Kootenay ARTventure 2025 - Carlyle Lodge

September 22nd-26th, 2025 (3 nights, 4 days)

The mountains are calling and I must create! This is a 4-day hiking retreat for experienced artists at a backcountry lodge in the Selkirk mountains. Artists will have the opportunity to explore the mountains while creating art that responds to the natural environment. There is no formal art instruction at this retreat, instead artists will develop their own ideas and share knowledge with each other. This retreat is perfect for visual artists who work “en plein air”, who do nature journaling, or who have a land-based practice. This trip is coordinated by Nelson artist Abby Wilson.

REGISTRATION FORM: 

Please complete the registration form along with with paying your fee: Registration Form

2025 location: Carlyle Lodge

Carlyle Lodge sits on a beautiful alpine shelf overlooking Kokanee Glacier. The basin is surrounded by larches which turn yellow and gold in late September, with beautiful shifting light in the fall. Alpine peaks surround the lodge and an established trail leads to Motherlode Lake for additional exploration. The remains of the Con mine as well as an old trap line invite artists to consider the historic impact of people in the mountains and perhaps explore work that responds to these themes. 

Carlyle Lodge offers bunk rooms with 3-4 people in each room and a large lodge space with good natural light for working indoors if the weather is inclement. The lodge also has a wood sauna for evening relaxation. This trip is fully catered with porters assisting with food transportation, allow artists to focus more on their practice. Carlyle Lodge is near Sandon, BC and accessed with the Carpenter Pass Trail (7km each way to the lodge, 650m elevation gain).

$700 Fee includes:

•  3 nights shared accommodation at a backcountry lodge 
• Day 1: afternoon snack and dinner
• Day 2: three meals (with packed lunch)
• Day 3: three meals (with packed lunch)
• Day 4: breakfast
• 2 porters to carry in food
• GST/PST included in price

Excludes:

• Alcohol
• Tips for cook/caretaker
• Extra hiking snacks

Who is this for?

Intermediate or professional visual artists with a regular studio practice and interested in responding to the landscape or natural environment. Artists should also have an intermediate hiking ability and be comfortable in the backcountry. Artists need the physical ability to backpack on the Carpenter Pass Trail (7km each way to the lodge, 650m elevation gain), carrying a 25-45lb backpack. 

Activities

• Hiking and/or walking over uneven and sometimes steep terrain
• Carrying a heavy backpack with personal supplies and art equipment. Participants may need to help pack out garbage and leftover food at the end of the trip.
• Working together with other artists on daily tasks, i.e.: lodge tidy, dishes clean-up, daily planning
• Photograph, sketch and produce works of art
• Travelling in a carpool vehicle from Sandon, BC to Carlyle Lodge staging area on backcountry roads

Skills or experience required

• Comfortable with shared living conditions and bathrooms
• Willingness to work in a group and create a collaborative environment

• Intermediate fitness ability to hike on mountain trails, including Carpenter Pass with steep grades.

Cancellation policy 

• Trips into Carlyle lodge are non-refundable. Each participant is recommended to consider buying cancellation insurance in the event you’re unable to come on the trip or the highly unlikely event that the lodge cancels our trip. 
• Our trip will go ahead regardless of conditions (rain, snow, smoke, or sunshine!).
• In the event that you’re unable to attend due to illness, injury, or other circumstances, I can only refund your spot if I’m able to fill it from a waitlist. You’re welcome to help find an alternative artist to take your place or use personal travel insurance to recoup costs.

Art exhibition 2026 - To be determined

A group art exhibition is being planned for 2026 in the Kootenay region (dates and location TBD) to share work created from this Artventure. Details will come in the summer of 2025 if I’m able to secure space and dates. The tentative plan is that we’ll share 2-3 sketches/studies from the field along with 1-2 high quality studio paintings developed after the adventure. Participation in this exhibition will be optional, but participants from the ARTventure will be given priority spots. 

Additional documents

1. Registration form (needs to be completed with fee)
2. Packing list 
3. Trip itinerary