The Sierra Range of California's High Desert is one of the remote locations where wilderness quests are held by Rites of Passage. 

“Where’s your edge?”

This is just one question Mike Bodkin, executive director and wilderness quest guide at local nonprofit Rites of Passage, and his co-guides ask participants during the nine-day wilderness quests led by his nonprofit organization.

Bodkin is passionate about helping people discover their gifts through the mirror of nature. He safely guides those who participate in his programs to their edge to explore where they are in their lives and reevaluate where they want to go.

“The actual risk level is minimal, but the psychological risk level is big,” Bodkin said.

The program involves three full days spent alone, without food, in the wilderness.

It’s the catalyst that leads participants to achieve transformative change in their lives.

Prior to their three solo days, participants spend three days preparing. Those who participate have wildly varying levels of outdoor experience, so Rites of Passage teaches them how to protect themselves in the wild. Safety talks cover everything from hypothermia to mountain lion encounters and getting lost.

Another layer of preparation is clarification of intent. Participants share their stories and discuss how they’ll spend the three days alone in the wild.

“It’s about finding the courage to face yourself,” Bodkin said.

“And for some people that’s incredibly scary. There’s been trauma. There’s been damage, horrendous things have happened. And they’re out there to heal that,” he said.

Bodkin explained that the experience is open to all belief systems, but hinges on a willingness to be open to a dialogue with nature.

Reaching the edge is unique for each individual, so the program is designed to be modified to suit the needs of each participant.

For one teenage girl, the idea of being alone was terrifying, Bodkin said.

“How about you go behind this rock wall, and you’re kind of within shouting distance from base camp?” Bodkin told her. Similarly, those with conditions that make it challenging to fast, such as diabetes, are encouraged to bring their own food.

The final three days of the multi-day wilderness quest involve reflection and preparation to return home.

After experiencing a profound internal shift, reception by the community is a critical part of the process. If the community is not supportive, there’s a risk all progress may be lost.

In preparation to return to a world that hasn’t changed, Bodkin asks participants, “What are the challenges you’re going to face? Where are your supports?”

“What are you thinking of changing in your life as a result of this?”

Upcoming quests:

• Summer Wilderness Quest in Mono Basin, California July 16-24 ($1,525-$1,625)
• Fall Wilderness Quest in Death Valley National Park, California Nov. 12-20 ($1,525).

More information at: wildernessquest.org