A MOMENTUS RETREAT · OCTOBER 2026
Higher Ground.
A weekend with women who are done running on empty.
Fern Ridge Lodge at Sweetgrass · Blowing Rock, NC · 15 spots.
Our inaugural women's retreat in 2025 sold out. 100% of attendees said they'd recommend it. We're running it again because the first one worked.
Three days off the grid, on a mountain, with people who take their lives seriously enough to step away from them.
Choose your room
15 spots per retreat. Rooms are first paid, first served. When a tier sells out, it's gone.
Deposit and payment terms
Reserve your spot with 50% down today.
Remaining balance due July 15, 2026.
Deposits are fully refundable through July 15, 2026.
No refunds after July 15, 2026.
Transfers to another guest are allowed with Momentus approval.
If Momentus cancels the event for any reason, all payments are refunded in full.
The Accommodations
See all room specifics and registration below.
Solo king room with en-suite baths — our most private option. Space to spread out between sessions, a real door to close, and somewhere to recover on your own terms after the trail and the sauna. Returning attendees tend to claim these first.
This is a 50% payment deposit that reserves this room and bed. The purchase will be listed as sold to the public. The remaining 50% balance will be due on July 15th.
Solo king room with en-suite baths — our most private option. Space to spread out between sessions, a real door to close, and somewhere to recover on your own terms after the trail and the sauna. Returning attendees tend to claim these first.
This is a 50% payment deposit that reserves this room and bed. The purchase will be listed as sold, to the public. The remaining 50% balance will be due on July 15th.
Solo king room with en-suite baths — our most private option. Space to spread out between sessions, a real door to close, and somewhere to recover on your own terms after the trail and the sauna. Returning attendees tend to claim these first.
This is a 50% payment deposit that reserves this room and bed. The purchase will be listed as sold, to the public. The remaining 50% balance will be due on July 15th.
Solo king room with en-suite baths — our most private option. Space to spread out between sessions, a real door to close, and somewhere to recover on your own terms after the trail and the sauna. Returning attendees tend to claim these first.
This is a 50% payment deposit that reserves this room and bed. The purchase will be listed as sold, to the public. The remaining 50% balance will be due on July 15th.
Solo king room with en-suite baths — our most private option. Space to spread out between sessions, a real door to close, and somewhere to recover on your own terms after the trail and the sauna. Returning attendees tend to claim these first.
This is a 50% payment deposit that reserves this room and bed. The purchase will be listed as sold, to the public. The remaining 50% balance will be due on July 15th.
2 Queen Beds, shared room, private bath. Two queen beds in one room with a private en-suite bathroom. Best for two friends or family members attending together who want to split the bath without sharing a bed.
Solo queen room, shared bath. One person in their own private queen room, sharing a hallway bath. Best for solo attendees who want their own space to decompress.
This is a 50% payment deposit that reserves this room and bed. The purchase will be listed as sold, to the public. The remaining 50% balance will be due on July 15th.
Four XL twin bunks in a shared room with a shared bath — and downstairs access to a pool table and jacuzzi that's where most of the late-night conversations actually happen. Same programming, same food, same trail as everyone else. You're here for the weekend, not the bed.
This is a 50% payment deposit that reserves this room and bed. The purchase will be listed as sold, to the public. The remaining 50% balance will be due on July 15th.
Learn more about the home and its aminities: HERE
What's in the price. What isn't.
NOT INCLUDED
— Thursday early arrival ($99 add-on)
— Friday pre-event activity cost
— Saturday dinner in Blowing Rock
— Personal travel to and from Blowing Rock
INCLUDED
✓ Lodging at Fern Ridge Lodge at Sweetgrass
✓ All leadership and wellness presentations
✓ Guided group discussions and reflection
✓ Grandfather Mountain team challenge
✓ Sauna and river cold plunge recovery
✓ All meals — Friday dinner through Sunday brunch
✓ Access to optional Friday pre-event sign-up
Why we built this
The strongest predictor of how well you'll age is not your VO₂ max, your bloodwork, or your portfolio.
It's the quality of your relationships, your sense of purpose, and how often you actually do something about both.
That's the finding from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest-running study of adult life ever conducted. It's echoed in the McKinsey Health Institute's 2023 survey of more than 22,000 adults across 21 countries: when people ranked the 53 factors that most affected their overall health, the top six were purpose, balanced stress, conscious movement, lifelong learning, opportunities to learn new skills, and meaningful connection. Money and exercise mattered. Purpose and people mattered more.
Most of us know this. Almost none of us schedule it. Higher Ground is one deliberate, well-built attempt to do exactly that.
What people leave with
Across two years of men's retreats and one year of women's, attendees describe the same handful of after-states: a clearer head, a renewed sense of who they are, sharper insight into the version of themselves they want to grow into, and a kind of quiet renewal that lasts well past the drive home. We don't promise any of that, outcomes don't work that way. But the pattern is consistent enough that we'll say this: people leave different than they arrived.
You might be wondering
"Do I need to be in peak shape?"
No. The Saturday challenge is built to scale. Past retreats have included participants ranging from 28-70 years old, people working through orthopedic limitations, and folks who hadn't hiked in a year. Our coaching team will meet you where you are and make it appropriately hard. That's the point.
"I don't know anyone going."
