If you enjoy watercolor painting and backpacking, this is the trip for you! On this three-day, two-night backpacking trip, you will learn to bring your art into the wilderness and paint on location, recording your experience in the mountains with watercolor. Join one of our naturalist guides and our guest instructor Nikki Frumkin for an exciting adventure to scenic Cathedral Lakes, where we’ll explore and capture the energy and movement of Yosemite’s high peaks and lakes. You will learn how to minimize your impact on your surroundings and apply a Leave No Trace backpacker’s mindset to create a wilderness-friendly, portable art supply kit. By the time you hop off the trail, you’ll have the skills to plan your next wilderness adventure and the inspiration to add to your art journal! The mountains inspire big feelings and emotions, and Nikki is excited to help you explore them through watercolor.
Participants must be familiar with using watercolor and experienced with backpacking at high elevation for multiple nights. If you’re not sure if this workshop is the right fit for you, get in touch, we’re happy to help!
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
- Program dates: September 11–September 14
- Program location: Cathedral Lake
- What’s included:
- Pre-trip evening meeting and three days of progressive learning/outdoor painting with artist Nikki Frumkin.
- Four nights of tent camping — shared amongst participants — at Crane Flat Campground (September 11 and 14) and May Lake (September 12 and 13)
- There is no discount if you choose not to stay at the group campsite.
- Camping details:
- Three campsites at Crane Flat Campground along Highway 120.
- Participants arrive on September 11 after 12 pm and must depart September 12. Participants have the option to stay again on the night of September 14 and must depart by 11 am the following day (September 15). There will be no access to these campsites during the backpacking portion of the program.
- Campsites are shared among all retreat participants. A picnic table, bear locker and firepit are provided at each site. Please be prepared to tent camp.
- Camping is for retreat participants only. We are unable to accommodate friends and family of participants in our group campsite; lodging arrangements for friends and family are the responsibility of participants.
- Due to the shared nature of our group sites, we are unable to accommodate RVs or campers. If you desire a private campsite, have an RV/camper, or want to sleep in your car, you must arrange for your own reservation.
- Backpacking details:
- Participants will drive to the Cathedral Lakes trailhead from Crane Flat Campground. The group will hike to lower Cathedral Lake with all their backpacking gear and camp in the wilderness for the nights of September 12–September 13.
- We can’t allow unregistered friends or family of participants on this trip. Backcountry permits and lodging arrangements for unregistered friends and family are the responsibility of participants.
- Experience level: Participants must be familiar with using watercolor (no need to be advanced in skill) and must be experienced in backpacking at high elevation for multiple nights. Please be prepared to hike 4 miles at elevation for the hike in/out and up to 2 miles/day during instructional painting days. If you’re not sure if this workshop is the right fit for you, get in touch with us at [email protected], we’re happy to help!
What’s not included:
- Art supplies, camping/backpacking gear, snacks, or meals.
- Transportation.
Helpful trip planning resources:
