SOUTHEAST IOWA · NOVEMBER 11–15, 2026
Back to Nature
Step out of convenience.Come back capable.
Four nights of field skills, breathwork, cold, heat, shared work and direct participation in the natural world — tracking, an honest deer harvest, wood-fired sauna, and cold immersion in Southeast Iowa.
Small group · No previous hunting or cold-exposure experience required
SOUTHEAST IOWA · NOVEMBER 11–15, 2026
BACK TO NATURE — IOWA 2026
Four nights of field skills, breathwork, cold, heat, shared work and direct participation in the natural world — tracking, an honest deer harvest, wood-fired sauna, and cold immersion in Southeast Iowa.
- Dates
- November 11, 2026
- Location
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Duration
- 5 Days / 4 Nights
- Group
- Limited to 9 participants
$2500
per person
Secure checkout via Shopify. Full refund more than 91 days before the event; 50% at 61–90 days. See our refund policy.
- Small group
- No hunting experience required
- Field-to-table meals
- Guided harvest experience
- Wood-fired sauna & cold immersion
- Private countryside lodging
The distance modern life created
Why Iowa. Why this experience.
Most of us live several steps removed from the things that keep us alive. We turn a switch for heat. We buy food without confronting where it came from. We reach for a screen whenever silence appears.
Modern life has made almost everything easier — but it has also separated us from effort, consequence and the natural world. Back to Nature was created to close that distance.
Over four nights in Southeast Iowa, we work with our hands, train with bows and rifles, split the wood that fuels our sauna, follow tracks through the land, and take part in the honest process of a deer harvest — from the field to the meal we share together.
You don’t come here to conquer nature. You come here to re-enter your relationship with it.
What's included
Everything you need. Nowhere else to be.
- Four nights of countryside accommodation
- Group airport pickup and departure transfer within the official flight window
- Transportation during scheduled retreat activities
- Daily meals and non-alcoholic drinks
- Guided breathwork and movement
- Archery instruction and equipment
- Tracking and blood-trailing instruction
- Wood-splitting experience and safety briefing
- Guided sauna and cold immersion
- Firearm safety education and supervised rifle practice
- Participation in the deer tracking and processing experience
- Facilitated group conversations and integration
- Opening sound bath
Not included
- Flights to and from Iowa
- Travel outside the official pickup window
- Personal travel insurance
- Personal outdoor clothing and footwear
- Alcohol
- Additional nights before or after the experience
The field experience
Real work. Real skills. Real consequences.
Archery
Bow handling, alignment and breath control — patience over competition.
Patience · Coordination · Calm under pressure
Tracking
Following a prepared trail before joining the process connected to the harvest.
Observation · Patience · Reading the land
Wood & fire
A safety briefing, then splitting the wood that heats your own sauna later.
Contribution · Effort · Cause and effect
Cold & heat
Guided movement between cold water and wood-fired sauna.
Regulation · Presence · Adaptability
Firearm safety
How rifles operate, how to handle them safely, and how breath affects control.
Responsibility · Precision · Respect
Breathwork
Morning practices that prepare the nervous system for the work ahead.
Clarity · Awareness · Integration
Not a collection of activities
Everything leads to something.
We use breathwork, movement, cold, heat, silence and time away from our phones to train something deeper than physical toughness: the ability to stay calm, useful and present.
- 01
The work creates the heat
You cut and split the wood that will later fuel the sauna.
- 02
The breath steadies the hand
Breathwork becomes practical when attention and control matter.
- 03
The trail leads to the harvest
Tracking turns observation into participation.
- 04
The harvest becomes the meal
The origin of food is no longer abstract.
- 05
Discomfort becomes presence
Cold and heat reveal how you respond when comfort is no longer in charge.
The shift
From unconscious convenience to conscious capability.
You may arrive
- Overstimulated by noise and screens
- Disconnected from your physical environment
- Accustomed to consuming without participating
- Unsure how you respond under pressure
- Looking for clarity but unable to slow down
You leave with
- Greater clarity and presence
- Direct evidence that you can learn unfamiliar skills
- More confidence in discomfort
- A deeper respect for food and the natural world
- The experience of contributing to a small group
- A clearer sense of what you are capable of
This retreat will not turn you into a hunter or outdoorsman in four days. It will give you something more valuable: direct evidence that you can remain calm in discomfort, learn unfamiliar skills, contribute to a group and meet the natural world with greater confidence and respect.
This is not about going backward. It is about recovering something modern life made us forget.
An important part of the experience
The harvest is not a metaphor.
A central part of Back to Nature is taking part in the process through which an animal becomes food. Dylan conducts the hunt. Depending on field conditions, the group may take part in tracking, recovering, field dressing, skinning, processing and preparing a venison meal.
This is not killing for entertainment and there is no guaranteed kill. It is not a trophy hunt — it is an encounter with the responsibility, consequence and respect that food demands. If a deer is not harvested during the scheduled hunt, a legally pre-harvested animal may be used for the processing session so the educational experience can continue.
- Following the animal's trail
- Recovering and transporting the deer
- Witnessing or assisting with field dressing
- Skinning and processing selected cuts
- Preparing and sharing a venison meal
- Reflecting together on responsibility, food and the experience
Before booking, every participant should understand that animal tracking, field dressing, processing and eating venison are central, expected components of this retreat — not a surprise activity.
