” where you can borrow outdoor gear.
The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) has more than 260,000 members. Each year volunteers work for more than 550,000 hours doing maintenance on DNT’s 550 cabins, marking trails, planning trips etc.
In Norway, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in friluftsliv.

Excerpt from: visitnorway.com

“An outdoorsy cousin of hygge, friluftsliv is what Nordic people do outside all day before they cozy up in front of the fireplace with their wool socks on and a cup of hot cocoa.” - Linda Åkeson Mcgurk, Author

Camp du Nord offers a setting where Hygge meets Frilufstliv. Come see for yourself.

We invite you to join us and make this retreat your own!

4 Days | 3 Nights

Arrivals at 4pm Thursday and departures beginning at 10:30am Sunday

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Book Club Option

We invite you to purchase and read The Open-Air Life by Linda Akeson McGurk prior to the retreat. We will weave concepts from the book throughout our yoga classes, workshops, and activities.

Boreal Bliss Yoga Teachers + Team

Bryana Cook

LICSW, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP, (Newer) Winter Lover
Bryana is passionate about pursuing outdoor adventure, and loves to celebrate the benefits of yoga, meditation, breathwork, and nature immersion.
She enjoys teaching gentle and fluid vinyasa classes. Yoga philosophy and the subtle benefits of consistent practice are elements that she can never learn enough about.
In addition to co-owning Boreal Bliss, Bryana also owns Northern Yoga and Wellness.
Bryana is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISCW). She is 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’s husband Dan Ryan is a fishing guide. They live outside of small-town Longville, MN with their two boys (4 & 2 years old), black lab Sunny, and cat Lucy. Entrepreneurial life in the Northwoods suits them!

Nora Woodworth

RYT 200 - Boreal Bliss YTT Graduate , Nature Enthusiast, Winter Fanatic!
Nora loves all things nature and outdoor recreation, especially in winter. She feels like she was born in the wrong latitude and dreams of moving further north.
Nora can't wait to share a bunch of nature facts with you that you never knew you needed to know! She's easily excitable, quick to laugh, and doesn't like to take life too seriously.
She's been a Boreal Bliss fan since its inception & can't resist a yoga retreat on the edge of the Boundary Waters. It's the perfect place to move, breathe, pause, and escape into the enchantment of nature.
Nora works as an Environmental Educator for a small nonprofit organization - Happy Dancing Turtle - to inspire wonder in youth and adults! She'll likely try to sneak some of the nature wonder & laughter into her yoga classes.
Nora lives in Trempealeau, Wisconsin with her husband, Jake, and her adventure-loving pup, Stryder. Fun Fact: She's going on a surprise trip planned by her husband this fall and has a sinking suspicion it is to Norway! Let the Friluftsliv begin!!

Theresa Bilben

RYT 200, Restaurant Owner, Realtor, Winter Lover
Theresa and her husband Gary own/operate Village Square Pizza & Ice Cream Parlor in Walker, Mn. In addition, she is a full-time Realtor, and yoga instructor @ Village Yoga.
Theresa is a proud mother of three full grown children and grandmother of four.
She enjoys yoga retreats, playing cards, gardening, reading, chicken keeping, cooking, all outdoor activities including canoeing, swimming, paddle boarding, bonfires, hiking, foraging, and most of all - cross country skiing.
Being of Norwegian heritage makes this retreat very special!! I look forward to leading classes and making new friends. See you in Ely!!

Ashley Shelton

RYT 200, Boreal Bliss YTT Graduate, Animal Obsessed Coffee Lover

Ashley completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Boreal Bliss in April 2023. Her teaching philosophy centers around creating a welcoming atmosphere where students feel both safe and comfortable. She tends to infuse a sense of humor and playfulness into her practice, encouraging her students to get a little “weird” and let loose. Laughter is medicine!

Ashley is a certified professional in human resources and currently serves as a Senior HR Generalist, specializing in nationwide recruitment. She’s a passionate advocate for people, striving to create inclusive and supportive work environments where individuals can thrive.

She’s a lover of all things, especially people, animals and coffee. Ashley and her boyfriend have three dogs, a school of fish, a flock of seven chickens, and she has her heart set on adding a highland cow to her animal family.

Being a natural busy body, she recognizes the importance of slowing down and finding balance in life. This is one of the reasons she pursued YTT, and she continues to work on finding that balance. She hopes to guide others in discovering the importance of creating space, embracing moments of relaxation, and having a little fun!

Registration opens October 1st at 7:00am

Registration

TICKETS WILL LAUNCH ON OCTOBER 1ST AT 7:00AM!

