In Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park August 2-8, 2025
Come Join Us for a journey into your own wild Nature.
Walk with a small group into one of the most beautiful, awe-inspiring, yet gentle wild landscapes on the planet. Together we’ll traverse the high country wilderness through our favorite off-the-map spots (named by our participants) such as Balcony in the Sky Lake, God’s Kitchen & the Valley of the Sleeping Bear. Let the wilderness reflect your own wild nature back to you and guide you to the inner peace, inspiration or renewal you need right now in your life.
Come for the wild beauty, amazing circle of peers and an invigorating adventure.
Open Up to receive the inspiration, guidance or tranquility available to you through this journey into the wild both outside and within.
We will hike by trail into the backcountry on Day 1 and then spend most of the week off trail. This will be a time to make our way over sparkling granite and clattering shale, through high mountain passes and fragrant forests. We’ll swim in alpine lakes and beneath glittering waterfalls. The hiking will be moderate-advanced with two layover days. These layover days will include some (optional) solitude and ceremony to help explore your questions, needs or life transitions through a dialogue with wild Nature. There will be morning and evening council circles to frame our days as well as other guided mindfulness practice. All meals provided (and delicious! 🙂).
The Details
When: Sat., August 2- Fri., August 8, 2025 (Plan to arrive in the area by the night of Fri., 8/1)
Where: Sequoia National Park (a 5 hr. drive from LA or SF. About 1 hour from Fresno). All permits and camping fees paid by Wilderness Reflections.
What you need to provide: Personal hiking and camping gear (list to be provided); transportation to/from our meeting point in the park. Prior backpacking experience and excellent physical condition is required. Ability to carry a 35 lb. pack for 8-10 miles a day over mountainous terrain. Actual pack weights and mileage covered may be less than this. Park entry fee per car. (All meals during the trip provided by WR. We will travel light yet also eat well in the backcountry!)
Fee: Tiered Fee Schedule Below. A deposit of $500 confirms your registration.
Out of respect for the differences in financial resources and opportunities for program participants and to make the program accessible to a wider and more diverse group, we offer this work on a sliding scale fee structure. We trust that you will be in alignment and integrity with yourself and thereby arrive at a fee level that strikes the right balance for you when making a decision. To aid in the process, below are some equity-based considerations.
- Tier A: $1750 (Below program costs & depends on subsidy from us or higher tier participants)
- Tier B: $1950 (Approximately at our break even costs for the program)
- Tier C: $2300 (Gives support to less privileged/resourced participants and guide sustainability)
- Tier D: $2750 (Supports less privileged/resourced participants, guides and long-term program needs)
We offer payment plans and a few partial scholarships. Please inquire for more details.
Consider contributing MORE on the tier levels if you:
- Have the ability to comfortably meet all of your basic needs
- Belong to a sponsoring organization or are employed full-time
- Have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money
- Travel for fun and vacations
- Have access to family money and resources in times of need
- Work part-time by choice
- Own the home you live in
- Have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.)
Consider contributing LESS on the tier level if you:
- Regularly have difficulty covering basic expenses
- Do not have regular, steady work or other income sources
- Are supporting children or have other dependents
- Have significant debt
- Have medical expenses not covered by insurance
- Are an elder with limited financial support
- Are an unpaid community organizer
To Register Please Complete These Three Steps:
- Go To www.wildernessreflections.com/registration-form and complete the form.
- Make Payment either pay a $500 non-refundable deposit or full fee now via PayPal (after registering in step 1) or by sending a check to us via USPS to Wilderness Reflections, 2516 Northshore Rd., #16, Bellingham, WA 98226).
- Send us a 1-page letter of intent stating your reasons for enrolling in the program (via email or by USPS to Wilderness Reflections, 2516 Northshore Rd., #16, Bellingham, WA 98226).
Trip Description: August 2-8, 2025
- Day 0 (8/1): Meet at a campground near the trailhead the evening before the start of the trip
- Day 1 (8/2) : Hike into the wilderness and find our rhythm for traveling together. Either all on trail or mix of on and off trails ending with camp at a very sweet subalpine lake.
- Day 2 (8/3): Off trail hiking to visit Balcony in the Sky Lake en route to one of our favorite granite-rimmed lakes for the night.
- Day 3 (8/4): First of two layover days at this gorgeous lake (We always want more time here!).
- Day 4 (8/5): Hit the trail to ascend a high pass and then off trail into the higher terrain, ending for the night on a curving ridge at 10,000’, looking out over a granite cirque (fondly known to us as God’s Kitchen!) and views for 50+ miles along the crest of the High Sierra.
- Day 5 (8/6): Descend onto Sleeping Bear Butte and down to the Shangri-La of the Valley of the Sleeping Bear and its sparkling granite, beckoning waterfalls, wildflower meadows, golden trout and so much beauty!
- Day 6 (8/7): Spend our second layover day in the Valley of the Sleeping Bear, with countless secret corners to explore.
- Day 7 (8/8): We’ll make the easy off-trail stroll down through the forest and back to “civilization.”
Days 2-7 we’ll be largely off trail (except when using a trail to navigate one steep pass). Off-trail we’ll traverse large areas of the gorgeous Sierra granite. Lower down the forest is open and easy to walk through. Daily hiking distances on non-layover days will average about 5-6 miles w/ a max daily elevation gain ~2000’).
Guides
Aaron Bartley is a nature-oriented rites of passage guide, UC California Naturalist, and teaching guide in Wilderness Reflections’ Somatic Ecopsychology Quest Apprenticeship Program. Aaron brings 15+ years of experience facilitating men’s groups and supporting both men and women through rites of passage. He has guided wilderness programs in the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley, throughout Central California, and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. Aaron serves as a guide for a nature reserve, where his mission is to inspire the public to deepen their relationships with the lands they love. He is most passionate about helping individuals strengthen their belonging to nature, embody their authentic voice, and find renewed vision for their lives.
Dave Talamo, MFT is founder of Wilderness Reflections. He has over 45 years of experience guiding wilderness trips, works as a therapist with youth and adults, and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. A Certified Hakomi Therapist, Dave is a pioneer in the field of ecotherapy and was one of the first guides to develop a somatic approach to wilderness rites of passage guiding. He is committed to the expression of joy and authenticity through the body and to helping others experience their own embodied selves in an intimate, reciprocal relationship with Nature. Currently, he spends most of his field time apprenticing new guides and training therapists in bringing Nature into the therapy process.