I understand — see who this is forFive days in Southeast Iowa
Enough structure to arrive prepared.
A detailed packing list, final flight window and participant schedule are provided after booking.
Day 1
Arrival and orientation
Airport pickup during the designated window, travel to the countryside house, safety briefing, an opening sound bath, and a shared supper.
Day 2
Work, skill and contrast
Morning breathwork, archery fundamentals, tracking and blood-trailing instruction, chainsaw safety and wood splitting, then a wood-fired sauna and guided cold immersion.
Day 3
The harvest
Tracking and recovery of the deer subject to field conditions, field dressing and processing, bow practice, cold and heat, and a venison supper with a facilitated roundtable. Timing depends on animals, weather and field conditions — no kill is guaranteed.
Day 4
Precision and perspective
Breathwork and movement, firearm safety and supervised rifle practice, group reflection, walking meditation, a sunset sauna and cold immersion, and a final supper.
Day 5
Departure
A short morning breathwork session, breakfast, then group departure for the airport.
Schedule is subject to weather, terrain access and the needs of the group.
Your base in Iowa
Space to work outside. Space to come back together.
The group stays in a spacious private countryside home near Morning Sun, Iowa, surrounded by open land, trees and water.
It serves as the shared base for morning practices, meals, conversation and recovery between field sessions.
- Four nights of shared accommodation
- Communal indoor spaces
- Countryside setting
- Daily shared meals
- Space for breathwork and integration
- Group transportation during the experience
Guidance in the field
Led with skill, clarity and respect.
Matt Soule
Cold Club Founder
After two decades working with corporate executives, professional athletes, military personnel, and people facing serious health challenges, Matt Soule realized something surprising: there was no comprehensive system that truly taught people how to work with stress.
Dylan Hillyer
Certified Cold Club Holistic Instructor
Dylan spent many years as a US Forest Service Hotshot and Smokejumper, so is no stranger to stressful situations.
A clear fit matters
This experience asks you to participate.
This is for…
- You feel overstimulated, distracted or disconnected from the physical world.
- You want to do something real — not just talk about transformation.
- You are curious about hunting and the origins of your food, and want to approach them with respect.
- You want to become calmer and more capable under pressure.
- You are willing to work, learn, contribute and put your phone away.
- You want to share something meaningful with a small group.
Honest note
This may not be for you if…
- You are looking for a luxury wellness retreat or passive vacation.
- You are unwilling to witness the tracking, field dressing, processing or eating of an animal.
- You want to remain an observer instead of contributing.
- You need to remain connected to your phone throughout the retreat.
Accommodation & pricing
Nine places, priced by bed.
Each bed option is priced individually — see the live rate and availability in the booking panel above.
| Option | Per person | |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa BedLowest price | $2,500 | Choose Sofa Bed |
| Twin Bed | $2,700 | Choose Twin Bed |
| Queen Bed | $2,900 | Choose Queen Bed |
| King Bed | $3,000 | Choose King Bed |
Prices are per person. The rate charged at checkout is the one on the booking panel above.
Gallery
Iowa, as it is.
You don’t come here to escape your life.
You come here to remember how you want to live it. Step out of convenience. Come back capable.
See pricing & book- Dates
- SOUTHEAST IOWA · NOVEMBER 11–15, 2026
- Location
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Duration
- 5 Days / 4 Nights
FAQ
Common questions.
Do I need previous hunting experience?
No. You do not need previous hunting, archery, shooting or animal-processing experience. Every technical activity begins with instruction and follows facilitator safety protocols.
Will I hunt or shoot a deer?
Dylan conducts the hunt. Participants are not promised the opportunity to hunt or shoot an animal. The group’s role may include tracking, recovery, field dressing, processing and preparing the venison.
Is a deer harvest guaranteed?
No. Hunting depends on animals, weather and field conditions. If no deer is harvested during the scheduled hunt, a legally pre-harvested animal may be used for the processing session.
Do I have to take part in processing the deer?
The harvest process is a central part of the experience and should not come as a surprise. Exact levels of hands-on participation can be discussed with the facilitators, but guests must be willing to witness the process respectfully.
Is this a trophy hunt?
No. There is no guaranteed kill and the experience is not organized around trophies or entertainment. The harvest is approached as a responsibility and as part of understanding where food comes from.
Do I need cold-exposure experience?
No. Cold and heat sessions are introduced progressively and guided by an experienced facilitator.
Are the firearm activities mandatory?
Safety education is part of the group experience. Hands-on participation may depend on comfort, eligibility and facilitator approval. All activities follow strict supervision and applicable laws.
Will we be without our phones?
There will be intentional no-phone periods so the group can be fully present. Emergency communication remains available through the facilitation team.
What should I bring?
A complete packing list is provided after booking. Expect layered outdoor clothing, weather-appropriate boots, swimwear and personal essentials.
What will the weather be like?
November in Southeast Iowa can be cold and variable. Participants should be prepared for outdoor activity in changing conditions. The itinerary may adapt for safety.
Where do I fly?
The designated arrival airport and official pickup window are confirmed in the booking information. Do not purchase flights until those details are approved.
Can dietary needs be accommodated?
Please share any dietary needs when booking, and the team will confirm what can be accommodated.
What happens if I have a medical condition?
Breathwork, cold, heat, tools and outdoor activities may not be suitable for everyone. Participants must disclose relevant conditions and consult a qualified healthcare professional when appropriate.