OnChain | OffGrid | AFK | IRL

A Return to Meaning

Touch Dirt

25th - 29th September 2025

A gathering for those of us who live on the edge of the real world. We spend much of our live in front of screens building digital products, & communities. We build friendships and our social life online, because we are internet native.
But now, it's time to bring our meatsuits, and touch dirt together.

Details

Where

Yes, we know that there are no Saguaro in NM, but they look cool... so deal with it

NM High Desert - Taos County
We’ll hike through the canyons, sleep near rivers, and end with a soak at the legendary Ojo Caliente mineral springs.
You’ll carry what you need, and leave with what you didn’t know you were missing.

📍Map of the Journey

When

25th - 29th September 2025 or
Arrive by 7:00 AM on Thursday, September 25th
Depart Tuesday morning, September 29th

Detailed Itinerary

What

A five-day off-grid journey through the high desert.
Minimalist backpacking. Intentional connection.
No talks. No panels. No signal.
Just land, people, and purpose.We hike. We cook. We listen. We soak.
We reconnect—with nature, each other, and ourselves.⚠️ You’ll carry your own gear each day. Tent, sleeping kit, and personal items. As we hike between campsites. It’s not ultralight backpacking, but it’s not glamping either.

Who

This isn’t for everyone. TouchDirt is limited to 8-10 builders, creatives, founders, and internet-native people who spend most of their lives online, but want something real.People who:

  • Think deeply about the why behind what they create

  • Are willing to get uncomfortable in pursuit of clarity

  • Believe in community, curiosity, and presence

  • Are fit and active, and up for a challenge

You don’t need to be a hardcore backpacker. But Day 2 will be challenging. You do need to be open-minded, respectful, and capable of carrying your own pack.If you’ve felt the call to step away and get grounded, this is for you.

Pricing

  • 5-day guided experience

  • Food will be provided. Lunches will be simple trail ready. Dinners prepared together in camp.

  • Water will be provided

  • Group access to Ojo Caliente Spa & final night camping at Ojo included

  • Shuttle to the spa from the trail

🏕️ All-Inclusive – 800 USDC

We’ve got you covered. Includes everything in above, plus:

  • One-person tent

  • Sleeping pad + sleeping bag

  • Backpack

🎒 Bring Your Own – 550 USDC

You bring your own gear: tent, sleeping setup, and water system.
We provide the rest. For seasoned campers or those who like to travel with their kit.
You’ll Need:

  • Lightweight tent, Sleeping pad + bag (check the weather forecast to know what to expect)

  • Backpack

  • Water system (e.g., CamelBak or bottles)

  • GOOD hiking shoes

  • Clothing layers. (Long and short pants and shirts, swim suit)

  • Wipes, personal items, etc

⚠️ You’ll carry your own gear each day, tent, sleeping kit, and personal items, as we hike between campsites.

Food & Drinks

Plant-based nourishment for the Journey Food isn’t just fuel, it’s part of the rhythm. We’ll eat simply, eat well, and eat together.

Breakfast & Trail Lunches

  • Light and ready to move

  • Think oats, nuts, fruit, trail mixes, jerky, wraps

  • Designed to carry well and power the hike

Dinner

  • Cooked together in camp. Communal, slow, and nourishing

  • Warming stews, fire-cooked veggies, hearty grains

  • We prep together, eat together, clean together

Drinks

  • Fresh water always available

  • Morning coffee to kick things off

  • Alcohol is discouraged during the hikes for safety and presence

Shower & Toilets

No Showers (Until Ojo)

This is backcountry hiking. There won’t be showers until we reach the hot springs at Ojo.

  • Bring biodegradable wipes if you need them

  • Embrace the desert dryness, you’ll sweat less than you think

  • We’ll all be a little dusty together, and that’s part of the point

✱ On Day 5, we soak in natural mineral springs. You'll earn it.

Toilets: Nature is the Bathroom

  • Find a spot away from camp and water

  • Dig a small hole (at least 6 inches deep)

  • Do your thing, then bury it properly

  • Pack out all paper and hygiene products—Leave No Trace

✱ We’ll go over this together on Day 1. It’s easy, respectful, and more normal than you’d expect.

♻️ Pack In, Pack Out

We carry everything in and we carry everything out. That includes all trash, wrappers, hygiene products, and anything else that doesn’t belong in the wild. Nothing gets left behind.To keep our backpacks as light as possible and the experience focused, meals, water, and supplies will be pre-cached at each campsite ahead of time. You won’t need to haul five days’ worth of food or gallons of water, but you are responsible for your own gear as well as waste, every step of the way.

