Reconnect. Recharge. Rediscover.
The Great Escape
Shift’s Summer Camp for Women
Early Bird
$1195
8 spots available at this rate
Closes March 30th, 2026
Save $200
(Full Price $1395)
Before you book, please review our Payment & Cancellation Policy.
Plan Your Escape
Choose Your Retreat Experience
A Retreat for Women Seeking Play, Adventure, and Connection
Escape the Ordinary
Step into the beauty of nature and experience the joy of connection, playfulness, and personal growth. The Great Escape is your chance to rediscover the carefree spirit of summer camp, reimagined for women.
Imagine yourself here...
Arriving
You arrive at The Great Escape a little nervous, a little excited. As you step into the rustic beauty of Powell Lake, something softens. Sunlight filters through the trees. Nearby, women laugh as they unload their gear. For the first time in a long while, you feel free — away from responsibility, on the edge of a sisterhood waiting to form.
Gathering
That first night, you gather to share stories around the fire. You sit together at long tables, eating delicious, home-cooked meals, laughing and settling into the rhythm of camp. The quiet spark of connection begins to glow.
Waking Up
Mornings arrive gently. No alarms — just birdsong and the pull of the lake. You slip into cool water, surprising yourself with courage and laughter, starting the day feeling awake, alive, and present.
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Playing & Exploring
The rhythm of the retreat sweeps you up. You find yourself trying things you haven’t done in years—or ever. Canoeing, hiking forest trails, and playing games. Later, you dive into a creative workshop, hands deep in art supplies, your imagination flowing like it did when you were a kid.
Coming Home
By nightfall, you’re dancing under the stars, self-consciousness left behind. Strangers feel like friends. You realize you’re exactly where you’re meant to be — immersed in nature, unapologetically playful, and deeply connected.
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The Great Escape isn’t just a retreat.
It’s a return — to joy, to strength, to your wild heart.
“Renee created a space that feels both empowering and inclusive — perfect for women looking to connect with nature, themselves, and others.”
- Victoria S.
What to Expect
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Polar Bear Swims: Start your mornings with a refreshing dip in crystal-clear waters.
Yoga & Meditation: Ground yourself with daily mindfulness practices.
Ecstatic Dance: Move freely and joyfully under the stars during our guided dance session.
The Great Escape Challenge: Test your skills and teamwork in a fun, lighthearted outdoor challenge.
Creative Workshops: Explore your imagination through photography and art activities inspired by the natural world.
Campfire Evenings: Reflect, laugh, and connect with like-minded women around the fire.
Diverse workshops/ activities: Explore local area, learn new outdoor skills, and find some quiet time to go inwards.
Private sessions: Book a 60-minute massage and/or a private 20-minute photography session with professionals.
A WEEKEND OF ADVENTURE & CONNECTION
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Day 1: Arrival & Connection (Soft arrival as of 3pm, camp begins at 5pm)
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Welcome and settle into your accommodations.
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Create personalized name tags and explore the surroundings.
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Join the group for dinner and orientation.
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Gather around the campfire for storytelling, intention-setting, and connection.
Day 2: Play, Explore & Express
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Optional morning activities like a polar bear swim or yoga to start the day.
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Choose from a variety of workshops, including water adventures, creative arts, or wellness discussions.
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Enjoy time for self-reflection, relaxation, or exploring nature during free time.
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End the day with a vibrant evening of ecstatic dance under the stars.
Day 3: The Big Adventure
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Start the morning with optional wellness activities.
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Take part in an exciting team-based adventure race with challenges that draw on the skills you've learned.
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Spend the afternoon with optional activities like guided hikes, paddling, or creative workshops.
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Celebrate the weekend with an evening of laughter, stories, and reflections around the fire.
Day 4: Farewell & Reflection
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Begin with optional activities like yoga or a final polar bear swim.
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Engage in closing workshops or free time to savor the last moments of the retreat.
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Share a final meal together.
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Conclude with a heartfelt closing circle, expressing gratitude and saying goodbyes.
NATURE'S PLAYGROUND
Powell Lake Outdoor Centre
The Powell Lake Outdoor Learning Centre provides a stunning and tranquil setting for The Great Escape, making it the perfect venue for a transformative retreat. Nestled in the lush forests of British Columbia’s qathet Region, this off-grid facility blends eco-friendly practices with rustic charm, offering an ideal balance of adventure and serenity.
