Embrace your wild side!
Escape with
Women in the Wild
2024
Wilderness Retreat
Alpine, Arizona
June 21-23 and September 13-15
“Nature is one of the most underutilized treasures in life. It has the power to unburden hearts and reconnect to that inner place of peace.”
— Janice Anderson
Do you love hiking? Will you accept the challenge to go further and do more?
Then join me, Debbie Fogle, for an unforgettable experience growing your backcountry skills and confidence while hiking and camping deep in the wilds of Arizona. We'll go further and do more than what's possible with just a day hike - but without the heavy pack!
It's always a little scary setting off into the wilderness, not knowing what you'll find, but it's through these challenges that we grow. I promise, you'll come back relaxed, rejuvenated, and feeling stretched to a new dimension. The world will seem smaller and more manageable because your confidence has grown.
I'll set you up with awesome women, delicious food, great accommodations, and unbeatable scenery, all while experiencing some of the best hiking in the southwest!
We're gonna have a great time, come join us!
The Retreat
Get ready to unplug, unwind, and maybe even sip a little wine as we enjoy some of the most stunning and remote wilderness areas in the southwest. Mother Nature and I created this retreat for women of all ages who love hiking and are interested in expanding themselves and their outdoor experiences.
The adventure begins Friday in Alpine with an exclusive night at the private Judd Ranch. Saturday, we'll be hiking with a light day pack roughly six miles deep into the pristine wilderness to a comfortable camp set up by some badass women who can't wait to meet you.
After eating what we think may be the best meal of our lives, we'll roast s'mores over a crackling fire before stretching out in comfort to gaze up at some of the darkest night skies in the country.
Sunday morning, we'll fill our bellies and continue the journey another six to seven miles before leaving the wilderness and returning to the ranch. Waiting for us will be one of the best parts of the trip—the shower!
Just get yourself to the White Mountains and I'll take care o the rest.
Don't wait; spots are filling up fast!
The Ranch
Your adventure begins beneath the tall pines and along the sprawling meadows of Alpine's iconic Judd Ranch, established in the late 1800's. Nestled at the base of Escudilla, Arizona's third highest peak, we'll be at a cool elevation of 8,050 feet. This private ranch offers an exclusive opportunity to enjoy all the best that Alpine has to offer.
Our shared accommodations overlook the San Francisco River from the beautifully remodeled Judd House. This commanding view of the valley often includes a large herd of resident elk browsing the green meadows right up to the back door.
We'll even check them out after dark with night vision and infrared technology!
Bald eagles, turkeys, deer, bobcats and wolves are also visitors, as are ducks and geese, which frequently nest in the area. It's the perfect place for photographers looking to capture an amazing array of wildlife.
Across the meadow sits our private lake with an adorable fishing shack reclaimed from one of the ranch's original buildings. A second cabin sits nearby for photographers to use as a blind and a handful of other historic buildings add tons of old-west charm and character, including a red, weathered barn tucked just below the Judd House.
To make the experience even more unique, a handful of longhorn cattle graze the pastures alongside a handsome string of playful mules. It's a picture-perfect slice of true western paradise!
The Food
Our talented cook is shooting for the perfect blend of delicious whole foods prepared with love to help us fuel our journey. Hour devours aplenty will greet us as we arrive Friday afternoon, and we'll get to know each other while sipping a small sampling of wines and delicious mocktails.
After relaxing and discussing the importance of hydration, we'll enjoy a scrumptious dinner to fuel the next day's adventure (most diets can be accommodated).
Each day, a hearty breakfast is served with fresh fruit, nuts, oatmeal, yogurt, or a loaded breakfast skillet wrapped in a delicious keto friendly tortilla. We'll be treated to plenty of whole-grain muffins and fresh breakfast breads.
We'll grab a handful of nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, Pack Out protein bars, jerky, crackers, and a couple of yummy surprises for trail snacks before heading out.
In addition to water, we'll have plenty of Wilderness Athlete Hydrate & Recover and Energy & Focus drink mixes to help us recover from the hike and prevent muscle cramps. A variety of beverages will be offered throughout the retreat.
For dinner, we'll whip up a sizzling platter of fajitas (or something similar) with lots of yummy veggies and all the trimmings—cheese, salsa, and gourmet guacamole. A tasty homemade desert will be followed by endless savory s'mores.
