COVID / Safety / Medical

COVID Safety Measures

Our commitment is to protect the health of those who come to Vallecitos while respecting the personal health practices of our community. We follow current County, State, and Federal (CDC) COVID-19 guidelines, along with additional safety protocols appropriate for our remote retreat setting. We will keep you informed as we continue to update our safety guidelines as the appropriate protocols regarding COVID evolve.

Our requirements for the 2024 season are as follows:

Effective January 18, 2024

As of last May 1, 2023, Vallecitos no longer requires proof of COVID vaccination.
All participants, staff and teachers are required to take a rapid test on the day of arrival BEFORE traveling to Vallecitos. Bring proof with you to show to staff when you arrive and check in for your retreat (a time-stamped photograph or the actual test kit). Anyone who tests positive should not proceed to Vallecitos.
Masking is optional for everyone. Please limit your time spent indoors. Please plan to bring a supply of suitable masks (N95, KN95, or KF94) in case you need them.
- *Please know that optional masking is discretionary and there could be times in which you would be asked to mask indoors for the inclusion and safety of some community members.
Once you are on-site, for the well-being of the entire community, we ask that any symptoms of illness, including COVID symptoms, be immediately reported to Vallecitos staff so that a test (provided) can be administered. If you are feeling ill, use a mask in indoor public spaces.

Here’s what we’re doing for your safety and ease:

Operating in full compliance with CDC guidelines.
Most sits will take place in our outdoor practice tent.
All accommodations are single occupancy.
Hand sanitizing stations located across campus.

Doing your part—pre-arrival at Vallecitos:

If you are leaving home in the days prior to the opening day of your retreat, we also would strongly encourage you to test before your departure. If you test positive, do not travel. This will help to avoid disappointment and logistical challenges in the event you test positive after arriving in New Mexico.
For those taking the Vallecitos shuttle or traveling with others, we encourage mask use while in the vehicle.

During your retreat:

Please be prepared and know that nearly all group sits and meditation periods will take place in our outdoor practice tent. At the discretion of the retreat teachers, there may be limited sessions in the meditation hall. You are welcome to use the meditation hall and loft.
We suggest that you please take your meals outside to eat. Food will be served in the dining hall on the buffet table. You are welcome to go into the dining hall throughout your stay, and we ask that you limit your use of this common area.

In the event of COVID illness

If you test positive for COVID while at Vallecitos you will have to leave as soon as possible. We do not have the ability or expertise to support you.
For those of you who would need to be picked up or make travel arrangements, we can accommodate your brief stay in isolation accommodations separate from the active retreat container while you make plans to depart.
If anyone tests positive for COVID while on retreat, the teachers and other retreat participants will be informed that there was a positive test result. We will not cancel the retreat for the remaining participants, but we may implement a fresh round of rapid tests and wellness monitoring.

Information is subject to change as conditions merit.

Altitude

The elevation of the ranch is 8,800 feet. Visitors often experience mild symptoms of elevation related illness, including fatigue, headache, dizziness, gastrointestinal upset, sleep disruption and mild shortness of breath. These symptoms often subside during the first 1-3 days but can persist longer for some. In very rare cases symptoms can escalate to a more threatening condition with shortness of breath at rest, persistent coughing, and exercise intolerance.

Prevention is key.

Acclimatizing: If you are able to sleep a night or two at a lower elevation prior to your arrival, it will help speed the body’s process of acclimatizing (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, Denver).
Hydration: It is critical to stay well hydrated starting several days prior to travel and during your retreat. Hydration is the key to preventing altitude related illness.
Take it easy: Do not overdo it the first day or two. Stop early when you start to feel fatigue or any prolonged breathlessness.
High Carbohydrate Diet: Increase carbohydrate intake (pasta, rice, pancakes) to 70% of total calories. This means reducing fat intake.
Avoid Alcohol, Tranquilizers & Sleeping Pills: All of these things slow your body’s adjustment to elevation.
Medication: There is prescription medication which helps prevent illness and speed acclimation. If you have a known issue with being at altitude, please consult your doctor before coming.

If you have ongoing medical conditions, a visit to a medical provider familiar with the demands of altitude travel is helpful before your trip. You should address any acute medical issues such as sinus infections, bronchitis, or chest pain with your doctor before you travel.

CPAP Machines

We can accommodate CPAP machines. We power the CPAP machines with solar powered batteries. There are several considerations to understand when bringing your own CPAP.

Please note that every CPAP machine’s power usage is different and we cannot guarantee the power supplied will be sufficient for every type of machine.
For optimal results, please turn your CPAP machine to the lowest setting that is sufficient for your safety to ensure that it will last all night.
Since our batteries are solar charged, please know that the batteries may not reach their optimal capacity when the weather presents mostly overcast days.
We only have two casita accommodations equipped with solar batteries to support CPAP use (casitas 3 & 4). You must register for a CASITA if you plan to use your CPAP with our solar batteries. We will notify you after registration if we need to coordinate any other arrangements.
You do not need any special equipment to use our battery power set up. Your CPAP will plug into an extension cord outlet just like a wall plug at home.
We must receive advance notification via your registration form if you intend to use a CPAP machine on your retreat.

