About Us

LifeWays is based out of Durango, CO, which lies in the beautiful four corners area: “where the desert meets the mountains.” Our access to public land is unmatched. Upon arriving to the Animas River Valley, you feel the natural world’s gravity, wonder, and beauty. This deep connection to land, to a sense of place, and the natural rhythm of our earth deeply informs all aspects of LifeWays services, values, and how we strive to be in relationship with students and our community.

What Makes Us Different

Our wilderness courses create space for immersive outdoor experiences. This is your space to practice and explore with our world-class guides.

Our Guides

All of our guides have 7 plus years of experience working with teens and adults as outdoor professionals. No other company prioritizes a model that provides students with access to wilderness skill, rites-of-passage experience and therapeutic skills with sustained relationship before, during, and after wilderness programs. We are leading the industry in or effort to prioritize long-term, heart-centered relationships with students and our planet.

Research

LifeWays implements evidence-based, therapeutic mentorship strategies in our relationship with our students and in the writing of our curriculum. Our curriculum focuses on the Four Rooms of the whole person: Mind, Body, Heart, and Soul. 

Our Partners

Locally (La Plata County, CO), we are offering the LifeWays framework to our non-profit partnership with La Plata Youth Services (LPYS) and their Radical Possibilities (RP) Program. Through our LPYS-LifeWays Partnership we are able to draw consistent client referrals for students who would otherwise never have access to this type of wrap around service.

Our Approach

Most outdoor “therapeutic” models operate as in-patient “treatment centers.” LifeWays LLC is NOT a treatment center and this is NOT Therapy. Instead, we are a voluntary program, community, and network, promoting proactive, preventative, and formative therapeutic skills to support students’ resiliency, self-awareness, and passion. We are in the business of bringing nature, formative outdoor experiences, and therapeutic skills to our students.

Open Sky to LifeWays: Seeds for Wilderness Healing

Help us commemorate the closing of Open Sky and honor the healing power of wilderness by supporting LifeWays, a Durango-based program that provides mentorship and wilderness experiences for local teens and young adults. LifeWays guides and program staff were once OS guides and managers. They are now carrying on the guiding lineage in a new way!

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