Program Schedule

The annual Catholic Singles weekend gathering brings together Catholic adults for a weekend of fellowship and outdoor recreation. If you are one of the many adults who find their lives more solitary than you'd like, joining in our little community could be just the boost you're looking for. Men and women, young and old are all welcome to join us for a weekend of good food and great conversation surrounded by the beauty of God's creation at PLC. Please contact us with any inquiries: info@pyramidlife.org 

Welcome to Camp Breakaway     Need help registering? Click here for more details

Women will gather in mid-July to immerse themselves in writing and nature. Daily classes in poetry, fiction, journaling, memoir and multi-genre are offered. Ample writing time is provided through the week. Each evening there is an opportunity for the participants to read their work in an environment of compassionate support. Since 1995, this retreat has embraced and celebrated the talent women bring to writing.  Our voices, so often diminished in the world at large, find space to breathe in the Adirondack air. To quote Ellie O’Leary, veteran participant and teacher, “We are bolstered by each other’s company, encouraged by each…

Join us for our annual Storytelling weekend at PLC! Participants are welcome to arrive with or without a story to tell, the weekend revolves around a series of workshops to help you develop your storytelling voice and vision. Friday evening is devoted to introductions and sets the stage for the program. Saturday is comprised of short workshops, and recreation followed by Saturday night's story sharing around the campfire. You'll depart Sunday afternoon with a treasure trove of new storytelling tips and tricks, as well as a compliment of new friends, and a renewed appreciation for the peace and majesty of…

A beginner photography retreat. No experience necessary.  Interested in learning how to take better photos on your smartphone? Have a camera but not sure how to use it? Learn the basics of photography in our beautiful Adirondack setting. We will cover how to use your device, shooting tips and tricks, as well as editing your images afterwards. Join Courtney Bradt, an award winning amateur photographer, who will set you up with the skills to take your photography to the next level. After learning the basics skills, we will then put them to use in the beautiful setting of Pyramid Life…

“Holding on to Hope” Staying hopeful sometimes feels like a precarious balancing act, especially when we have active alcoholism in our lives. But there are many other aspects of our lives that can deflate our hope: losing a loved one, our own or a dear one’s health issues, fear over our political climate and/or the climate in general, and more. Join weekend host Anne S. as we use the tools of the program to identify healthy ways to stay hopeful during our own dark days.

Dorthy Day Retreat    How are we called to live life as a Catholic in America? One of the 20th Century’s most influential Catholic thinkers, writers, and activists, Dorothy Day, spent a lifetime working to answer that question. Pyramid Life Center is pleased to offer an exclusive retreat on Dorothy Day; a Catholic social justice advocate and co-founder of the Catholic Worker. The retreat will have a special focus on Robert Ellsberg’s new book about Dorthy’s spirituality, and how her spirituality informed how she approached her life and work. This retreat will be facilitated by Martha Hennessy (Dorothy’s Grandaughter) an…

Nature Retreat 2025 - Widening Circles: Cultivating Wonder, Gratitude, and Love through Intimacy with Nature Creation is the first sanctuary—the sacred temple of God—ever expanding, ever inviting us into deeper relationship. In the rhythms of nature, we hear the call to widen our hearts, to ask, "Who is my neighbor?". The rustling leaves, flowing waters, enduring land and fossils, and endless sky remind us that we belong not only to Earth, but to eternity and to each other.This retreat invites us to step beyond the familiar into an ever-widening embrace of wonder, gratitude, and love. Through reflection, time in nature, and…

The intent of this retreat is to explore and simplify 12 step spirituality for anyone in any recovery program regardless of time in recovery or progress in their own 12 step process. Specific objectives will be accessing or improving conscious contact with a Higher Power, learning basic meditation techniques, and, hopefully, having an experience which you will be comfortable identifying as “Spiritual”  “as you understand it”.

The fabulous fall season in upstate New York is the perfect time to surround yourself in natural beauty and interior stillness. Step outside the frantic pace of everyday life and reset your rhythm to something more sacred and serene. The annual Stillpoint Retreat is a weekend filled with spiritual practices, prayerful community, and the gorgeous sights and sounds of Pyramid Life Center. Give yourself this time away to reconnect with your own stillpoint, that place within that is grounded in God, where the “still, small voice” of the Spirit can be heard when we quiet the exterior noise. Together we…

Fall Writer Fest is an opportunity to learn writing craft from successful writers in a variety of genres. Take your fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction or work-in-progress to the next level. Class size limited. Registration pays for 5-day workshop, room and board, presentations from guest speakers, and writing time.   If you are interested in participating in the Spiritual Journaling or Poetry Workshops, September 12-14, please return to our retreat listings and register for that program as well. If you are interested in adding extra nights at the end of the retreat without participating in a retreat, please contact us at info@pyramidlife.org.

“God, Help me to Want What I Have” If you struggle with dissatisfaction or a loss of hope in your life, this weekend may be the answer to your prayers. Using the Spiritual Journaling practice of writing to the God of our understanding, we will mine our hearts and minds to discover the blessings in our lives. Retreat leader Anne is a talented and experienced writer and retreat leader. In addition to Spiritual Journaling she is also on the faculty of the Women Writers Retreat and leads the Friends of Lois weekend at PLC.

This annual retreat is led by the Saint Kateri Conservation Center, a national non profit organization that promotes Catholic faith, integral ecology and the diversity of life. The weekend will bring together nature lovers in a variety of activities including prayer, meditation, information sharing on conservation practices, and even a small pilgrimage around the beautiful Pyramid Lake in partnership with the Pilgrims of Hope for Creation Collaboration (https://catholicpilgrimsofhope.org) For more information about all of the great work the Saint Kateri Conservation Center does, check out our website: https://www.kateri.org/

Poetry Essentials + Haiku + Workshopping What makes a good poem? Why does writing haiku smooth the way to writing better poems in general? How can supportive peer review benefit our poetry? These are just some of the subjects we will explore in our weekend workshop. Between Friday evening and Sunday morning, we will meet for over eight hours of learning, sharing, and feedback. Price includes two nights’ lodging, home-cooked meals, and workshop. Saturday afternoon will be reserved for re-creating: you may enjoy hiking, swimming, kayaking, and/or canoeing, or you can just relax/write/read/rest in this beautiful Adirondack setting.

Calling all cyclists for our second annual PLC Bike weekend! Riders of all ages are welcome to enjoy a beautiful autumn weekend in the Adirondack Mountains featuring exercise, community, and relaxation! Our bike event features two different organized rides, a short ride (approx. 25 miles) and a long ride (approx. 51 miles) both starting and ending around PLC! Rides will begin Saturday morning giving participants ample time to cool off and relax around Pyramid Lake Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Traverse winding country roads through forests and alongside tranquil lakes, immersing yourself in the natural splendor of the Northeast. Whether…

“The Sacred Path: Yoga Meditation, Reiki & Self-Care” Immerse yourself on the Sacred Path of Yoga, Self-Care and renewal at this retreat. It is nestled in a serene, nature-filled setting, this retreat offers a blend of Gentle Yoga, Gratitude Activities, Qi Gong, Reiki Healing, Chakra Balancing with Crystal Bowls, Meditation, and Yoga Nidra for deep relaxation and balance. Each day begins with gentle yoga sessions that harmonize the body & breath, guided by experienced certified yoga instructors. Discover the transformative power of Reiki, where energy work soothes the spirit and releases tension. Meditation practices will help you find peace and clarity, while Qi Gong integrates mindful movement…

How to register: Step 1: Enter your name and email address, if you are registering a party of more than 1, enter 1 name as the primary contact person for your group/family. Step 2: Pick your lodging, you may choose the type of room  you would like to stay in. If you are registering more than 1 person, please use the drop down menu to add more guests to your room, or select multiple rooms. Step 3 (optional): People in your group, if you are registering multiple people, please enter the additional names of those in your party in step…

Open camping for you and your family! Meals will be included with your stay!

Ever wondered how to get those brilliant fall colors to stand out in your photos? Interested in practicing photography in a private Adirondack setting? Join photographer Courtney Bradt for a fall photography weekend. We'll cover some basics of shooting and editing with a focus on fall colors. Enjoy paddling on Pyramid Lake as well as hiking to various viewpoints of the surrounding Adirondack mountains during peak foliage.