What would be a great meal in any restaurant becomes a spectacularly delicious meal when enjoyed under the stars by a crackling fire!
The food doesn't end when the hike does. We'll have a charcuteri-style picnic lunch waiting for us when we arrive at the trailhead and plenty of snacks to get us through the remainder of the day.
The Hike
Nestled on the precipice of the Mogollon Rim, the White Mountains are an amazing place, not at all typical of Arizona. It's truly an outdoor lover's paradise. Two of the state's tallest peaks create the headwaters for five major rivers and we'll stroll through the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world.
Far from everywhere, the Apache National Forest provides the perfect backdrop for discovery. You won't find many people here, but you will find hundreds of miles of empty trails and thousands of miles of endless views.
It's simply amazing!
The accommodations and food are spectacular, but the beating heart of this adventure is the hike. With so many great places to choose from, we've carefully selected breathtaking views, cool rivers, and flowing trails for the backdrop of our adventure. I'll make sure you have an enriching experience unique to our rim country.
All hikes average 5-7 miles a day, with about a thousand feet of elevation gain or loss. The trails will be suitably maintained, and we'll take ample breaks to enjoy our beautiful surroundings. You only need to carry water, snacks, personal items, rain gear, sleepwear, and a light jacket. I'll cover the rest.
You don't need to be super strong or super fit to join us; women of all ages are welcome (18 and over). If you walk or hike frequently and are willing to invest a little time in conditioning, you'll be fine. WE CAN HELP! Don't let the physical aspect hold you back; challenge yourself to become a badass woman in the wild!
Come alone or grab your sister, mother, coworkers, or friends to share in this powerful and transformative experience of connection to ourselves, each other, and the world around us. I'm waiting for you!
The Camp
The camp will instantly feel like a second home and we'll be amazed by how quickly we find comfort in the wild. Without walls, windows, and doors, the outside comes inside to become a part of you, and you become a part of it. This feeling of connection with yourself, and Mother Nature, is like no other. You'll want to recapture it again and again, and again.
We'll be traveling deep into the wilderness but never far from comfort. Our camp has cozy, fully enclosed one- or two-person lightweight tents with a removable rain fly for stargazing. Toasty sleeping bags, comfy pads and fluffy pillows will help us rest, along with soft cushions for our bums so we're comfortable while relaxing and roasting marshmallows around the fire while soaking in all of the terrific scenery.
It will be epic!
Camp is where the true magic happens. Women in the outdoors, unencumbered by daily responsibilities, and in tune with themselves, create dynamic energy. Expect lots of fun, laughter, stories and shared experiences. You'll connect with other strong women, and better yet, do a little connecting with yourself.
We'll soak in how liberating and soothing time outdoors can be as all the noise and distractions of life fade away to reveal what living in the moment truly feels like. It's an experience you'll take home and want to capture again and again.
Camp will be the backdrop for leveling up your outdoor game. We'll have fun exploring survival skills and practicing basic navigation with a fun scavenger hunt while sharing tips for staying safe in the backcountry. This experience will help you gain the skills and confidence to venture further and do more on your own, with the support of a new group of outdoorsy friends!
The Crew
We're western gals, through and through, and anxious to share with you how fun and empowering the wilderness is, and what a deep impact it's made in our lives. I am truly blessed to be working with a group of such strong, smart, independent women who are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside.
Hardworking and always putting others first, we're prepared, skilled, knowledgeable, and capable of getting things done no matter the circumstances. We'll safely guide you through some of the most remote regions in the southwest and you'll love it!
You can rest assured you'll be in good hands, all guides have extensive backcountry experience with CPR and wilderness first aid training. We are all licensed, insured, and operating under a permit from the Apache National Forest.
We hope you'll connect with us on our Women in the Wild retreat this summer, and if not, we hope to see you out there on the trail somewhere!
I'm speaking for all of us when I say, we're looking forward to meeting you!
This all-inclusive three-day, two-night adventure is offered with limited availability for three payments of $275, or one payment of $825.
Only six women will join this exclusive trip, plus guides and a cook.
Embrace Your Wild Side,
join us for the best 3 days of your summer!