A Brief History of the Wilderness Guides Council
In 1988, twenty-six Wilderness Guides gathered for the first time at Saline Hot Springs in the Eastern Sierras.
The invitation to “compare notes, entertain new ideas, speculate about the future and to relax in the company of friends and colleagues,” came from Steven Foster, Meredith Little and Ron Pevny and was directed to individuals in the newly emerging field of the modern day vision fast.
Over 30 years later, our world has changed in a myriad ways. With the practice of rites of passage growing in the mainstream consciousness, new challenges arise asking our attention, vision, and discernment.
The WGC seeks to ask difficult questions and deeply engage with concerns such as diversity, culture, and what it means to reconnect with earth-based knowledge in a world where indigenous people have suffered greatly, and climate change decimates our more-than-human kin. We know that our work is in service of future generations.
Our network continues to be a vibrant home of learning, support, and dedication to the earth and all her people. We still gather yearly, have begun online gatherings and councils, and continue to amplify the messages we hear from the Earth. We continue to compare notes, share new ideas and relax in the company of friends. For more details and reflections on its history please see:
