Wild North - Part 2: from bidet to outhouse
Our Alaskan Rom Com continued….!
From Bidet to Luxurious Treehouse Outhouse
Arriving there felt like landing at the Swiss Family Robinson compound… or maybe like visiting Birchwood Wilderness Camp for the first time.
For the first few hours all of us dispersed as we delighted in the many treasures of the campus.
We found pansies planted in Xtra Tuff boots, art hidden everywhere, driftwood windchimes hanging in every eave, the most magical treehouse outhouse of all time, kettles on an ancient wood stove, a patchwork of wooden walkways criss-crossing up the hillside, a homey little sauna, a perfect tiny tree atop a rock welcoming us to the cove, an outdoor hand washing station, prayer flags depicting insects and birds, 12 beds in a cozy loft, a fire crackling below a corrugated plastic roof, tiny coral bells lining every path like little fairy flowers, tiny ferns and mosses delighting the senses, slick rocks, and so much more.
The caretakers at Kayakers Cove included Ibi, Chad, Puget, & Kiska. Kiska and Puget are senior sled dogs with a penchant for leftovers. Chad has run the Iditarod twice (we think). In 2021 he won Rookie of the Year and in 2022 he won Most Improved. Of course Ibi shared this with us because Chad is very humble and would never dream of sharing that info! Of course, we loved to hear about this! Ibi can muscle a kayak straight from the rack to the beach like no one’s business. We were so impressed by her! Ibi and Chad made our stay even more welcoming. We invited them to join us for dinner every night and they gave us kayak and hike recommendations.
We held yoga sessions inside the cozy hostel-style lodge, and on the scenic deck when it wasn’t raining! It rained a lot at Kayaker’s Cove. :)
The next morning most of us embarked on various kayaking adventures. Some of us kayaked to Humpy Cove to find a hidden waterfall. We were greeted by porpoises and seals, curious about our kayaks. We heard a common loon call and watched her dive and resurface again and again. Some folks kayaked to Fox Island to explore the sandspit. The wind picked up and made the return trip a bit adventurous!
As the day trekked on, the rain picked up. For a few hours we took refuge under the corrugated plastic canopy over the outdoor firepit. We watched the rain hit the bay, watched the seal swim around, and told stories.
Some of us relaxed in the woodfired sauna and dipped in the ice cold ocean.
Eventually, the rain became too much and we all found a cozy place indoors to rest and reflect. We had four fires going (a lot of fires to maintain!) and we watched the steam rise right out of our wet clothes. We sipped tea and gave our bodies a chance to recover.
I nervously told Bryana I thought the vibe was a bit weird and that we needed an organized activity (lol). She told me to relax.
Some of us worked on watercolor for a while and noone wanted to do yoga.
We heated up our delicious baked potato bar. After a week of grueling outings and a lot of rainy weather, we all agreed we had never tasted a better baked potato!
“There’s nowhere you can’t dance.” -Erin Main
I left to go to the bathroom and check on the various fires in the cabins. When I left the mood was sleepy and lethargic.
When I returned, the entire lodge was bumpin! A dance party to the song “500 miles” had broken out.
The dance party continued for another hour or so. We joked that it was like something out of a rom com. Then it was time…. time for skits!
Skits are a tradition we learned from Birchwood. At the end of a long retreat experience (longer than a weekend) it can be fun to put on short skits of funny things that happened during the retreat.
The skits were amazing. We laughed until we cried. My heart was absolutely pulsating with joy.
We departed by water taxi the next morning. We were all pleased as punch when the co-captain told us “we packed well for 20 people.”
We bounced and bobbed back to our home base at Miller’s Landing. We spent the day drying out and preparing for our departures home to Minnesota in the morning.
We felt content and complete.
Wow. What an Adventure.
I cannot believe the Alaskan adventure we had.
Bryana organized everything so beautifully! From our arrivals, shuttles, departures, meals, dietary restrictions, and more, she had it all HANDLED. It felt easy to have 29 women arrive at a remote location, eat catered meals for every meal, and embark on adventures every day. Bryana, I don’t know how you did that!
Stacy worked so hard every single day. From tending fires, starting fires, washing dishes, managing meals, hauling supplies to and fro, to generally being a worker bee every waking hour, Stacy is the oil that keeps our engine moving.
Nora beautifully handled all 1,000,000 of our nature questions. We expected her to be an expert on every plant and animal in Alaska and she did her best to help us and point us in the right direction. I credit Nora for the shift Boreal Bliss took over the last few years toward environmental education. We started out with classes inspired by messages from animals. These classes were often light-hearted in nature and focused on the whimsical or mythical attributes of animals. Over time, Nora has helped us embrace our inner biologist!
Elizabeth brings the fun (and the whale tickler). She is so fun and easy to have around, always quick to laugh and to bring laughter to others. What a joy to have her on our team. My mom and I enjoyed watching what she might pull out of her Mary Poppins bag next. Her funny story from Kayakers Cove (that I will not include here) is one of my favorite stories from the whole trip.
Elizabeth also took all of our wonderful trip photos!! Thank you so much Elizabeth!!!
Jessica brings a calm and nurturing presence. Her classes are always grounding and relaxing. Her voice simply soothes. She’s a steady, calm, and reliable part of our team. One thing I really love about Jessica is the way she listens and connects with others. Is she the best listener on our team? I think maybe… She is the teacher, we are the students! (iykyk)
Amanda cannot sneak out of recognition! (Bryana here…) She was our steady rock at this retreat. Validating, encouraging, empowering, and content. She stepped up, volunteered as tribute, and got the hard things done. She was our voice of reason. She led by example: take a quiet moment to watercolor, sing & play ukulele by the ocean for your own damn self, prioritize quality time with your loved ones, approach life with clarity, humor, and vigor!
Lastly, and I said this again and again, I was so proud of the women who joined us on this adventure. We are self-actualized women who decided we want to embark on adventures and wellness beyond the comfort of our daily lives. I never could have anticipated how this community would emerge. We all know one another to some extent, at this point most of us have crossed paths at one or more retreats. Friendships and a book club have blossomed out of these retreats. I look forward to seeing how our paths will continue to criss-cross in the coming years.
In our Western Culture we’re obsessed with romantic love. A theme that’s been popping up for me over the past year is the need to celebrate other forms of love. Self-love and the love of friends.
I mean…
Ron, Harry, & Hermione
The Fellowship of the Ring
Frog & Toad
Anne and Diana
Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte
The Golden Girls
George, Elaine, Jerry, and Kramer
So ya, just saying, let’s celebrate healthy friendships!
Where should we go in 2026???
Much love, Amanda
P.S. A frequently asked question is… can I come on this kind of trip next time? Our answer is: We’d love that! Join us at Birchwood Wilderness Camp for our annual Adventure Awaits first in order to be eligible to apply for our out-of-state Wild North retreats! Registration for Adventure Awaits opens in February. Join our blog/newsletter for all upcoming retreat announcements.
Retreat with us in Minnesota this Fall!
We’ve got everything already planned for you! Show up & enjoy everything yoga + nature with Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreats:
Sept. 20-22 | Art Movement Nature at Camp Olson in Longville, MN *currently over 3/4 full!
Sept. 28 | Autumn Delight Day Retreat at Camp St. Croix in Hudson, WI *currently over 3/4 full!
Oct. 11-13 | Wander at Deep Portage in Hackensack, MN *currently half full!l
