“Am I too old for this?”
“Will I fit in?”
“What if I’m the worst skier there?”
These questions surface more often than you’d think, and not just from women concerned about age. Sometimes, women worry about ability, or walking into a house full of strangers. Sometimes it’s the fear of being the only one who doesn’t immediately connect with the other women in the house. Nearly every woman who joins our retreats has some version of these thoughts before she arrives, but this means that nearly every woman who joins has the willingness to push against uncertainty. That’s what threads us together; not age, career, or athletic ability. When a group of women all show up having sidestepped their own insecurities, connection happens quickly, regardless of any differences.
So, to answer those three questions: You’re not, you will, who cares?
The Courage to Join
Most women come alone. They don’t arrive with built-in friends or guaranteed chemistry. They come because something in them wants more: more adventure, more connection, more time to themselves—not necessarily alone, but time dedicated to prioritizing their own mind and body. The courage to subvert what’s expected of women and pour into oneself is the root of our retreat, and what the women who join us have in common with each other. Everything else is details, age included. We’ve had women in their twenties navigating career pivots sit beside women in their sixties who’ve established their own businesses. We’ve had rookie skiers and lifelong athletes sharing a kitchen. Some guests are outgoing and energetic from the start; others open up slowly over coffee on the first morning. Age rarely predicts who bonds first or who suggests a spontaneous dance party in front of the fire. What defines the group is the shared decision to step outside routine and into something new.
One guest, Mary Ann, once admitted that what had stopped her in the past wasn’t logistics or finances. It was her age. She described a moment at her synagogue when a group was organizing a ski trip. “I jumped in and said, ‘Oh my God, that would be great! I’d love to ski with you guys,’” she said. “And [the woman organizing the trip] goes, ‘Well, you can come along as a chaperone,’ because I was already about twenty-five years older than the group that was talking about skiing.”
But when Mary Ann joined our retreat, nobody assigned her a role based on her age. She was simply a woman who loved to ski who wanted connection with other women who love to ski, and that’s the point: to be welcomed as an equal.
On the flip side, Elaine—our youngest guest to date at twenty-two—worried that her age and inexperience might hold her back. “I was like, ‘I’m young, I don’t know things,’” she laughed. “I was nervous and only had three years of skiing under my belt, but I was flying down the mountain. It was so confidence-boosting. Everyone was super impressed that I came solo at twenty-two. That felt good.”
Trying new things for the first time, especially at a younger age, can definitely be anxiety-inducing—not to mention the additional fear of being treated with condescension or like a novice. But just like Mary Ann’s experience on the slopes helped increase her confidence, Elaine’s courage to step out of her comfort zone did the same for her.
“I Don’t Want to Hold People Back”
Another hesitation we hear frequently is the fear of slowing others down. Women often say, “I don’t want to hold the group back,” because we’re socialized to consider the comfort of others before our own desires. In high-intensity sports like skiing, it can be easy to feel worried about your ability, especially when there are people to compare yourself against. While the concern that you’ll be a burden on those around you is considerate, it’s built on a misconception.
Skiing ability isn’t tied to age. We’ve watched women in their fifties and sixties ski with a confidence and technical strength that comes from decades of experience. We’ve also seen younger guests take things cautiously because they’re newer to the sport. Ability comes from exposure, practice, and perseverance far more than it comes from youthfulness.
That isn’t to say our retreat culture prioritizes performance. There’s no competition, nor an unspoken leaderboard. There’s no shame in choosing easier runs or opting out entirely, because the experience is about listening to yourself. Nobody is pressured to ski beyond their comfort zone, because there’s nothing wrong with choosing what’s best for you. Our advice? Focus on your experience. We promise you’ll never be a burden to anyone.
A Level Playing Field
We don’t just offer a skiing experience, we intentionally design retreats that offer multiple ways to connect and feel confident. Yoga sessions, for example, provide a grounding environment to realign your mind and muscles. Creative workshops, from painting to charcuterie board styling, invite playfulness and experimentation. Guest speakers spark thoughtful conversation.
In these spaces, strengths rotate. The woman who feels tentative on the slopes might lead an insightful business discussion. The quietest guest might surprise everyone with her artistic talent. The badass athlete might admit she’s never tried yoga before. Each activity reveals a hidden layer in our guests, and everyone gets a chance to shine.
That’s what creates a level playing field. No one excels at everything, and no one is excluded from anything. There is always something you feel strong in, and always something new you can try without judgment.
When you zoom out, age becomes almost irrelevant. What matters is showing up open to experiences, whether that’s skiing a challenging run, trying a new pose in yoga, or speaking up in a discussion.
Ain’t Nothing but a Number
Any number of reasons, not just age, can make you feel hesitant to join something new, and that’s normal. But fear doesn’t mean you don’t belong; it usually means you care. You care to give yourself the experience you deserve, and to see the women around you get theirs, too. The women who leave our retreats feeling changed aren’t the ones who arrived fearless. They’re the ones who chose not to let fear make the decision for them.
If you’re waiting to feel perfectly confident before you book, you may wait forever. It’s okay to be nervous. It’s okay to wonder if you’ll fit in. It’s okay to question whether you’re “too old” or “not good enough.” But those thoughts don’t have to be the final word.
Adventure doesn’t have an age limit. It has an entry point—and it starts with saying yes.
