THE YOUNG ADULT RITE OF PASSAGE
Jun 21st, 2027 - Jul 2nd, 2027 | Payahuunadü and Inyo Mountains, California | Nick LaHaise, Gretchen (Grae) Gerlach
This Rite of Passage is a ceremonial and utterly real opportunity to define yourself and be thoroughly welcomed into adulthood for exactly who you are.
You are our next generation of world leaders and stewards, our next generation of teachers and care-givers, of artists and scientists, land tenders and culture curators. You will inherit a planet in immense and immediate need for your unique brilliance.
How are you being supported, right now, to…
explore your authenticity,
discover your purpose,
cultivate your gifts,
realize your belonging and,
to be recognized as an adult?
The Young Adult Rite of Passage is a ceremony of inquiry, insight, and initiation. It is an opportunity to explore vital aspects of yourself, to ask critical questions, test the edges of your knowledge and gather wisdom. You will be witnessed in your vulnerability and your courage, while creating profound relationships with yourself, others, and the natural world.
Between Adolescence and Adulthood there is a vast territory of initiatory and transformative life experiences. From leaving home and pursuing education or work, to brain development and cultivation of your identity, to exploration of sexuality and the journey of belonging to a land and a community. This phase of being human is ripe for the development of true Self.
However, in modern society, support for the cultivation and recognition of our authentic selves is rare. More often prioritized are the right “fits and filters”, the trending brand, the achievement of standardized expectations, the acceptance into a college or career…
It is your human right to be supported in cultivating self-trust, in understanding your identities, discovering how your personal purpose can serve your communities, and receiving a thorough welcome into your innate belonging in society and the natural world as an adult.
Intentional Rites of Passages, create opportunities to do just that.
You will be supported, recognized, and empowered by whole-hearted and initiated adults. Together we will lean into the edges of growth, learning along the way about the emergent unfolding realm we call adulthood. We invite you to immerse your whole being into contact with the natural world. Bring your concerns, your challenges, your grief and your prayers, your rage and your fear…as well as the dreams only you can dream.
Who is The Young Adult Rite of Passage for:
Individuals 18 to 28 years old who bring their courageous intentions of stepping across the threshold into adulthood. We welcome all identities; BIPOC, white folks, queer folx, transgender, gender fluid or non-conforming, cis gender, and folks who diverge from the “norm” to this ceremony.
Scholarships:
Lost Borders works to keep our offerings accessible to all those who are called, especially those from systematically marginalized communities. We do not turn anyone away due to lack of resources. If cost is a limiting factor in your ability to attend, please reach out to [email protected] or apply for a scholarship below.
Program Overview
If you are interested in enrolling and still have more questions, please refer to this Participant Orientation and Overview letter that provides details about what the program entails.
To our allies:
If you are a parent, guardian, mentor, teacher or advocate for a person 18 -28 years old who you are considering recommending and would like to learn more about the importance of Rites of Passage for young adults, please refer to this Letter to Allies of Young Adults
If you are considering attending this program, or recommending this program to a young adult in your community, and you have any questions we highly recommend reaching out and having a conversation with Grae [email protected]
“Through support from the incredible guides, teachings from the desert, and my time in solitude, I was shown that I have the capacity for finding deep belonging and groundedness in the natural world, in my community, and within myself.” – Alder
“We young people need invitations in our own lives to understand how these times are really initiating us as humanity to be more awake, aware, caring, and responsible for ourselves, our people and the Earth.” -Justine
“Giving my heart to this ceremony continues to work its magic to this day. It brought irreplaceable value, clarity & beauty to all areas of my life.” –Julian
Submit Waitlist form
This program is full; however, you may add your name to the Waitlist by clicking the Waitlist button below.
Submit enrollment form
Please fill out and submit the enrollment form and then pay the program deposit below. Before you pay the deposit, please read deposit section below, all deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. After your enrollment form is complete, please submit all health and liability forms.
Pay program deposit
Deposits: This deposit signifies your commitment to the program and is deducted from the tuition balance. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. They cover the work of the specific course you signed up for, including all communication involved as well as the fee that guides pay to the school administration for the course accounting.
Additional Deposit: Some programs require a second deposit to help us affirm commitments. Last minute cancellations make it hard to fill openings and incur a loss of income to the School and the guides.
Tuition Balance: Balance of tuition can be paid before or upon arrival. Simply deduct any deposits made from the amount you’ve chosen on the sliding scale.
Additional course details & Materials
We will camp in the high desert of the Inyo Mountains. Big Pine, the closest town located 30 minutes down the mountain, is located in the Owens Valley, known by the Paiute as Payahuunadü, the land where water flows.
Please plan to arrive by midday on June 21st. We will complete our time mid afternoon on July 2nd. .
We will give a packing list and more preparation details by email.
ADDITIONAL FEES: Camping Fee $50 per individual will be collected at the time of the program.
You will be responsible for bringing your own food and equipment, though we can provide some gear if needed. We ask everyone to come prepared to live self-sufficiently. You will need to bring shelter and clothing suitable for a full range of inclement weather.
All participants must submit the required health questionnaire and liability form.
If you have questions about the enrollment process contact us at [email protected] or call 760-938-3333.
Coming of Age in the Wilderness, A Handbook for Youth by Steven Foster & Meredith Little (included in tuition). Although not required, the video Lost Borders: Coming of Age in the Wilderness by Kim Shelton, skillfully portrays the powerful dimensions of this experience. All publications are available through Lost Borders Press.
We will gather in the eastern mountains of Payahuunadü (also known as the Inyo Mountains outside of Big Pine, California). These are the ancestral and contemporary lands of the Nüümü and Newe people.
To learn more about our commitment to regenerative relationships please visit Cultural Relations.
