WHO WE ARE

The Intrepid Heart founder, Arlene Rees.

Ever since she was a small girl, Arlene dreamed of adventure.

Over the years she nurtured those dreams while pursuing her passions as a photographer, poet, and wilderness explorer. Along with her adventures on the westcoast of British Columbia, these passions have taken her from Canada, to the United States, Great Britain, the South Pacific, New Zealand, the Amazon Jungle, Peruvian Andes and Africa.

Age Is no Barrier

It wasn't until after turning 50, that Arlene trekked both the North and South Islands of New Zealand; summited Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest free standing mountain in the world; explored the Amazon Jungle; and trekked across the Peruvian Andes, proving age is no barrier to dreams of adventure!

Although her travels have taken her afar, it is her love for the ocean and rainforests of British Columbia's westcoast that keeps drawing her home to Vancouver Island.

As a visionary poet and adventurer, Arlene dedicates herself to family, her love of nature, and to the values of heart both in humankind, and the natural world.

Her love of people, and her passion for the protection of the wild untrammeled heart of nature, is manifest throughout her unique vision in the adventure of life ...

NATURE'S PATH TO WELL BEING

Throughout her career in social services, Arlene has worked with at risk populations, inclusive of teens and women and children impacted by domestic violence. Her recognition and appreciation of the healing power of nature has always been incorporated into her work.

Most recently, Arlene has served as the executive director of a women's serving organization for seven years. During this time she developed a highly successful nature based program for young women.

From stand-up paddling, surfing, hiking, horseback journeys, caving and other nature based activities, she designed adventures to both challenge young women and to develop their resilience and self-confidence, while enabling them to express themselves in positive, active and uniquely creative directions. Together they explored their strengths, their dreams for the future, and the ways in which they could all become more authentically themselves, and in so doing, to enhance their ability to become visionary leaders for a balanced culture.

On a recent horsepack trip, the young women were afforded an opportunity to take a giant step out of their comfort zone into the uncharted territory of their own undiscovered strengths, and to discover their enormous resiliency of heart and spirit. Each and every one came through with flying colours.

Through the extraordinary expertise, exemplary leadership and uncompromising teamwork of their amazing ranch guides, they learned to listen to instruction, to trust in those with expertise, and with that confidence, to attain heights they had never dreamed were even possible.

On an overnight pack trip in oppressive heat and the smoky haze of nearby forest fires, they and their amazingly capable and trustworthy horses climbed 3,500' into the mountains. They learned to stake out their horses in a meadow overnight, and eat, cook and sleep under the stars. It was by no means an easy journey, but their response to every challenge was nothing less than remarkable

"We were stomped, sweaty, exhausted, boiled, bitten, bruised and cut, but we were HAPPY. We learned what we could do and we fought. Strength isn't success in favourable circumstances, it's survival through the struggles have countless bruises, cuts. sores, bites, I am exhausted and in pain but I wouldn't change it for anything ... I know I can climb a mountain on a horse, sleep under the stars by myself, cook food with a stick and whatever else I can find in the forest, I can jump on a horse bareback, and I can DO IT .. I was terrified and I felt AMAZING! The views, the experiences, the nothingness, getting away from life for a week with no internet, no cable, no reception, no drama was cleansing. I've never felt more alive than I have on this trip .. this group hasn't just kept me alive, it has helped me live".

Young Woman Participant

Just as deep as her devotion to the enormous healing power of nature has lead her to develop programs for young women, Arlene now invites women to a return to nature and a return to their authentic selves.

"The future will belong to the nature-smart - those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need."

Richard Louv

All the adventures into nature we design are achievable ...