How 75 Days in the Alaskan Wilderness Shaped the Way I Design Retreats
The lessons I learned during a 75-day NOLS course still influence every retreat we plan today.
by Lindsay Eldridge · Thu 23 Jul 2026
Spending 75 days in the Alaskan wilderness changed the way I think about retreats.
When I was 19 years old, I did something that, looking back, still feels a little unbelievable. I spent two and a half months in Alaska on a leadership course through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), one of the most respected outdoor education organizations in the world.
I earned a semester's worth of college credit, but the things I took away from those 75 days couldn't be measured on a transcript.
Alaska isn't for the faint of heart.
There were 10 participants on the course, and I was one of only three women. These strangers, along with our instructors, would become my entire community for the next 75 days.
We were the most unlikely group of people. Every personality was completely different. If you had been asked to hand-pick 10 people to spend months together in the wilderness, I don't think anyone would have chosen this combination. But somehow, it worked.
More than that, it challenged me in ways I never expected. It taught me about leadership, relationships, resilience, and community in ways that have stayed with me ever since.
Learning to Live Outside
The first three weeks were spent sea kayaking through Prince William Sound. Before we could cover serious mileage, we learned how to paddle efficiently, using the correct muscles so we wouldn't wear ourselves out. Every morning we loaded our kayaks with everything we needed to survive: food, camping gear, clothing, cooking equipment. They were heavy.
Then we'd paddle. All day. Almost every day.
The scenery was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. We watched orcas swim through the sound. We bought salmon directly from a fisherman whose catch had been in the water less than 20 minutes earlier. We watched whales breach in the distance. We learned to use moss as toilet paper. It was beautiful, humbling, and occasionally uncomfortable.
Every day also included leadership lessons. We studied communication styles, decision-making, conflict resolution, and how different personalities contribute to a team. But the real learning happened naturally. It happened when someone was tired, when weather changed our plans, when we disagreed, and when we had to rely on one another.
After the kayaking section, we transitioned into backpacking. For weeks, everything we owned lived on our backs.
There were no showers, phones or grocery stores. There was definitely not a quick escape when things felt hard.
We had the mountains, glaciers, rivers, wildlife, and a small group of people figuring things out together.
Community Looks Different Than We Think
One of the biggest surprises was our group.
We weren't instant friends. We didn't all have the same interests or personalities. In fact, I doubt any of us would have chosen one another if we'd met somewhere else.
But over 75 days, something shifted. We learned one another's strengths. We figured out how to communicate. We laughed, got frustrated, and celebrated small victories together. We became a team.
That experience completely changed how I think about community.
People often assume that strong communities are built by finding people who are all alike. I've found almost the opposite to be true.
When people share an experience, work toward something together, and spend enough time together, genuine friendships often form between people who might never have crossed paths otherwise.
The photo below is of my tripmates caring for the blisters on my feet so that we could have a pain-free hike. Amazing!
How This Shows Up in Away Retreats
I didn't start Away Retreats because of Alaska, but I can clearly see now how much those 75 days shaped the experiences we create.
It's why our retreats are intentionally small.
It's why we spend multiple days together.
It's why I believe shared experiences matter more than forced icebreakers.
It's why I don't worry if everyone doesn't know each other beforehand.
And it's why I love watching friendships develop naturally instead of trying to manufacture them.
Some of the strongest friendships I've witnessed on our retreats have formed between people who, on paper, had almost nothing in common!
A physician and an artist. A CEO and a teacher. Women from different countries, generations, and life experiences.
Just like our NOLS group, they probably never would have met otherwise.
The Lesson I Still Carry
When I was 19, I thought I was signing up to learn outdoor leadership. Instead, I learned something much bigger: adventure has a way of stripping away distractions.
When people move their bodies, solve problems together, share meals, laugh, and experience something new, they begin to see one another (and themselves) a little differently. I've carried that lesson with me ever since.
Every time I watch a group of strangers arrive on the first day of a retreat and leave a week later exchanging phone numbers, planning future trips together, or saying emotional goodbyes, I think back to those 75 days in Alaska and how that wilderness course was one of the best teachers I've ever had.
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