UPWARD & INWARD – a 4-days climbing & mindfulness retreat in Ticino
(guided in English)
Date
14 - 17 November 2025
Location
In Ascona (TI), Casa Moscia
Climbing areas around Ascona, e.g. in Balladrum
Description
What happens when you take mindfulness off the mat and onto the rock?
What happens when you bring presence and stillness to your climbing?
Join Anne and Kevin in Ticino for a unique 4-day retreat that blends rock climbing, meditation and self-inquiry – an immersive experience in Nature designed to stretch both body and mind. Through climbing, we meet ourselves: our fears, our ego, our patterns of control and trust. Through mindfulness, we learn how to pause, observe, and move with greater awareness and intention – on the wall, and in life.
Over the course of these 4 days, you’ll be guided through daily climbing sessions and mindfulness reflective practices that explore:
- Trust & communication – with yourself, your climbing partners, and the environment
- Fear – how to meet it, work with it, and not be ruled by it
- Courage – not in the absence of fear, but in taking action anyway
- Ego – how it shows up, and how to soften its grip
- Presence – to be fully here, one breath, one hold at a time
- Contentment – cultivating playfulness and joy for where we are
Program
Expect a mix of outdoor climbing, mindful movement (gentle morning yoga, evening restorative and releasing sessions), meditation, journaling and group dialogue. No two days will be the same – and the journey is the real goal!
Weather note: The retreat takes place in any weather. In case of rain, we’ll adapt the program with alternative movement practices, climbing theory, mindfulness workshops and time for rest and reflection.
Who is it for?
This retreat is for curious climbers with at least some experience. You need to be comfortable with top rope climbing; lead experience is recommended but not mandatory. No yoga or meditation experience is required. All technical gear is provided – just bring your climbing shoes and helmet, plus an open mind.
The retreat is limited to 12 spots. Reserve yours now!
Journey and arrival
Travel by your own: meeting point is Friday at 11:15 at the Hotel Casa Moscia in Ascona.
Possibility to traveling with the Unisport bus.
Departure: 07:30 from the University (Bodanstrasse 1).
Costs of travel with the Unisports bus: CHF 30 for return trip.
Departure
The end of the retreat will be latest on Monday at 14:30 at the hotel.
Back in St.Gallen around 18:30.
Accommodation and food
The Hotel Casa Moscia is located directly on Lake Maggiore.
The dinner is served as a rich buffet with lots of vegetables, salads and a Mediterranean flavour. There are also options for vegan or gluten free nutrition.
At lunch time you will probably be at the rock – so bring some food for lunch by yourself. It is also possible to buy some additional food in the next village.
The dormitories are for 4 - 6 persons. You can also ask for a double or single room, panoramic or normal – there are different options.
Meet your hosts
Kevin Kohler is a mountain guide aspirant, high school teacher in sports and philosophy, and a certified mindfulness trainer (MBSR). His passion for sport climbing lies in those moments when the body moves intuitively — when conscious thought fades and one movement flows seamlessly into the next. He has been sharing this fine sensitivity for body and rock with great enthusiasm in climbing courses for over six years now. His long-standing mindfulness practice increasingly shapes his work in the mountains, helping him to guide with greater presence and awareness. In doing so, he creates spaces where people can connect more authentically with themselves and the natural world.
Anne Eberhardt has been teaching yoga, mindfulness and meditation for over 10 years. A paragliding pilot and mountain lover, her teaching draws inspiration from nature and the elements, guiding people to tune into the world within so they can navigate the world around them with more clarity and ease. An advocate for movement, mental health and kindness, she is an enthusiastic cheerleader for other’s growth – fostering spaces where people feel safe to explore, evolve and surprise themselves – always with a grounding, human touch.
Costs
CHF 450 for students
CHF 530 for employees and alumni
(Incl. 3 nights with half board in a shared room (4 - 6 persons), mountain guide, technical climbing gear, meditation & yoga teacher)
(Excl. travel and lunch)
Additional CHF 30 for the journey in the Unisport bus.
Additional CHF 140 for a bed in a double room.
Possibility to book a single room – price on request.
Beim Unisport gilt eine Zahlungsfrist von 48h ab Buchung. Anmeldungen sind verpflichtend. Der Unisport behält sich das Recht vor, bei nicht fristgerechter Zahlung Teilnehmende aus Kursen zu stornieren, wobei Stornogebühren anfallen können.
Application
Application deadline: 11 October 2025
Complete the booking link and registration form.
Number of partipants
Min. 8 / max. 12
Equipment
For climbing:
- Weather-appropriate hiking & climbing clothes (think breathable base layers, fleece, warm jacket, rain)
- Down jacket
- Beanie, maybe gloves and scarf (it can be chilly in November)
- trainers with good grip or hiking shoes
- helmet (climbing or bike helmet possible)
- climbing shoes (can probably be rented from the Kletterhalle St.Gallen)
- backpack with approx. 30-40l
For the meditation & yoga:
- Comfortable clothes (including warm layers for cooler mornings/evenings. Yoga and climbing cloth can also be the same)
- Warm socks
- Yoga mat (renting from Unisport possible)
General:
- Water bottle
- Notebook & pen
- Sunglasses, sun cream, hut
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Toilet bag
- shower towel (not provided by the accommodation)
- Oropax (for shared room)
- bathing suit (for a dip near lake)
- charging cable and other needed stuff
- Optional: Flip Flop or similar sandals for around the house or at the rock
If available (please indicate in the registration form what you have):
- Your own belay device (Smart, Grigri ...)
- rope
- Climbing harness
- 2 Carabiner with locking device
- Sling for self-belaying
- Express set
- Safety goggles
- Chalkbag & chalk
Veranstaltungen und weitere Angebote
Kontakt
E-Mail: unisport(at)unisg.ch / Telefon: 071 224 22 50
Für Klettern - Climbing & mindfulness Retreat verantwortlich beim Unisport: Eva Koller
Newsletter
Kann hier angefordert werden.
Versicherungen / AGB
Versicherung ist Sache der Teilnehmer:innen. Im Weiteren gelten die Allgemeinen Geschäftsbedingungen (AGB) des Universitätssports. Diese sind unter sport.unisg.ch zu finden.
