Spirit of Grace Goes to Holden Village

In mid-July, nearly 60 Spirit of Grace members, friends, and family members visited Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat center in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of Washington, 3,200 feet above sea level. The village is on the grounds of a former copper and nickel mine, converted into a retreat center. Holden Village is one of the most remote continuously inhabited places in the continental United States.

Photo from our last day, with our folks who departed a few days earlier added on in the background!

To get there, we drove 5 hours to Wenatchee where we spent the night. Then drove in the morning to the shores of Lake Chelan, where we took a ferry for 2 hours. After landing at the Lucerne boat dock, we were transported up an 11-mile gravel road through a set of 12 switchbacks.

Or you can hike into the village and camp overnight, as our hearty hiking souls did!

Once we arrived in the village, we spent the week:

  • Doing more hiking

  • Hanging out and talking

  • Eating healthy, low-on-the-food-chain meals

  • Worshipping together at Sacred Space

  • Learning and studying together in the classes offered that week—about refugees, fun/joy, and climate change grief and resilience

  • Praying around the cross

  • Weaving, making ceramic earrings and collage bookmarks, and learning how to sew/mend together

  • Partaking in saunas and creek jumps

  • Singing and playing plentiful games

  • Playing and learning at Narnia (children’s program)

  • Participating in the village-wide Live Action Clue Game, Capture the Flag, and movie night (La La Land)

  • Doing yoga

  • Drinking yummy coffee and tea

  • Eating freshly baked bread, granola, etc.

  • Playing pool and bowling

  • Seeing deer, squirrels, and marmots (no bears!)

  • Swinging on the porches and sitting on the ark

  • Putting on a Spirit of Grace talent show in the Lift and inviting the whole village

  • Eating lots of ice cream!

  • Dancing at Sacred Space (Esther, Vivian, and Lydia!)

  • Exploring the forest trails and hammocks

You can view more photos here on our Facebook page.

We had a wonderful week in spite of the smoke from the fire near Lake Chelan. Although it got warm during the daytime, it cooled down at night.

Spirit of Grace usually organizes a group visit to Holden every other year. We’re aiming for June 2026 for our next trip! Mark your calendar and join us!