Women’s River Journey
Sept. 25 – Oct. 2, 2026
It’s time. It is time for a change. Your life is unfolding. You are in deep transformation. Feeling the river’s support every time your paddle enters the water. You feel at ease, trusting that the current will take you to exactly where you need to be. The ceremony offers the container to hold the fullness of your heart’s callings. The red canyon walls are strong and supportive, holding the stream of your life. Looking up, you realize that the sky’s the limit. This solitude is all you need to listen to your heart’s calling. The community with you on this journey offers a supportive reflection of your purpose.
Here in Labyrinth Canyon, the twists and turns of life all make sense. In these transitions you trust that you are on The River’s Path.
Join a small community of women exploring the depths of our hearts in Labyrinth Canyon of the Green River in Utah.
Mark a life transition with a sacred river canoeing journey and wilderness solo with a supportive facilitated ceremony in a spectacular canyon.
8 days, 45 miles of flat-water paddling,
Delicious food, Ages 18to 80+,
12 participants max.
Guides: Cate Burnett & Susan Elizabeth Fronckowiak
Pricing: $2695
Payment plans upon request
The deposit and cost of The River’s Path Canoe Adventures are non-refundable. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance through our partner Outward Travel to protect your investment.
Each life stream has its own unique flow, its own meanderings, rapids, eddies, channel, and shores. Taking time to explore our currents within and where they are leading us is what this River Rite is designed for. It is a quest, and adventure, a process of transformation. It is a method for clarifying the path of our inner river. We respect the individuality and simultaneously recognize that there are universal ways through life and her cycles.
The River’s Path offers this rite as a means to demarcate, consecrate, and celebrate each individual’s transitions with universal principles of transformation.
Utilizing iconic symbolism, stories, council practice, psychological models, wisdom traditions, ceremony, art, movement, and emergent modalities, we facilitate each participant’s unique way of preparing for and embarking upon their journey. Through celebration, mirroring, and Community practice, we support the embodiment, integration, and incorporation of the metamorphosis that occurs on such a profound voyage. It’s an adventure! Adventure into deep connection and Relationship with unique-self and the Greater-Self, one’s Soul Path.
This Rite of Passage draws upon ceremonial structures that are used by many individuals and organizations which have been leading these types of quests for decades. Some of the traditions are drawn from cultures from around the world and include symbology from the indigenous peoples of Turtle Island. It is in no way our intention to “appropriate” cultural traditions and yet we recognize that these ceremonial ways are pan-cultural and are important elements to a deeply connected spiritual life.
What we will explore
Intention
The setting of a deeply felt intention, called Sankalpa in Sanskrit, is an (important) element in any endeavor. We will be working with not simply a “goal” or desired outcome, but rather our deeply felt sense of import.
Severance
Letting go of what we are holding onto is the only way to embrace fully what is calling us to embrace. The becoming of something new requires that the old way of being is let go of and for a time we are in the unknown, liminal state, before we become our new self or take on our new roles in life. This ending is what we refer to as severance. The intentional releasing of our past in order to step towards our future.
Council
Listening to one another in a heartfelt way is one of the most profound healing practices known to the human heart. We will practice in a formal way each day a mindful heartfelt listening in circle with a talking piece to provide an opportunity to learn and deepen into this enriching way of sharing and supporting one another. This is a wonderful practice to take home to your loved ones and community.
Threshold
In the tradition of a wilderness fast the period of time spent resting in the question is considered a liminal space, the unknown, or a threshold. We intentionally enter this sacred space with an open heart and mind. Listening for, rather than constructing answers, we open to transpersonal ways of knowing. Our wild nature and the wilderness which embraces us support our deepening of wisdom. We often call this a Wilderness Solo.
Wilderness Solo
Wilderness solo is a time to be alone in nature. It is a highly personal experience and there are no rules to follow, except for rules to keep you safe. It’s different than camping or taking a walk alone, in that you are stepping into the experience in community, while being supported by your guides. You are holding an intention that will shape your experience. We invite you to mark the transition you are in by creating a ceremony to let go of something that no longer serves you or to invite something new into your life. There are no rules. You do not have to fast, though you can choose to.
Mirroring
There are particular way our facilitators support your integration and incorporation of your experience. As trained facilitators of inner work and wilderness practices we will hold a special ceremony for sharing your experiences after your return from your Solo. This community celebration is an intimate opportunity to have your experience reflected and amplified.
Incorporation
To embody and live in our new understanding of ourself and our role is often a most difficult task. The final element of our River Rite is not a short practice but a journey of continuance towards what we have realized is our path. The facilitators of your River Rite will offer to support you as well as agreements can be made within the group to support individuals in the process of embodying, incorporating, and becoming what they have realized is their new self and role in life. Coaching sessions and other opportunities such as online conferences will be offered to support participants in the deep work of transformation we call incorporation. Some offerings may require additional terms of service.
