Words by Jainee Dial | Photos by Natalie Gildersleeve
For over a year, we planned, schemed, and curated an incredible lineup of speakers, chefs, artists, and entrepreneurs to take part in our 2nd annual Wylder Field Trip. For 3 days and 4 nights, we gathered to learn about creativity and entrepreneurship in a riverfront setting at a hot spring retreat center in southern Idaho.
The source pool at Maple Grove Hot Springs bubbles up from the earth at 180 degrees. It’s then piped out and cooled to feed the riverfront soaking pools with perfect 100 degree water.
Maple Grove sits in a rural valley on the Bear River in southern Idaho. It’s a completely off-grid business that relies entirely on solar power, and we were free to explore the landscape by canoe, stand up paddleboard, or on hikes around the property.
Participants enjoy panoramic views from the trail above the property. The Bear River meanders through the valley and provides habitat for fish, migratory birds, deer, and wild turkey.
Each day was filled with workshops at the main yurt themed around entrepreneurship, risk, mindfulness, and persistence. With titles like “Vocation as Activism”, “Stand Up to Stand Out”, and “Ready to Engage”, each person was invited to hone their own creative mission and explore new pathways in their careers, projects, and businesses.
Artist and presenting speaker, Anna Brones, holds up her intricate papercut themed around the creative process.
Maple Grove was the perfect setting for balancing important work with adventure, play, and true rest. Every meal was communal and we gathered on the patio at the River House for delicious food, drinks, and lively conversations. There was also yoga and an early morning meditation to complement the daily itinerary of workshops. At the end of each day, we relaxed in the emerald hot spring pools under a blanket of stars.
Portland-based chef and entrepreneur, Karen Pride, shuttles her delicious, farm-to-table meals from the kitchen to the outdoor communal patio.
We’re so thankful for all of the wild, wonderful humans that took part in this transformative experience. Each and every person had a shared desire to create meaningful work with integrity and purpose.
The old red canoe has been part of this property for decades and nearly everyone took it out for spin during the retreat. Shop the women’s Jag boot.
As entrepreneurs and artists working out in the field, we know creativity doesn't always fit inside four walls or eight hours. It was essential to have comfortable footwear from Danner to explore, roam, and hike in order to tap into the true creativity that comes from being in nature.
We know this talented group of changemakers, artists, and entrepreneurs are going to make an impact in their respective careers, and we can’t wait to watch it all unfold.
JAINEE DIAL and LINDSEY ELLIOTT are the cofounders of Wylder Goods, the women’s outdoor lifestyle marketplace. From jewelry to hiking boots, they curate and sell the best products from brands and artisans who take responsibility for their impact. They also have a content-rich blog, weekly newsletter, and yearly Field Trips focused on cultural ecology. Wylder is the first female-founded benefit corporation in the state of Utah and in addition to curating the best products for women, they use their platform to share campaigns and calls to action from their 3 non-profit partners. Wylder is working to create a new culture around consumerism—one that emphasizes community, diversity, ecological sustainability, and the re-framing of material value as an alternative to 'throw-away' culture.
Website: wyldergoods.com
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