VENUE HIGHLIGHTS
RUSTIC CHARM & COMFORT:
The Centre offers 5 Bunk House cabins designed to accommodate groups. Each cabin can sleep up to 12 guests, featuring a mix of bunk beds, single beds, and queen-sized beds. All cabins are fully accessible. Some cabins come with ensuite washrooms, while others provide convenient access to shared washrooms located in the nearby Main Lodge.
Alternatively, if you prefer to camp, there are 6 tent platforms available as well as a provincial campground a 5-minute walking distance away.
BREATHTAKING NATURAL BEAUTY:
Surrounded by towering cedar and Douglas fir trees, the Centre boasts serene waters, diverse activity locations, and pristine trails. The tranquil setting invites participants to reconnect with nature and find peace amidst the lush greenery.
ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICES:
Operating entirely off-grid, the Centre is a model of sustainability. It generates its own power, purifies its water, and manages waste with minimal environmental impact, ensuring a retreat experience that respects the natural world.
ACCESSIBLE ADVENTURE:
With its serene lakefront location, guests can explore activities like canoeing, paddleboarding, and hiking. The climbing wall and nature connection workshops provide opportunities for both physical challenge and reflection
CULTURAL CONNECTION:
Located on the traditional territory of the Tla’amin Nation, the Centre honors the rich heritage and culture of the Coast Salish people. Participants can experience the region’s history and deep-rooted connection to the land.
Meet Your Facilitators
Renee Baron
Camp Directoress
Renée , owner of Shift Adventure & Wellness, is passionate about empowering women through outdoor exploration and wellness. A certified yoga and meditation teacher, she designs transformative programs that blend mindfulness, adventure, and connection. Renée’s retreats celebrate sisterhood, nature, and playfulness, offering women a chance to recharge and rediscover their wild, adventurous selves.
Dr. Deidre Macdonald
Women's Wellness Facilitator
Deidre is a Courtenay-based naturopathic physician with over 25 years of experience and a five-time Reader’s Choice award winner for Best Naturopathic Physician. She is passionate about helping people understand their bodies and take an empowered approach to their health. At The Great Escape, Dr. Macdonald will offer engaging wellness sessions focused on women’s health, sharing practical tools and insights to support balance, energy, and overall vitality.
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Christine Hollmann
Assistant Camp Directoress
Christine, owner of Terracentric Wilderness Adventures, brings a rare blend of experience, heart, and grounded leadership to the Great Escape. With decades of work in outdoor education, adventure tourism, and youth development, she has a deep understanding of what it takes to create spaces where people feel safe, supported, and free to grow. With a background in psychology and education, Christine is highly attuned to group dynamics and human connection. Her work is thoughtful, inclusive, and rooted in respect — for individuals, for community, and for the land itself. She holds certifications in Wilderness First Aid, sea kayak instruction, and adventure-based learning, alongside strong organizational and program leadership skills. Christine grew up in Powell River, spending her early years immersed in outdoor life — exploring, learning, and building a relationship with this place that continues today. She brings a deep appreciation for the Indigenous history of the region and a strong sense of place into everything she does. At the Great Escape, Christine’s steady presence supports both facilitators and participants, helping the camp unfold with care, intention, and ease. Her leadership helps create the conditions for playfulness, connection, and meaningful experiences to naturally emerge.
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Carla Silva
Yoga Facilitator & Massage
Carla is a registered massage therapist, yoga teacher, and holistic nutritionist with a passion for helping people reconnect with their bodies and minds. She loves spending time in nature and guiding others in practices that nurture self-awareness, balance, and wellbeing. At The Great Escape, Carla will lead a yoga session emphasizing breath, alignment, and the mind-body connection. She will also offer individual massage appointments—a blend of Swedish, deep tissue, and Lomi Lomi techniques—for participants who book directly with her.
