Adventure Edge (Bryce Edition 2026)
A BACKCOUNTRY RESET FOR LEADERS AT AN INFLECTION POINT
You don’t need another leadership retreat. You need a hard reset.
AdventureEDGE is a 5-day backcountry experience for high-performing leaders who are ready to strip away distractions, shake off the roles they’ve outgrown, and walk into their next chapter with clarity.
You’ll hike 25+ miles through Bryce Canyon, Utah. You’ll carry what you need, leave the rest behind, and rediscover what makes you sharp, present, and alive. We coach. We reflect. We ask better questions than, “What do you do?”
This isn’t about escaping life. It’s about remembering how to live it fully.
These Times Call for Something Real
You don’t need more leadership hacks or 5-Bullet Fridays (sorry, Tim).
That’s the noise, not the signal.
That’s the chatter, not the inner voice.
What you need is something that cuts through.
These times call for:
Outdoors– because nature clears the noise.
In the wild, there's no algorithm, no performance review - just space to hear your own voice again.Community– because transformation doesn’t happen alone.
The right group of peers creates the conditions for challenge, truth, and trust. More linking. No ranking. Just clarity and meaningful connections.Coaching – because insight without follow-through fades fast.
You don’t need another killer slide deck. You need structure, reflection, and accountability to turn awareness into change.
You bring your questions. Your hunger. Your edge.
We’ll create the container.
THIS IS FOR YOU IF…
You’re in a transition: career, identity, fatherhood, midlife
You’re successful on paper, but something’s missing (and you don’t know what it is)
You’re coachable, capable, and tired of skimming the surface
You’re physically fit enough to hike 8–12 miles/day with a 30 lb pack
You’re ready to trade comfort for clarity (no, there are no fancy restrooms)
You want your life to be the OPPOSITE of “quiet desperation”
You are seeking meaning and want to be more present in your life
You want space to think without a title, a calendar, or a role to perform
You have moved past competing for status and want to build real connections
TBH, you have 1-2 friends from each era of life, but not a real community to lean on
WHAT YOU GET…
Time to step away from the grind and reconnect with something deeper
1:1 coaching session and goal planning template pre-trip
Group cohort call to set intentions and connect
3-day guided backcountry hike in Bryce Canyon, including permits, food, camping equipment (if needed) and logistics
Daily coach prompts, trail reflections, & targeted exercises
3x private coaching sessions post-trip integration + between-session support
2x group calls for building personal/professional connections
90-Day Accountability Tracker
Personal video recap of experience
A new tribe to call on as you grow with a private AdventureEDGE WhatsApp group
A transformation that sticks
IF YOUR COMPANY IS PAYING:
You're not buying a trip. You're buying the thing leadership programs keep failing to produce, which is change that survives reentry into the job.
The leader comes back with a written 90-day growth plan, a new set of capabilities, and peers outside the organization to call on. We schedule a conversation with the sponsor and leader afterward, focused on the commitment and what the sponsor can do to support development.
We don’t report on what was said - what’s spoken inside the cohort and on the trail stays there. That’s the boundary that enables things to get real.
Questions before you approve? Give us a call.
GETTING THERE AND BACK:
This is a real backcountry experience, so safety is a primary concern. The expedition is led by Brian Ketz, a thirty-year Army Veteran, Airborne Ranger qualified, outdoor guide, and a commander at every level from platoon to brigade. We carry satellite communications with two-way messaging and location sharing. Every participant is briefed on emergency procedures, wildlife safety and food storage before we reach the trailhead, and we carry a documented emergency plan with named roles for every member of the group. Group size is capped, which is a safety decision.
Why Bryce? Why this trail?
The Under-the-Rim Trail is one of the most isolated and awe-inspiring hikes in the U.S.
You’ll traverse canyons, ridgelines, and forested meadows that few visitors ever see.
Hike from Rainbow Point to Bryce Point - with firelight, silence, and ancient stone as our audience.
Expect moments of challenge, beauty, and the kind of stillness that resets your system.
Meet Your Coach & Guide
Mike R. Sweeney has logged miles in more ways than one - across the country in a VW bus, pounding out marathons, and guiding leaders through the rugged terrain of transitions. An executive coach, organizational psychologist, and founder of Saber, he’s worked with high-performing leaders to discover their edge and move from good to great in half the time. A former English major turned Army tank officer, Mike brings equal parts grit and curiosity to his work. He’s coached clients while running along the Charles River, in the boardroom, and deep in the woods. When he’s not helping leaders navigate the liminal space between “what’s now” and “what’s next,” he’s embracing the chaos and joy of being a girl dad, which may be the most advanced leadership program of them all.
Brian Ketz has worn a lot of hats - some Kevlar, some wool, and a few that smelled suspiciously like campfire smoke. He enlisted in the Army in 1992, earned his commission in 1998 through ROTC at Norwich University, and went on to command at multiple levels from a Platoon to a Brigade. A Ranger School graduate, Brian has led soldiers through deserts, mountains, and the occasional “character-building” downpour. Over a 30-year career, he served in Armor, Finance, and Sustainment formations across the U.S., Korea, and Germany, with multiple deployments to Iraq. Now retired, he’s still chasing challenge and camaraderie - just with fewer sandstorms and more trail mix.
