A woman on a backcountry spiritual retreat in Colorado spent four days lost in the wild after being encouraged to undertake a without any means of communication. Gina Chase, 53 from Victoria, Canada was recovered alive on Sunday by members of teams who had been searching the area for her since she was reported missing on Thursday. According to a Facebook post by , Chase was part of a group of 11 campers on a "spiritual retreat" with the Animas Valley Institute based in Durango.
The institute, founded in 1980, says on its website that it offers an "assortment of guided immersions into the mysteries of nature and psyche, including Soulcraft intensives, contemporary vision fasts, and training programs for nature-based soul guides." The sheriff's office explains that the group was camping near Norwood and was encouraged to set off on solo hikes from the Lone Cone Trailhead on Wednesday afternoon without all of the items that are considered . "Participants were discouraged from bringing cell phones or any other electronics and to fast on their so-called “quests” to “maximize a spiritual experience with nature.
”" Instead of bringing communications devices such as a cell phone or , the sheriff's office reports that Chase and her fellow retreatants were encouraged to use a buddy system to ensure everyone returned to camp safely. When Chase's buddy realized she had not made it back to camp on Thursday morning, the alarm was raised and retreat guides realized she had not slept .