Most people come solo. By Saturday afternoon, you won't be. The weekend is structured around small-group conversations and shared physical effort, the two fastest ways adults make real friends. Of the eleven men who came in year one, eight came back the next year. They didn't know each other when they arrived either.
"Is it worth $699 to $999?"
Three nights of lodging in the Blue Ridge. All meals. A guided trail challenge on Grandfather Mountain. Sauna and cold plunge recovery. Six-plus hours of programming. And, the part the spreadsheet can't price, a small group of people you'll still be texting in a year. Compare it to a long weekend at a comparable lodge with none of the above. Then decide.
Secure Your Spot Now
We only have 15 spots
Lock in your place with a 50% refundable deposit (fully refundable through July 15).
Remaining balance due July 15.
What Attendees Said About Last Year
“I went into the Momentus women’s retreat with real hesitation — spending a full weekend away with a group of women I didn’t know felt like a stretch. But it turned out to be one of the most fun, energizing, and genuinely fulfilling experiences I’ve had in a long time. The connection, support, and shared strength in that space were incredible. I left feeling recharged, inspired, and so glad I said yes. Can’t wait for the next one.
”
“The Momentus women’s retreat is such a great way to reinvest in yourself, and a powerful reminder of the value of connecting with others. The intersection of personal and community wellbeing offers an invigorating investment of a weekend away.
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“Attending the first annual Momentus women’s retreat in August was such a meaningful and restorative experience. I left feeling more connected, refreshed, and grateful for the experience. It’s something I would wholeheartedly recommend to any woman looking to reconnect with herself and other strong and supportive women in a meaningful way.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of shape do I need to be in?
You should be healthy enough for a strenuous hike and open to being physically and mentally challenged. If you are in our program…you are confirmed fit enough! We encourage preparation, not perfection. Remember, we are in this together.Can I bring a guest?
Yes. Our initial open registration is to our internal clients. You know who would be a good fit and add value. Guests register at the same tier pricing and are subject to availability.
What's included in the price?
Lodging, all programming, the Saturday team challenge, sauna and cold plunge, and all meals from Friday dinner through Sunday brunch. Not included: Thursday early arrival, Friday pre-event activities, Saturday dinner in Blowing Rock, and travel to the lodge.
What's the refund policy?
Reserve with 50% down. Balance due July 15, 2026. Full refunds until July 15. After that, no refunds, but transfers are allowed with Momentus approval. If we cancel, you get every dollar back.
How are rooms assigned?
First paid, first served within each tier.
What time does the retreat begin and end?
Main check-in opens Friday at 5:00 PM. The first session begins at 6:00 PM. The retreat closes Sunday at noon. Optional Thursday early arrival is available from 4:00 PM.
Are the men's and women's retreats happening at the same time?
No. The Women’s weekend is October 2-4 and the Men’s is October 16-18. The itineraries will be similar with slight differences based on gender preferences. Check the Women’s and Men’s pages for more info.
2. Build What Matters
Guided sessions on purpose, stress, relationships, and the second half of life, drawn from the actual research on what keeps people healthy and happy as they age. Real conversations, with breakouts.
1. Move with Intention
A scaled team challenge on the Profile Trail at Grandfather Mountain. Sauna and cold plunge in the Watauga River to recover. Hard enough to matter, accessible enough that no one gets left behind.
4. Leave with People
Eat together. Sweat together. Sit by the fire. The connections made on weekends like this are the ones the research says will matter most thirty years from now. That's the entire point.
3. Time with Purpose
The lodge is remote by design. Cell service is spotty, and that's the point. Three days without notifications rewires something. You'll notice it on the drive home.
Who's leading the weekend
A small team of facilitators leads each retreat. Speakers and additional guests are announced in the weeks ahead — past retreats have featured leaders in performance, longevity, and applied psychology.
John Lytton Founder, Momentus
John founded Momentus to fix what he saw as a broken fitness industry — and built Higher Ground as the deepest version of that mission. After playing professional soccer in Brazil, where he encountered movement as an art form, he returned to the U.S. and spent 14 years coaching at the highest levels (Carolina Panthers, US Soccer, Texas Tech, Army). The 7 Pillar framework that anchors every Momentus retreat came out of that work. He leads core sessions on both weekends.
Macy Weeks Lead Coach, Momentus Personal Training
Macy holds a Master's in Kinesiology and built her early career on tactical strength work with firefighters and police officers. At Momentus, she's the Lead Coach behind the personal training programs and group sessions that have built the community this retreat draws from. She'll lead the trail challenge at Grandfather Mountain, run the mobility programming, and assist in breakout sessions throughout the weekend. Two Ironman 70.3s and a 50k trail race in the last few years — Charlotte Marathon next.
Britt Alexander Lead Coach, Momentus Personal Training
Britt is a Lead Coach at Momentus and a certified strength, nutrition, and mobility coach with nearly a decade of experience building athletes — including clients still setting personal records in their 60s. She specializes in the kind of training that lasts: post-surgical recovery, mobility, and progressive strength work that meets people where they are. A competitive Hyrox athlete and mother of triplets — she lives the recovery she'll teach. She leads mobility programming and assists in breakout sessions throughout the weekend.
This Is Your Invitation.
Three days. One trail. The kind of weekend you'll still be talking about next October.
This retreat isn’t about escaping life, it’s about getting back to the part of you that built it in the first place.
Come away with renewed energy, clarity, and a brotherhood you didn’t know you needed.
We’ll be waiting in the mountains.