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DescriptioThe Equation: Outdoors + Community + Coaching = Transformation
🏔 Outdoors
Nature clears the noise.
Time in wild places doesn’t just feel good, it changes how your brain works.
Spending time in nature restores executive function, improves working memory, and enhances creativity1.
Even short immersions can lower cortisol, reduce anxiety, and boost mood2. And for leaders stuck in meetings, metrics, and inbox loops, nature reintroduces something rare: stillness.You can’t think your way to peace, but you can hike toward it.
🤝 Community
Transformation doesn’t happen in isolation.
Being in a high-trust group is one of the most powerful predictors of lasting change.
Social support boosts resilience3. Group vulnerability reduces shame and increases follow-through4. And witnessing someone else’s shift (mirror neuron activation) can trigger your own5.On a trail with the right circle, you say what you've never said and hear what you didn’t know you needed.
🧠 Coaching
Insight is good. Integration is better.
Coaching—especially when sustained—has been shown to improve goal attainment, leadership effectiveness, and overall well-being6.
It’s not just about “aha” moments. It’s about structured accountability that turns reflection into action.
And it’s the follow-through that makes the insight matter.You don’t need another peak experience. You need one that sticks.
Together, WE don’t just move the needle.
We shift the entire equation.
🧾 References
Berman, M.G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212.
Antonelli, M., Barbieri, G., & Donelli, D. (2020). Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Biometeorology.
Cohen, S., & Wills, T.A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310–357.
Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly. Gotham Books.
Gallese, V., & Goldman, A. (1998). Mirror neurons and the simulation theory of mind-reading. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2(12), 493–501.
Theeboom, T., Beersma, B., & Van Vianen, A.E.M. (2014). Does coaching work? A meta-analysis on the effects of coaching on individual-level outcomes in an organizational context. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 9(1), 1–18.
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Exactly. That’s why you need it.
This trip isn’t about escaping your life. It’s about stepping out for 5 days to get clear on what matters, so you stop spending 5 months spinning your wheels.You’ll gain back every hour you invest, because you’ll return more decisive, aligned, and grounded than you’ve been in years.
No phone. No calendar. No performative meetings.
Just movement, reflection, and the kind of clarity that changes how you lead. -
You don’t need to be David Goggins. But you do need to be willing to move, sweat, and carry your own gear.
If you can hike 6–10 miles a day with a pack and a good attitude, you’re in the zone. (And if you’re not quite there yet, we’ll help you train for it.)
This isn’t about conquering mountains. It’s about walking into the wilderness ready to ask better questions.
The physical challenge just makes the answers stick. -
It is intense. That’s the point.
Comfort zones are where careers flatline and relationships go stale.We don’t do ice baths and screaming. But we do ask you to step into discomfort because that’s where growth lives.
And you won’t be doing it alone. You’ll be with a small group of leaders who also want more than just a life that looks good on paper.Think less “bootcamp” and more “rite of passage.” A mix of toil + ease.
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This isn’t a race. It’s a reset.
We move as a group. We carry what we need. We support each other on the trail because that’s part of the experience.This isn’t about who gets to camp first (more linking than ranking). It’s about how we walk, what we reflect on, and the pace of insight not just footsteps.
We’ll challenge you. We’ll also have your back. -
Cool. Then you know the value of it.
But here’s the question: Did it actually change how you show up after the trip? Or did you just collect another peak experience?AdventureEDGE is different.
It’s not just about awe-inspiring views or campfire catharsis - it’s a structured, longitudinal coaching journey that includes 1:1 coaching and integration after the hike.This is about change that sticks not just stories for your group chat.
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Let’s break it down:
You’re getting an all-inclusive leadership reset - physically, mentally, and strategically.
✔️ 1:1 coaching before and after for 3+ months
✔️ 3-day backcountry adventure (gear, permits, food, logistics all handled)
✔️ A curated cohort of high-caliber senior leaders to call on
✔️ Real conversations, not corporate icebreakers
✔️ A reentry plan to make it all stickMany participants don’t pay for this themselves. A $7,500 investment sits inside most leadership development budgets, and the case to your CEO or Director is simple: you come back with a 90-day plan and next-level capabilities instead of a conference tote bag. We invoice your company directly and accept purchase orders. If it helps, we can get on a call with the decision maker.
This isn’t a retreat. It’s a turning point. One that just might pay dividends for years.
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This experience isn’t an escape. It’s an investment in you becoming more present, clear, and grounded. And trust us, your partner will notice the difference.
Still nervous? Invite them to a call with us. We’re great with skeptical partners. And we promise: no cult robes. Just backpacks, growth, and a lot of freeze-dried chicken flavored stuff.