September 27th - October 1st, 2023
For this trip, Maiden Voyage Adventures partners with Laura Adrian of Whole Life Elevation for a transformative adventures in Porcupine Mountains State Wilderness, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. You’ll be immersed in natural beauty, meet new friends, and challenge yourself in new ways. This four-night trip is an ideal introduction to backpacking for those with decent physical fitness, offering beginners the basics of wilderness travel, yoga, and mindfulness. You'll have an opportunity to learn on backcountry skills while spending time with likeminded people. We’ll be covering a minimum of fifteen miles of trail over the course of three days on one of Michigan's most beautiful trails.
What's Included?
-
All meals will be provided from dinner the first evening until lunch on the last afternoon, including tasty snacks to keep you fueled
-
Lightweight backpacking gear will be provided if you don't have your own, including backpack, tent, sleeping bag, pad, and headlamp
-
Yoga sessions and meditation, plus evening group activities
-
Reservations at a drive-in campground on the first night, and backcountry cabin or campsite reservations the other nights
-
The opportunity to gain confidence in the backcountry and learn about navigation, leadership, and leave-no-trace principles
Wild Heart is about...
-
Loving yourself…your whole self…every last bit
-
Giving yourself permission to be you, quirks and all
-
Practicing embracing your imperfections and the messiness of life
-
Remembering to appreciate yourself and others
Sample Trip Itinerary
(Itinerary varies by trip and is subject to change)
Day 1
The group meets at a drive-in campground where you'll get to know your co-adventurers. Dinner will be served around 6 PM, with the program officially beginning around 7 PM with an opening circle.
​
Day 2
A delicious breakfast will be served after starting the day off right with a yoga session. We'll make sure our gear is ready to go and hit the trail (six to ten miles, depending on the date). Lunch (and waterfalls!) will be along the way, before arriving at our campsite. There will be time to rest before a tasty backcountry meal, including dessert, and a special program in the evening.
How to Register
There have been some openings on the trips, if you wish to be notified of future trips, you can also sign up for the mailing list.
​
​
​
Group size: limited to 8-9. This trip is women-only, but both men and women are welcome at our Explore the Porkies trip in August!
​
Please contact us with any questions!
​
Recreation passport: every car that enters the park needs a recreation passport. More details will be in the post-purchase registration email.
Day 3 & 4
We'll take our time in the morning and have a tasty breakfast and yoga session by the water. We will pack up our lunch and head out on a short day hike to see some of the great views the park has to offer. Prefer to spend the day relaxing? Bring a book and spend the day however you choose. In the evening, we will have another great meal and reflective program. On one day, we may pack up our gear and move camp, or we may spend time on more programming.
​
Day 5
Following the same morning routine of yoga and breakfast, we'll head back to the car, enjoying incredible views along the way (five to eight miles)
Your Guides
Laura Adrian
Laura Adrian is a multi-modal healer, spiritual explorer, and forever a student of life. Her aim is to support people on their paths to uncover their power and passion through practices that are non-harming, empowering, and fun. She is also the founder of the Earth Medicine Women’s Gathering. Laura has training in yoga, CranioSacral Therapy, EnergyWork, EarthWork and mindfulness meditation. You can find her at WholeLifeElevation.com and TheSchoolofEarthMedicine.com
Lisa Eick
Lisa is an experienced outdoor guide and certified Wilderness First Responder. She is passionate about the healing power of the natural world, and has lived and worked in the outdoors in Wisconsin, California, Mexico, and New Zealand. Her expedition experience includes a six-hundred mile kayaking trip down the West Coast of California and Baja. She believes that challenging the body in the outdoors leads to emotional and mental growth, and is excited to facilitate this adventure!