Jamie Dobbs
Arts & Crafts faciliator
Jamie is at eacher, owner of Art Lab & Northwest by Nature and creative extraordinaire. She loves learning, brain science, nature, and art. She also loves sharing the benefits of creativity for the mind and body with children and adults through Art Lab. She weaves somatic and mindfulness practices into her workshops to help people tap into creativity and calm of the right brain using hands on therapeutic arts
If you are interested in facilitating or providing a one-on-one service like massage & accupuncture, please contact us at
RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY
Early Bird
$1195
8 spots available at this rate
Closes March 30th, 2026
Save $200
(Full Price $1395)
Before you book, please review our Payment & Cancellation Policy.
WHAT WOMEN ARE SAYING
Sarah says
She's Wild, a women's group that meets outdoors monthly, is a fantastic way to meet women who appreciate meaningful connections with nature and each other. Great conversation, forest time, meditation, and play. Renee is a vibrant and passionate leader with an abundance of outdoor knowledge and a natural talent for bringing people together. I've come home from each session with a much desired sense of calm and connection.
ARE YOU READY TO ESCAPE?
FAQs
The Practical Details
so you can decide with ease.
WHAT IS THE GREAT ESCAPE? The Great Escape is a 4-day summer camp–style experience for women held at the beautiful Powell Lake Outdoor Centre. It blends time in nature with canoeing, hiking, art, play, swimming, campfires, and shared meals — all within a supportive, welcoming group. Think nostalgia, joy, and connection, with space to be playful and deeply yourself.
IS THIS MORE OF A RETREAT OR A SUMMER CAMP? It’s truly a blend of both. There are moments of reflection and guided experiences, but the heart of The Great Escape is play, creativity, and being outside together. No heavy self-work. No pressure to share. Just space to reconnect — with nature, yourself, and other women.
WHO IS THIS EXPERIENCE FOR? The Great Escape is for women who: Love (or are curious about) being outdoors Crave connection and laughter Want a break from responsibility and routine Miss the freedom and playfulness of summer camp You don’t need to be “outdoorsy,” artistic, or outgoing — just open.
WHAT IF I AM NERVOUS ABOUT COMING ON MY OWN? First of all we want to acknowledge how much courage it takes to consider coming on your own. (Big hug inserted here.) One of our super powers is the abiity to create safe, inclusive and engaging spaces where women are free to arrive in all their complexity, messiness and all. This is the core of what we seek to create - a space where you feel seen, connected and spacious. Please don't hesitate to reach out and tell us what you need so that we can support you.
HOW MANY WOMEN WILL ATTEND? As this is our first year running the camp, we honestly don't know. That said, we are hoping for a minimum of 16 and a max of 35-40.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE GREAT ESCAPE TICKET? All your meals, snacks and drinks. All activities. Lodging.
WHAT ARE THE ACCOMMODATIONS & BATHROOM / SHOWER FACILITIES LIKE? Each cabin is divided into three spaces. The middle space, depending on the cabin, either has a toilet and sink or a seperate sleeping space. Each side has a mix of single and bunkbeds. For the sake of the camp, we are counting the bottom bunks and single beds. On average, this means 2-3 people per side. Attached to the Main Hall are 4 private bathroom and showers.
I DON'T WANT TO SHARE A SLEEPING SPACE, ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES? Yes. On site, we have 7 tent platforms. The option to book these is available in your ticket purchasing options. (It is not available as an Early Bird ticket.) You can also, on your own, book a camp site at the Haywire Provincial Campground that is a 5 minute walk away from camp. If you chose to do this, let us know and we can offer you an alternate ticket price.
WHAT KIND OF FOOD WILL YOU BE SERVING? The goal is to offer a variety of options for the most common dietary needs (omnivore, vegetarian and gluten-free).
IF I DON'T WANT TO DIRVE, HOW DO I GET FROM THE FERRY TO THE CAMP? There are several options here. As we get closer to the start of camp, we will initiate a carpooling dialogue. If there is enough interest, we can also organize a shuttle at an additional cost.
CAN I SMOKE? BRING ALCOHOL? The Powell Lake Outdoor Center is a non-smoking facility and you will need to leave the property to take care of your smoking needs. CAN I BRING ALCOHOL? We will not be serving alcohol. That said, we have no objections to you bringing your own as we recognize that it can be nice of an evening to have a glass of wine with your meal. We just ask that you consume responsibly and that once you take your first sip, more high risk activities will not be an option.
WHAT IF I NEED TO CANCEL? Find information here: https://www.shiftadventureandwellness.com/cancellation-policy-and-payment-agreement