⚠️ Disclaimer

We’ll be in the desert. There can be snakes (including rattlesnakes), spiders, coyotes, and other wildlife.
While the end of September is typically pleasant, weather in the high desert is unpredictable. You might experience strong winds, dust, hot days, or cold nights.If you’ve got a level head and stay aware of your surroundings, you’ll be just fine. But don’t expect a hotel or an Airbnb.📄 Liability Waiver
Participation in TouchDirt requires you to read and sign a Liability Waiver & Assumption of Risk Agreement. This will be provided in your confirmation email and must be completed before arrival. Read the full waiver here → (link to full waiver TBD)

Itinerary

September 25 – 29, 2025

Day 1 — Arrival & Rivers

Returning to the Land

7:00 AM meetup at our first trailhead (you will be responsible for your own transportation to this point). We begin with our feet on the earth and our packs on our backs.
Start: Meeting Point
End: Night 1 Camp

  • Easy 2 hour hike into the canyon

  • Set up our first basecamp near the confluence of the Rio Pueblo and Rio Grande

  • Grounding time in the water, land, and silence

  • Campfire intention-setting:

  • Who are we?

  • Why are we here?

  • What are we ready to leave behind?

A reminder: This isn’t about what we build. It’s about why we build.

Day 2 — The Climb

Challenge & Reflection

We rise with the sun and begin a strenuous ascent out of the canyon. After breakfast we break down camp and have some fun with river tubes. We float down the rio grand to the entrance of our 600ft climb hike out of the canyon.
Start: Night 1 Camp
End: Night 2 Camp

  • Physical challenge = internal reflection

  • Minimal, mindful lunch on the trail

  • Reach a high-ground camp with sweeping views

  • Set up camp, rest, and reflect

  • Evening circle:

  • What are we shedding?

  • What are we reclaiming?

  • How do we reconnect with purpose?

Day 3 — The Rim

Perspective & Meaning

We continue along the Rio Grande Gorge Rim Trail, walking the edge of earth and sky.
Start: Night 2 Camp
End: Night 3 Camp

  • Panoramic views expand our vision

  • A day of hiking and reflection

  • Set up camp at a mid-rim spot

  • Evening gathering:

  • Fireside storytelling or quiet under the stars

  • Music, stillness, or shared silence

  • Reflections on “The Why” beyond products, beyond work

Day 4 — The Bridge

Crossing Into Integration

A symbolic day of transition.
Start: Night 3 Camp
End: Gorge Bridge Walk + Pickup

  • Final morning trek to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (650 ft drop)

  • Walk the bridge together. A crossing into deeper awareness

  • Shuttle to Ojo Caliente Resort & Spa

  • Set up final camp at the spa campground

  • Time to rest, soak, and begin integration

Day 5 — Restoration & Return

A day for soaking, stillness, and soft closure.
Start & End: Ojo Camp

  • Morning soak — water as renewal, body as temple

  • Optional hike to Joseph’s Mine — curiosity and exploration

  • Evening soak & closing circle:

  • What did we reconnect with?

  • What do we want to carry back?

  • How will this shape our path forward?

Saying Good By

With heavy hearts, but new friends and more meaning in our life, we say good by.

  • Shuttle back to Taos

A Return to Meaning

What is TouchDirt?

TouchDirt is about disconnecting. It's a regenerative mindset, but from the perspective of the self. It starts with the individual.While we often focus on big systems and structural change, it's also vital to make space for personal reconnection. TouchDirt is a chance for people who believe in a regenerative future—less waste, less capitalism, more meaning—to live intentionally together for a few days.

Intentionallity

This experience is minimalistic by design. It should be challenging. We should be mindful of water, food, and our relationship with the land. It’s a reset—physically and mentally.There’s something important in the current "touch grass" movement. It exists for a reason: society today creates immense pressure. The rat race is real. Touching nature shouldn’t be a novelty or a meme. It should be part of daily life. Yet for many, especially those in cities, it’s just not accessible.TouchDirt goes deeper than that. It's about more than camping. It's about reflecting on the rest of the year. Coming together, having real, deep conversations, without screens.

The Structure

The initially idea was simple: bring people together in nature, set up primitive camps, a backpacking trip. A quest.

Each day we have a physical destination and an intentional theme. We have camp fires, music, deep dives into the why (instead of the what).

Cultural and Philosophical Elements

Our journey and focus should be introspective but grounded. Not necessarily spiritual in the traditional sense, but deeply philosophical. Who are we? Why do we do what we do? What do we believe in? And how does that belief system inform the things we build, the communities we invest in, and the future we envision?

Not About Building

We are builders. Creators. Artizens. All year long, we create, we code, we prototype, we launch. But TouchDirt is not about that. It’s about stepping back. TouchDirt is about the why. Why are we building? What truly matters?A place to recharge and reflect. To reconnect with our deeper purpose. To inform the rest of the year.

Intention

This is not a hackathon, not another conference, not burning man and not a traditional retreat. It’s not about our creations, our products, our companies, our communities. It’s about the philosophy. It’s about setting the tone for the rest of the year.With intention,
SvenH