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Last month, Adventure Borealis had the opportunity to support a group of leaders and advocates within the diversity-in-the-outdoors space in Alaska to get together in Denali National Park at Camp Denali for a retreat. This was all made possible by the generosity of Camp Denali and their owners, in inviting our group to spend an entire Monday to Friday session with them.

The week started off with intention setting as we pondered together how best to use our time together on the land and learn from each other and build community. Every day, the 11 of us had opportunities to go on guided outings with Camp Denali‘s incredible naturalist guides. They also created space for individual activities which included resting and recovering, reading, biking along the Park Road and foraging for overwintered berries and other summer foods provided by the tundra.

I was constantly inspired by the group. Many have previously worked together on a project to better understand ways of being on the land, including learning about barriers to the outdoors that BIPOC communities face in Alaska. Others in the group have worked on creating safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ Alaskans to learn winter sports — including creating opportunities for first generation and low-income college students to explore and learn about Alaskan cultural and natural history through field courses and supporting their diverse communities in myriad ways. For me, this ended up being a week of deep listening; listening to myself as I grapple with personal challenges, listening to the land as I walked through it at a contemplative pace, and listening to this incredible community with their deep and varied experiences and insights.

Denali viewed from Camp Denali under the midnight sun. Photo by Alyssa Quintyne

Alex Wong, a physics professor and one of the participants, put it wonderfully when he reflected: “The diversity of ways in which participants in the retreat interact with and think about the natural world — as a source of food and meaning, and an object of fascination — had me wondering how I, as a person, can broaden my perspectives, and also how I, as an educator, can broaden my students’ perspectives.”

A somewhat stormy week culminated with a celebratory Pride canoe on Wonder Lake. As we paddled and swam in the frigid waters, the clouds slowly parted to give way to views of Denali, illuminated under rainbow light. Later, we were all treated to the spectacle of a fully visible Alaska Range, glowing pink with the midnight alpenglow of our subarctic July nights.

I left that week filled with laughter, love, and deep reflections, as well as immense gratitude for Simon and Jenna Hamm, and Camp Denali and their staff for providing such a meaningful opportunity.

– Ryan Arash Marsh, Director and Head Guide for Adventure Borealis

Camp Denali viewed from Cranberry Ridge. Photo by Ryan Arash Marsh