Fragrance Free

Having a fragrance free center stems from our commitment to building an inclusive community. Help Vallecitos be accessible to all by planning ahead and bringing only fragrance free products for use during your stay. This includes lotions, shampoos, feminine products, deodorant, essential oils, laundry detergent, hand sanitizer, to name a few. It is helpful to know to steer clear of products labeled unscented as they are often masked scent. It is best to look for products that say “free of fragrance and dyes”. One often missed are natural scents such as coconut or essentials oils as these are still scents that can cause harm to others. Thank you for your consideration. We provide communal bottles of fragrance-free shampoos and soap in the bathhouse.

Contact information for your family and friends in case of emergency.

Participants are asked to “unplug” while on retreat at Vallecitos. However, if there is an emergency and you need to be contacted, your family and friends may either call (505) 469-9017 or email refuge@vallecitos.org.

Accessibility

As a wilderness retreat center located in a mountainous forest area, Vallecitos is not accessible to all temporarily able-bodied folks, regardless of their age or physical ability, and it does not accommodate wheelchairs, wheeled walkers or other walking aids that are designed for flat, even surfaces.

Other than the built structures, the ground throughout the property is unpaved, a mix of dirt and gravel. There is a rocky slope from the dining room and main lodge to guest lodging, and accommodations are spread across the land at various distances. Access to the Yurts, Tent Cabins and Hermitage require walking up a path on a gradual slope, while the Casitas are spread out on a steeper hill. Practitioners will need to navigate the inclines and walking paths several times throughout the day. There are 3-4 steps into the Dining Hall for three meals each day, and Casitas, Yurts and Tent Cabins require 3-4 steps to enter. Outhouses are located over well-trodden, but uneven paths, at various distances from housing. The Bathhouse is accessible by a wood platform path from the main lodge. The meadow paths are well-trodden and should be accessible if participants can manage the logistics above.

For anyone concerned about their ability to navigate our property, we welcome a conversation with you to discuss whether Vallecitos can support you during a retreat. Please reach out to us at refuge@vallecitos.org and the Registration Manager will contact you.

Mark Coleman

...Vallecitos has always been one of my spiritual homes. It is a place where I have learned so much about the refuge of wilderness. It is where I have discovered so much about my own nature, from the wildness of nature there. Not only is it exquisitely beautiful and pristine, it is also profoundly serene and a place of deep renewal. I feel so blessed to have been able to visit every year for the past twenty years. I am eternally grateful for that land.

Krys Kornmeier

...The view of the Aspen trees outside my casita, the cool silent mornings of meditation, the warmth of the lodge, and the exquisite majesty of the land created a gentle but powerful impression... in one short visit I have come to treasure Vallecitos.

Swati Prakash

...The time and the space to reflect and cultivate inner calm were so valuable. This was a very healing experience for me. It also started me on the practice of meditating. I meditate every day now, just for 10 minutes, but it makes a huge difference in my everyday life and with work.

Cristina Mormorunni

...I am so much more aware of the path I want to be on and the power of the sacred in my life.

...I came to Vallecitos for a retreat years ago and fell in love with it. Now as a volunteer and yogi I try to come back every summer to soak up the stunning landscapes as well as the rich dharma. This place truly calls me home.

Jane Cronlund

...Since the retreat, my pace of personal breakthroughs has quickened and old dynamics seem to be changing in positive ways. I am better able to deal with previously tense situations and successfully resolve them. I have increased feelings of peace. Thank you!

Katie Gall

...Vallecitos has truly become a home to me. Working with such great teachers and mentors is an honor and being able to absorb all the knowledge and blessings that flow through the gorgeous land has shaped my soul and nourished my mind. It really is a magical place that I am forever grateful for.

Khalil Hassan

...I cannot express in words alone how important the retreat was for me. One of the most valuable lessons I learned is the importance of listening to my inner self. Vallecitos provided the necessary environment that makes it impossible not to go inward. When I returned home, I hit the ground running, but with a more focused direction. I attribute that to my stay at Vallecitos.

...17 years ago, I received an invitation to sit for 10 days of silence at Vallecitos. I accepted the invitation with no idea of the lasting impact the retreat would have on me. Over the years, the annual pilgrimage has provided me with tools to sustain and deepen my ongoing mediation practice. Sweeping fields of wildflowers, star-dotted nights, and bubbling streams provide a unique opportunity to directly experience interconnectedness. This gentle, wild setting is a profound environment to recharge mind, spirit, and body.

Debra Susan Abbot

...I had a tremendous experience at Vallecitos, which is one of the most rewarding and positive things I’ve done within my lifetime. I have incorporated many of the things I learned into my daily life, and it has been very healthy for me. I had to experience loving kindness, sympathetic joy and generosity to understand the full power and grace of these profound feelings and actions.

Mushim Ikeda

...I was teaching at Vallecitos one year in August, during the meteor showers. Our sensitivity heightened by hours of silent meditation, we would stand outside at night and watch trails of light cross the vast dark sky, signs from what I call the Greater Reality. Unforgettable.

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