This is a running retreat like no other. Based entirely in the Eastern Oregon backcountry, this retreat takes you on daily runs from a luxurious mountain basecamp mixing outrageously fun camp activities, truly gourmet meals, and stunning alpine running.

Highlights:

• Our retreat is open to runners of all levels & non-runners. Join us whether you're a competitive trail runner, wanting to get into the sport, or just want to relax at camp while your partner sweats it out on the trail.

• Stunning, remote alpine trails. Based in the backcountry, this retreat gives you access to epic wilderness runs without the crowds

• Mule packing & Glamp. Don't carry a thing as mules pack your gear to "glamp," our signature backcountry set up complete with sit down privy, cots, chairs, bell tents and more.

• Wine, Dine, & Relax. At glamp a camp chef, bartender, and countless activites await your arrival. Try your hand at fly fishing, axe throwing, or choose to put your feet up with a book under big Eastern Oregon skies.

• Led by expert, empathetic guides. Our guides aren't just great athletes & professional adventurers, they're teachers, allies, and here to help you have the best experience possible. See more on your running guides, Willie, Ajay, & Dan below.

RETREAT FLOW & DETAILS:

Location: Elkhorn Range of the Blue Mountains.

Departure City: La Grande, OR (2hrs from Boise, 4.5 hrs from Portland)

Dates: Sept 3-7, preferred arrival in La Grande on 9/2

Basic Itinerary

• Day 0: Arrival in La Grande. Hot springs soak. Meet & Greet reception.

• Day 1: Into the wild. Send your gear with the mules. Hit the trail to camp!

• Day 2-4: Trail running excursions, wilderness activities, relaxation. 

• Day 5: Back to civilization. Return to the trailhead by early afternoon.

  • see the itinerary section and follow this link for more trail information.

Guiding Principles

• Trail running sessions are designed to open the day, not exhaust it.

• Daily distances and elevation gain are intentionally moderated to allow for:

  • Proper recovery

  • Immersion in the landscape, connection to fellow runners

  • A sustainable pace over multiple days

• Routes may be adjusted based on weather, group condition, and environmental factors.

• Retreat not Race—this is an immersive trail running experiences, combining movement, learning, recovery, and connection with the landscape.

Run Lengths:

Daily runs will be divided into two groups based on distance and elevation and allow for going at your own pace. 

• Daily Mileage: 4-12

• Daily Elevation: 0-2600'

• Altitude: 7000-8200'

😀 Bring a friend and both receive $100 off of your trip! Email us to redeem 😀

• Professional trail running guides & educators

• Camp Chef & Bartender

• Mule packing service for gear portaging

• Elevated backcountry meals, including coffee service and dessert

  • We do our best to accommodate all dietary restrictions

• Backcountry craft cocktails & mocktails- a Go Wild staple!

• Deluxe camp set-up including tents, pads, kitchen, communal area, bathroom, & more

• Transportation from La Grande, OR to trailhead

• Camp games, activities- we are professional wilderness fun facilitators

• Giveaway and commemorative gifts!

• Professional photographer & download link to photos

• Meet & greet the evening before your trip. First beverage on Go Wild. Dinner on your own.

• Space for connection, reflection, new friends, and an experience of a lifetime

• Transportation to and from Eastern Oregon

  • For a small fee we can provide transportation from PDT (Pendleton, OR ~45min), BOI (Boise, ID ~2hrs), or PDX (Portland, OR ~4.5hrs)

• Lodging before / after wilderness trip

  • Contact us for local recommendations

• Sleeping bag (Big Agnes Synthetic Down sleeping bag rentals for $40/person cleaning fee)

• Other items not borrowed from Go Wild

• Guide Gratuity (not required, but appreciated) Typically 10-20% of trip cost. 

Willie McBride studied training and coaching at the National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) in Portland and has been a coach since graduating for over 13 years.  He has coached folks of all ages and paces to reach a wide variety of goals ranging from lifestyle changes & foundational fitness to backpacking, mountaineering, and other outdoor objectives; from road running and triathlons to ultra marathons 50k to 200+ miles.

Willie is an accomplished rock climber, mountaineer, ultra runner and adventurer with over 30 years of experience, from climbing the NW Face of Half Dome when he was 16 to completing the world-renowned Tor des Geants 330k and Swiss Peaks 380k foot races in 2024 & 25 in his early 40s. He’s going strong and more inspired than ever…

Dan Valencia is a trail runner, cyclist and triathlete with extensive experience guiding endurance sport and outdoor experiences in Peru, South America where he owns a sports expedition guiding company.

