Introducing Ashley Bredemus of Birchwood Wilderness Camp
MARCH IS WOMEN'S MONTH AND WE ARE FEATURING WOMEN DOING INCREDIBLE WORK IN MINNESOTA. THIS WEEK WE ARE THRILLED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ASHLEY BREDEMUS OF BIRCHWOOD WILDERNESS CAMP.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Most people know me as Ashley but all of our Birchwood campers and staff know me as Penny, which is my camp nickname.
I live in a remote and semi-off grid cabin with my husband, Victor (aka Stryde), and Shiloh Shepherd, Arlo. Together, with my dad, Dan (aka Uncle Dan), we own and operate Birchwood Wilderness Camp at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota. During the summer months, we facilitate wilderness adventures for boys, ages 7-17. During the winter months, we maintain the grounds and enjoy the slowness of the season. For me, it's a dream lifestyle in a dream setting!
I'm a registered yoga teacher, level 2 Reiki practitioner, and outdoorswoman with an amateur green thumb and a love for photography.
Can you tell us a bit about how you got started and made the decision to move to an island in the northernmost point of MN? (LOL)
Well if you would've told me 10 years ago that I would end up where I am today...I would've laughed at you. This was not a plot twist I could've imagined. Back in 2018, I was working as an engineer in the panhandle of Florida. Prior to that, I was in Alabama and before that a student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. The plan was to have a career in engineering and the plan was going well. I was about to be promoted when I made the decision to quit, move back to Minnesota, and take the winter off. It was the scariest decision I had ever made solely on my own and yet I had a gut feeling it was a good one.
I had every intention of getting another engineering job in Duluth or Minneapolis, MN once the spring thaw set in but a nagging at the back of my mind that said otherwise. In the meantime, I moved into a semi-off grid 200 sq ft cabin at the children's camp my family has owned since 1968. My dad was staying in a nearby cabin for the winter too. We were going to enjoy a season together in one of our favorite places. It seemed like the first snowflakes of the season had arrived when we got a call from my uncle. At the time, he owned the camp we were living at and, as chance would have it, he was thinking about selling.
Like a seed planted in soil, my dad and I started batting around the idea of selling everything we owned and buying the family business. Come April, we were camp owners and my short-lived engineering career was put to pasture.
Now, I live in that tiny remote cabin with my husband, Victor, and shepherd dog, Arlo. The summer camp is humming along (almost sold out for 2022) and we're planning to build a house on the property where we can start a family.
What aspect of your business are you most proud of? Jazzed about?
I'm most proud to nurture Birchwood. In turn, Birchwood nurtures hundreds of kids every summer in ways that will positively impact them for the rest of their lives. As many of the Boreal Bliss yogis know, there's something a little bit magical about this place...it somehow knows exactly what each individual needs and holds you the way you need to be held, putting the rest of your reality into perspective.
My grandparents used to say that Birchwood is a kind of la-la land, a fairy tale world where reality is not allowed entry. Ever since I first heard that, I felt a resistance to it. It wasn't until I became an adult that I wondered if my grandparents had it backward. La-la land is out there, the distractions of modern society, and this magic we experience at Birchwood is a reality that can be available to us every day, no matter where we are. I'm most jazzed to be able to foster that shift in perception for people.
Can you tell us about some obstacles you've had to overcome?
2020. Like so many business owners, the pandemic was scary for me...especially as a first-timer. The ink wasn't even dry on our purchase agreement when we had to make the decision to cancel our very first summer as owners. That meant many unhappy campers, which was heartbreaking. I remember the day we made that decision.
My now-husband and I took our boat up to a neighboring lake and sat atop a big rock overlooking the Boundary Waters. We were so unsure if our little camp was going to "make it". We talked about backup plans in case the business couldn't survive our failed first year.
Of course, it felt devastating to consider that but it also felt untrue so we did the unadvisable...we threw our backup plans from atop the big rock and motored back to camp with only one intention - make the best of the summer, come what may.
For me, someone who squirms at the thought of plot twists, it was a great lesson in trust and intuition.
The look of things i.e. the pandemic was pushing my fear buttons yet my intuition was telling me to press on. It was a crash course in that subtle awareness between actual fear and ego fear. Actual fear protects me from real dangers. Ego fear tries to protect me from all unknowns despite intuition reassuring me.
Do you have any advice for women interested in taking a big leap/risk and living a slightly unconventional life or following a non-traditional career path?
My advice is to tune out all advice. Don't outsource your internal knowing.
As women, we come equipped with a top-of-the-line navigation system i.e. a strong intuition. Some of us know it in our heart, some in our gut, some know it instantly, some need to sit with it but we all have the ability to know what's "right" for us. Unfortunately, we modern humans have learned to outsource our advice before looking within. This stirs up a lot of distractions and confusion while weakening our own system. For a week - log out of social media, put down the self-help books, cancel the coaching session, unsubscribe from the podcasts, reschedule social time and go sit outside with yourself for a little while every day. This is simple yet powerful: Take the role of the observer and notice what comes up when you ask yourself questions about the life you want to be living. What stories do you have about "non-traditional" career paths? How do you feel about taking a "big leap"? You may or may not get full-blown answers but you're going to get valuable leads that you can unravel further! And as these leads come, remember there's a difference between actual fear and ego fear...be the observer of those subtle differences too.
Top four must-have items for winter in Minnesota?
2. Wintergreen anorak fleece and anorak shell
3. Mukluks
*Links go to the exact items I own but they all come in different styles. Be sure to check outdoor consignment stores as I've seen Wintergreen, Carhartt, and Mukluks on consignment for great prices.
We love working with you and bringing women to Birchwood. What is your favorite thing about hosting yoga retreats at Birchwood?
The love is mutual! After a full summer of facilitating wilderness fun for our all-boys camp, it's refreshing to host a group of adult women because their experience is so different. Every summer, we host Boreal Bliss yogis young and old, and I can clearly see the child shine through every one of them the moment they step on our shores. The running mental to-do lists stop and thoughts swimming in the river take their place. A calm washes over the camp upon arrival and a newfound strength and peace can be seen in each woman as she boards our barge to leave at the end of the retreat. Portaging and paddling a canoe seems to have that effect on women and it never gets old to witness!
Summer Retreats Update
This summer we’re headed back to Madden’s Resort June 3-5th for another Luxurious Lake Life Retreat Experience, complete with a full spa, catered meals, a pontoon cruise, and of course- a smorgasborg of yoga options!
Learn more about that retreat here.
There are only a handful of rooms remaining, scoop yours up! We also have 7 remaining openings for yogis interested in bringing their beloved pooch with them! Email us after purchasing your ticket so we can get you in the dog-friendly cabins.
Our Adventure Awaits Retreat is sold out with waitlists available.
More info on fall retreats will be coming in April. <3