Meet the Guides
Cate Burnett
Women’s River Journey Guide
Cate is a naturalist, rite of passage guide and wilderness mentor with over 35 years of experience leading transformative journeys in the Pacific Northwest, desert rivers of Utah and Hawaii. Deeply connected to wild places, she brings a soulful, attentive presence that invites curiosity, reflection and discovery. Her guidance connects the ancestral rhythms of place with the quiet inner stirrings that shape a person’s life.
Susan Elizabeth Fronckowiak
Women’s River Journey Guide
Susan brings over 30 years of experience as an adventurer, educator, coach, and rite of passage guide. Rooted in a deep love of wild places, creative expression, and community, she weaves nature-based practices, council, and art to support meaningful connection and transformation. Susan has guided people of all ages and believes deeply in the wisdom of land, water, and shared experience.
What to Expect – Overnight Canoe Trip on the Green River
While the exact itinerary will change based on the theme of the trip, some things are common for all trips down through Labyrinth Canyon:
We’ll canoe a total of 45 miles down the Green River through the steep canyon walls of Labyrinth Canyon in Utah. The trip begins at Ruby Ranch (located just south of I-70) to Mineral Bottom (located near Canyonlands National Park). Four to five days of paddling will be interspersed with layovers at wilderness campsites along the canyon. Paddle days are usually 7-15 miles each or about 3-5 hours of gentle paddling. The river has no rapids and hardly any current. It is muddy and shallow (except for high water in May and June)
While in camp, in addition to our theme program activity, we may swim, take short hikes or explore side canyons. After we all pitch in during camp setup, we’ll have plenty of free time to relax, enjoy our surroundings and have the opportunity to get to know each other as we experience the beauty around us. Then we’ll come together each evening around the campfire.
The River’s Path guided overnight canoe trips involve staying deep in the wilderness with no electricity or cellular reception, and in case of an emergency, evacuation will be done via rescue boat or helicopter. If you need to have medically necessary equipment that uses electricity or need to stay in contact with someone at home, the guides will have a texting device available. Please contact Lauren Bond at 303-859-7174 or lauren@theriverspath.org to discuss.
Temperature changes quickly and can be unexpected, so it is important to bring items from the packing list in case of any drastic changes. Rain and thunderstorms can pop up at any point. Temperatures for each month can range from the high 60s and low 30s for March to the high 100s and lows in the 70s for August. Please see the NOAA graph for Labyrinth Canyon monthly weather averages.
The section of the Green River we will be on is considered a Class I river with no rapids. This is essentially a flat water trip.
Each canoe accommodates two people and they include two Crazy Creek camp chairs with backrests. Canoes will carry all of the personal gear and camp supplies.
The River’s Path will supply 2 dry bags, one large and one small, for your personal gear.
Group gear provided includes: canoes, paddles, life jackets, canoe seat backs, camp chairs, full kitchen setup. Supplies provided include: all food, shade canopy and river toilet with a privacy shelter.
Your personal camp gear that you are responsible for includes: tent, tarps, sleeping bag, and anything else you need that is not provided. That being said, we highly recommend you approach this with a minimalist mentality. Everything you bring, along with your canoe partner, must fit on your canoe. We will supply you with a complete packing list.
While many adventurists kayak the Green River, the amount of gear, supplies, and coolers of fresh food on our journey requires canoes.
The River’s Path will provide food and drinks for all meals and snacks. We can accommodate most diets including vegetarian, vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free. The water is too muddy for most portable water filtration devices, so we will pack all drinking water.
If you have other needs or concerns, contact the trip guide, Lauren Bond at 303-859-7174 or lauren@theriverspath.org
It’s important to note that this is a collaborative experience. To form a strong community and have an even more powerful, life changing, memorable experience, each individual in the group will participate and share in camp responsibilities. Everyone helps with setting up and taking down camp, unloading and loading canoes, cooking meals and cleaning up. Each individual must bring their own tent, sleeping bag and pad, as well as other items on the packing list. Those using a hammock must provide an appropriate setup for that.
During your trip through the Labyrinth Canyon you’ll find a slow meandering river with steep colorful canyon walls, amazing side canyons (and maybe evidence of ancient civilizations), incredible stars, unforgettable sunsets, and a hushed serenity you’ll find no place else. No matter where you look you’ll see the unforgettable and awe inspiring colors and sounds of nature.
You might consider long sleeved shirts and pants, bug lotion and head netting if you are extremely sensitive to bug bites. Birds like golden eagles, peregrine falcons, canyon wrens, screech owls, and more can be seen along with small animals like beavers and larger ones like desert bighorn sheep and deer.