Muskwa Kechika Artist & Storytelling Retreats

Perceiving Wilderness with Ariel Gordon and Melanie Siebert:  August 9-16, 2015

  Ariel Gordon is a writer based on the prairies. Her second collection of nature poems, Stowaways, was launched in spring 2014. Her first collection, Hump, won the 2011 Lansdowne Prize for Poetry at the Manitoba Book Awards, and her chapbook, How to Make a Collage, won Kalamalka Press's 2012 John Lent Poetry-Prose Award. When not being bookish, Ariel likes tromping through the woods and taking macro photographs of mushrooms.
Ariel Gordon reads "Bicker"
  Melanie Siebert's first book of poetry, Deepwater Vee, was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for English language poetry in 2010. Siebert is well known as a backcountry guide in Northern Canada and has been awarded the prestigious Pierre Berton Studio Residency in Dawson City, Yukon. Siebert has an MFA from the University of Victoria for which she received the Lieutenant Governor's Silver Medal for top graduate thesis.
Melanie Siebert reads "Winter Solstice"
 

Wild Tales with Ivan Coyote and Art Napoleon:  August 16-23, 2015

  Ivan Coyote was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. An award-winning author and a renowned performer, Ivan's first love is live storytelling and over the last nineteen years has become an audience favourite at music, poetry, spoken word and writer's festivals from Anchorage to Amsterdam.
Ivan Coyote reads "Maiden Heart"
  Art Napoleon is an award-winning songwriter, storyteller and humorist with a mystic's heart. He has that rare ability to genuinely connect with audiences without technical gadgetry or gimmicks. Napoleon has a penchant for the surreal and the absurd cloaked in an irreverent tribal spirituality. Add his naughty tall tales about rez life and walking in two worlds and you have an experience that critics call "ancient and powerful."
Art Napoleon interview and performances

The deadline for applications has been extended to July 30, 2015.

Floatplanes will depart from Muncho Lake (245 kms west of Fort Nelson, BC). Muskwa-Kechika Adventures will make the floatplane reservations for participants. Participants will spend the next seven days at Mayfield Lake, located on the Gataga River in the Dune Za Keyih Provincial Park, Muskwa-Kechika Management Area, 100 kms south of Muncho Lake, Alaska Highway. Floatplanes will return participants to Muncho Lake (floatplane service out of the M-K can also be made available to those who are unable to stay for the full duration of the retreat - an extra charge will apply for this service).

Participant costs are $1,995 each from point of departure at Muncho Lake (includes float plane flights and food at retreat).

Financial assistance may be available to some participants. Please indicate on the application form if you would like to be considered for a subsidy.

A non-refundable application fee of $20 is required. If accepted, this fee will be applied to the program fee. Upon acceptance, a 50% deposit will be required. Final payment is due July 30, 2015. Prior to this date, applications can be cancelled and your deposit refunded minus a $250 processing fee. After July 30th, monies paid or due are not refundable. If for any reason, we must cancel the retreat, a full refund will be given.

Payments are by cheque and payable to Muskwa-Kechika Adventures. Mail cheques to Muskwa-Kechika Adventures, c/o Wayne Sawchuk, Box 27, Rolla, BC V0C 2G0. Payments can also be made by e-transfer (contact Wayne at wsawchuk@pris.ca for details).

To apply for a retreat, complete our Registration Form or download the Retreats Program Detail Sheet and Application.