Prices include State sales tax on lodging/meals.

Meals

Dietary restrictions (V, GF, DF, etc.) are accommodated for meal service at Camp du Nord. We send out a survey 5-7 weeks prior to the retreat and that is on of our survey questions.

Lunch + dinner are included daily. Guests have access to their full facility cabin kitchen for breakfast and snacks.

Lodging & Facility Description

Every cabin reserved for our group at Camp du Nord is in the Pine Pointe village and includes: bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) in your full facility cabin. The cabins have a full kitchen (with coffee pot, tea pot, microwave, oven, refrigerator with freezer, and basic kitchen cookware, utensils, and essentials). Every cabin also has a fireplace in the living room. There is wi-fi in the Pine Pointe cabins and in our yoga space. There is a short walk outside from your cabin to the Morning Glory yoga space. For meals, we head to the main campus dining hall - which is a 1-mile drive via car. Hop into your cars for a short carpool to/from meals OR hit the groomed ski trail and ski your way to meals and yoga (my favorite way to travel).

We send out a packing list included in our pre-retreat information; something to plan for is bringing your own bedding (sheets, blankets, pillow) and towels for shower and/or sauna + cold plunge.

Ticket Options

Cabin buyout - $725 per person

Fill an entire cabin with 4-7 of your friends. Each of you will purchase a $725 ticket for the retreat. You and your group will have a shared bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) in your full facility cabin. The cabin has a full kitchen (with coffee pot, tea pot, microwave, oven, refrigerator with freezer, and basic kitchen cookware, utensils, and essentials). Every cabin also has a fireplace in the living room. The cabin layout will depend on your group size. There is typically one private bedroom with a queen bed, one semi-private with two twin beds (an additional third bed with a bunk bed), and/or one more space with a loft that has three twin beds.

GROUP loft room - $750 per person

A group rate at this retreat is for 2-3 people to share a loft “room”. You have your own space at the top of the stairs, above the kitchen & living room - there is one wall open to the living room below the loft.

You can register a friend(s), or you can register solo and room with soon-to-be friends. You and your loft-mates will have a shared bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) in your full facility cabin. The cabins have a full kitchen (with coffee pot, tea pot, microwave, oven, refrigerator with freezer, and basic kitchen cookware, utensils, and essentials). Every cabin also has a fireplace in the living room.

SEMI-PRIVATE Room - $850 per person

A semi-private room is for you and a friend, or opt to bring your partner along. You can also register solo and meet a new soon-to-be friend as your roommate. You and your roommate will have a shared bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) in your full facility cabin. The cabins have a full kitchen (with coffee pot, tea pot, microwave, oven, refrigerator with freezer, and basic kitchen cookware, utensils, and essentials). Every cabin also has a fireplace in the living room.

PRIVATE Room - $900

Opt for a private room within a cabin with others. You will share a bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) in your full facility cabin with your cabin-mates. The cabins have a full kitchen (with coffee pot, tea pot, microwave, oven, refrigerator with freezer, and basic kitchen cookware, utensils, and essentials). Every cabin also has a fireplace in the living room.

Alternate lodging Options

Bed Sharing: Seeking to bring your partner to the retreat and share a bed? One of you can purchase the “private room-$900” ticket and the other can purchase the “cabin buyout-$725” ticket.
Non-Yoga Retreat Guest: Seeking to bring your partner, friend, special someone and they are not going to participate in the retreat classes/activities or group meals? Email us!

Register Oct. 1 at 7am

CHECK YOUR EMAILS! Approximately 5-8 weeks prior to the weekend, we send you an email with important information regarding your weekend retreat including a detailed itinerary, FAQ, pre-retreat survey with roommate requests, dietary needs, and more. Your timely response is important!

Cancellation Policy

6+ weeks notice: $40 fee

4-6 weeks notice: $150 fee

4 weeks and less notice: 75% of total amount fee

14 days or less notice: no refunds available

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.

Please note: Our winter venue does not issue refunds due to weather. As such, we are unlikely to cancel the retreat except in a very extreme scenario. In most situations, we hope our guests plan ahead to accommodate Minnesota weather conditions in winter to safely travel to and from the retreat- which may occasionally mean allowing extra travel time.

In the event of widespread extreme weather, including highway closures, the retreat will be rescheduled. If you are unable to attend the rescheduled weekend, you may be able to receive a partial refund or transfer credit to a future retreat. If the retreat is not cancelled/rescheduled, we will be unable to issue refunds on an individual basis due to the weather.