Over the years, he has led runners, cyclists and adventure travelers through some of the most iconic landscapes of Peru, including the mountains and trails around Lima, Cusco and Huaraz. His work combines athletic challenge, exploration and historical storytelling, helping participants experience landscapes and places through running, cycling and multi-sport adventures.

Ajay Hanspal  is a Portland-based professional trail runner, On Running sponsored athlete, and founder of AJ Run Coaching - but his path to the trails is anything but conventional. A former Royal Marine turned competitive runner through injury, he discovered that logging big miles through mountain terrain was the best medicine for both body and mind, and he's never really stopped.

Now Training with the Bowerman Track Club, Ajay holds FKTs on 3 continents including New Zealand's Milford Track, Wales' Paddy Buckley Round Double, and Portland's very own Wildwood Trail. He's a UK Ultra 100-Mile Champion, a UESCA Certified Ultra Running Coach, and an England Athletics Leader in Running Fitness, with race experience spanning everything from 5Ks to 200-mile technical ultras across some of the most demanding landscapes on the planet.

As a guide, Ajay brings the same philosophy he applies to his own athletes:  a genuinely human and holistic approach to the mountains. He's been known to say that running isn't the center of your universe, it's just one vital thing that makes everything else better. Out on trail, that translates to a guide who meets you where you are, keeps things moving, and makes sure you're smiling at the finish. 

A founding member of The Green Runners and a fierce advocate for inclusion in sport, Ajay is as committed to the people on the trail as he is to the miles beneath his feet.

Dan Sizer owns Go Wild and is your backcountry chef, facilitator of good vibes, and magician behind "glamp."

• How far do I need to be able to run? No requirement! Each day will allow for flexible distance options. All paces are welcome.

• Can I bring my non-running friend or partner? Please! Many groups book with us just for the experience of our backcountry camps. Hiking trails and beautiful scenery abound.

• Is there a minimum / maximum number of guests? We'll run the trip with a minimum of 6 guests and will notify you 60 days in advance. For an intimate experience, we cap our trips at 12 guests.

Meet the team and your fellow writers at our HQ in La Grande to talk logistics and get to know each other over appetizers and drinks. Dinner on your own. Contact us for discounts at local hotels. 

On the day of departure, your guides will meet you at your La Grande accommodation for complimentary pick up in Sully, our adventure van.  After a ~1 hour drive to the trailhead and safety chat & orientation, meet your mule packer, drop off your gear and step into the wilderness. Leave the hustle of the city behind as you get to know your fellow runners on an easy run to camp.

At camp, settle in and we'll kick off the retreat with our first session!

Two options:

Avg Mileage: 4.5 5.5 miles
Elevation: Gain/Loss: +1200/-587 or +/-500

Max Altitude: 8198'

Settle in to your wilderness basecamp and our retreat curriculum. Let the inspiration flow among towering granite peaks, meandering alpine streams, and fellow runners. After or before runs, visit surrounding lakes, practice fly fishing, water color, forage for wild edible plants, or relax at camp.

At camp, your professional local guides turn into expert fun facilitators  and chefs, serving hand crafted appetizers, cocktails, and elevated backpacking fare, all sourced from hyper local ingredients. 

Day 2:

Avg Mileage: 5-8.2

Elevation: 1000 - 2400'

Max Altitude: 7826'

Days 3 invites you to venture farther from camp to explore the best of what this ancient mountain range has to offer from jagged granite peaks to culturally important historical sites. Push yourself on the Elkhorn Crest for epic views and some of the best trail running Oregon has to offer.

Run lengths, elevation, and intensity will be flexible based on participants desires.

Day 3:

Avg Mileage: 12

Elevation: +/- 1600'

Max Altitude: 7909'

Day 4 takes you on a circuit of nearby lakes with an optional long loop or cut it shorter for more time at the alpine pools for relaxation, fly fishing, or swimming. Return to camp for an epic send off dinner and story time with your fellow adventurers.

Run lengths, elevation, and intensity will be flexible based on participants desires.

Day 4:

Avg Mileage: 10.6

Elevation: +/- 2682'

Max Altitude: 8138'

After your last delicious camp meal and bottomless coffee, enjoy a final sharing circle around the campfire. Once we're ready, pack up your gear for the mule packer and hit the trail. While it's tempting to put your head down and hustle (like a horse to the barn), even your last day is a chance to deepen your experience in the wild and enjoy the stroll back to civilization. 

Typically, groups reach the trailhead between 1-4PM, please plan flights & travel plans accordingly. 

Before your final departure, be sure to pick up custom Go Wild gifts, from t-shirts, to hand made leather work to local art prints of your location.

Our last day has multiple options for exiting the woods. Take the same 5 mile route you took in or take a longer meandering downhill run, ~10 miles, -3500'.