From intro to ice climbing classes in Ouray to yoga and meditation retreats in the wilderness near Fort Collins, find the health-oriented workshop that’s right for you.
After months (years?) of saying namaste via Zoom, widespread vaccinations and safety protocols are ushering in the return of fitness workshops and wellness getaways in Colorado. Use the pennies you saved on suspended gym memberships to splurge on one of these fabulous options.
Garden of the Gods Resort & Club’s state-of-the-art medical spa, Strata Wellness, recently launched annual Wellness Concierge Medical Memberships for well-heeled individuals who want health care that’s as carefully tailored as their suits. Both at the Colorado Springs resort and remotely, Strata’s team of physicians, fitness and nutrition coaches, physical therapists, and energy healers helps you achieve objectives like improving heart health or strengthening immunity via various classes and treatments. From $3,000 to $15,000 annually
Crested Butte–headquartered Eleven Experience is known for its dozen or so jaw-dropping adventure properties (think: helicopter fishing in New Zealand and mountain biking in Iceland). Now, its 2.5-year-old wellness-focused arm, Eleven Life, is taking guests’ physical and mental health to, yes, an 11 as well. At its Taylor River Lodge in Gunnison National Forest, you might start your day with a chef-prepared oatmeal bowl then attend a class to prep you for the day’s guided activity, such as breathwork before rock climbing. Once you’re back, enjoy a massage, dinner with a side of nutrition education, and a meditation session before drifting off in your luxurious cabin. Winter rates start at $900 per night for a single-room cabin (double occupancy) and $11,600 per night for the entire property, which can accommodate up to 24 guests
Mary Susan Stults had been practicing yoga on the ground for about two decades when she started offering sessions on stand-up paddleboards through her company Float & Flow in 2014. She left Colorado for Hawaii four years ago but returns regularly to host a variety of retreats. In 2022, that includes a five-day stay-and-play package in Ouray in mid-August; attendees get to do SUP yoga in nearby Telluride, hike, and take art workshops. Starting at $1,499 per person (includes lodging and some meals).
Formerly Chicks Climbing & Skiing, 23-year-old Ridgway-based IRIS (Inclusive Rock Ice Ski) recently rebranded to be more welcoming to trans and nonbinary adventurers. Its multiday courses—held across Colorado and in farther-flung locales such as Moab, Utah—are led by highly experienced guides who identify as women or nonbinary. During its open-to-all-levels clinics in Ouray’s famed ice park, cozy group sizes (a four-to-one guest-to-guide ratio) ensure you’ll gain improved technique and new friends, because nothing builds bonds like scaling frozen cliffs and then celebrating at happy hour. Starting at $550 per person for a two-day clinic (meals and lodging not included)
Northwest of Fort Collins, Shambhala Mountain Center’s 600-acre campus reopened this past July after sustaining wildfire damage in October 2020. Luckily, the 50-plus-year-old haven’s Buddhist structure—the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya—was spared. Hike to it between yoga classes, guided meditations, and communal meals during recurring Retreat & Renewal weekends. $100 plus lodging; nightly rates include three meals and start at $90 for a shared tent or dorm room.
This article appeared in the 2022 issue of 5280 Health.
Jessica LaRusso is 5280’s managing editor.
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