Rites of Passage (707-537-1927) has opened summer 2026 registration for its Men's Wilderness Quest near Salida, Colorado — a nine-day outdoor program combining solo wilderness immersion, guided reflection, and a traditional rite of passage structure for men navigating major life transitions.
-- Rites of Passage has announced that summer 2026 registration is now open for its Men's Wilderness Quest, a nine-day program held near Salida, Colorado, from June 20-28. The program guides participants through a structured rite of passage experience — combining solo time in the Rocky Mountains, group council sessions, and guided reflection — as national conversations around men's mental health, social isolation, and models of masculinity continue to grow.
More information is available at https://wildernessquest.org/schedule/mens-wilderness-quest-26/
The Men's Wilderness Quest is built around the observation that many men lack meaningful transitional experiences marking movement into adulthood, fatherhood, leadership, or other significant life changes. Research from Harvard Health has found that men are less likely to seek emotional support or discuss mental health challenges openly, contributing to higher rates of isolation and untreated stress-related conditions. Outdoor wellness organizations and mental health researchers have increasingly explored how time in nature, structured reflection, and peer support can support emotional well-being and self-awareness.
Rites of Passage structures the program around a traditional three-stage rite of passage model: preparation, solo wilderness immersion, and group reintegration. The first phase involves guided council sessions covering intention-setting, personal reflection, wilderness safety, and community-building, leading into a three-day solo fasting experience in the Rocky Mountains. The final phase brings participants back together for discussion and integration, where they share their experiences with guides and peers.
The program is designed for men navigating major transitions — including career changes, marriage, divorce, fatherhood, grief, recovery, or broader questions of identity and direction. Rites of Passage notes that a wilderness setting removes many of the distractions and social expectations of daily life, creating space for extended reflection and personal evaluation. The program also serves men who feel they missed a meaningful initiation into adulthood, offering a structured experience grounded in traditional rite of passage principles.
Founded in 1977, Rites of Passage has facilitated wilderness quest programs for nearly five decades. The June 2026 program will be led by guides including Munro Sickafoose, who has worked with wilderness quest groups since the 1990s, alongside staff trained in outdoor leadership, ceremony facilitation, and group process work. Participation is capped at 10 to maintain an intentionally small-group environment.
Further information, registration details, and program schedules can be found at https://wildernessquest.org/
Contact Info:
Name: Mike
Email: Send Email
Organization: Rites of Passage
Address: PO Box 8454, Bend, Oregon 97708, United States
Website: https://wildernessquest.org/
Source: NewsNetwork
Release ID: 89192835
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