IMPORTANT: Please complete the Trail West Waiver before you arrive.
The Zoweh Team is excited that you have registered for The Heart of a Warrior Encounter West October 13-16, 2022! We have seen God move mightily in the hearts of men at our conferences and are hopeful and expectant that He will again set many hearts free as we return to Colorado this weekend.
Thank you for stepping into this great weekend, for your heart, and ultimately, the hearts of others. However, steps toward life and freedom are opposed. Be on the lookout and don’t give up the precious ground that you’ve made by registering for The Heart of a Warrior Encounter West. We have been and will continue to pray for you as the conference approaches.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email event coordinator Sherry Jennings at sherry@zoweh.org. This webpage is your place of contact. Check back periodically for any updates or changes.
To prepare your heart, please read one (or all!) of the following books:
- The Heart of a Warrior by Michael Thompson
- It’s Your Call by Gary Barkalow
- Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
We believe this pre-weekend assignment is critical to what God has for a man at The Heart of a Warrior Encounter West, especially if you are attending for the first time.
From the camp doctor at YoungLife's Trail West ... "As the Camp Doc and a Colorado resident for over 20 years, I know how the effects of altitude sickness can take a man out if he's not prepared. The best defense is ... hydration. A good indicator of proper hydration is: if your urine is NOT almost clear, you're not hydrated enough. Encourage the men to begin hydrating NOW to prepare their bodies for the 8,000 foot elevation." There you have it, men. Drink plenty of water, starting NOW, and continuing throughout the Encounter weekend.
Plan on arriving to check in at YoungLife's Trail West Lodge between 4-6 PM on Thursday. At check in, you'll receive a packet with information regarding your accommodations. Allow 20-30 minutes for the check in process.
You've made all the arrangements to get away with God this weekend- take the time when you arrive at Trail West Lodge to call your family and give them the CONFERENCE EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER (719) 966-9516, then turn your phone off and fully be present. When someone calls the emergency number, we will endeavor to get the message to the intended as quickly as possible.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email event coordinator Sherry Jennings at sherry@zoweh.org. This webpage is your place of contact. Check back periodically for any updates or changes.
We are so looking forward to our time together and the mission to take steps further up and further in to the Life God has for each of us!
Everything you NEED once you arrive at Young Life's Trail West Lodge is included in the registration fee:
- lodging in upscale bunk rooms, which includes pillow, sheets, blanket, and a towel
- notebooks
- sessions
- meals Thursday dinner-Sunday breakfast
- 'round the clock coffee
- most free time activities (ropes course, climbing wall, archery tag, hiking, disc golf, ziplining, pool, hot tub)
Optional things to consider that would be an additional cost:
- books/apparel from the resource center
- items from the snack bar (ice cream, candy bars, chips, popcorn, soda, etc.)
- items from the camp store (mugs, shirts, blankets)
- Blacksmithing at free time, signups coming soon!
- And of course, the costs inherent to travel to and from the event are NOT included.
What to pack: Pack and bring what you need to be comfortable through the weekend. Accustomed to snacks between meals? Bring some. Love your pillow? Bring it. Planning to go on a hike? Bring your hiking boots. Are you that guy who wears shorts year round? Pack shorts! Wanna take a dip in the pool? Bring a pool towel.
From the camp doctor at YoungLife's Trail West ... "As the Camp Doc and a Colorado resident for over 20 years, I know how the effects of altitude sickness can take a man out if he's not prepared. The best defense is ... hydration. A good indicator of proper hydration is: if your urine is NOT almost clear, you're not hydrated enough. Encourage the men to begin hydrating NOW to prepare their bodies for the 8,000 foot elevation." There you have it, men. Drink plenty of water, starting NOW, and continuing throughout the Encounter weekend.
Schedule/Dress: The weekend schedule will not available until you arrive at The Heart of a Warrior Encounter West, where you will be given information as needed. Dress comfortably—check the weather for Buena Vista, Colorado as the weekend approaches. All facilities are cooled/heated as needed.
Hiking, BBGun Range, 18-Hole Frisbee Golf Course, archery tag, fitness center, axe throwing, basketball, cornhole, spikeball, rocking chairs on porches, and naps are all included!
BLACKSMITHING: with Forged in Fire Champions and ABS Bladesmiths, Billy Salyers and Britt Barnes. In this session, Billy and Britt will train you in the basics of blacksmithing, guiding you through the process of forging your own unique creation -- a unique piece with a special story. You will also get to observe a knife making demonstration by professional blacksmiths. Knives from Yellow Rose Forge will also be available for purchase at the weekend. Cost: $35/man limited spots available, Friday & Saturday 1:15 and 2:30PM. REGISTER HERE.
Fly Fishing
The Rocky Mountains offer one of the most lush and fruitful fishing locations in the U.S. Whether you rent equipment in town for a self-guided trip or make reservations with a local guide, this could be the adventure for you. Plan or book your fly fishing trip with one of the local guides and shops for Friday or Saturday between 1-4 PM. Associated costs, arrangements, and transportation are your own responsibility.
Local Guides and Shops:
Other Local R&R:
- Hot Springs: Take a load off and find a place to soak up some R&R and God's beautiful creation in local Hot Springs
Website - Chaffee County Shooting Range: Love target shooting? Brought your firearm? Check out the local firing range and see if you are a crack shot. Gear, Targets, Ammo is up to you. - Chaffee County Shooting Range
Website
We encourage and invite you to pray The Daily Prayer and The Heart of a Warrior Conference Prayer regularly leading up to the event.
We strongly encourage you to recruit three family members or friends who are willing to pray for you leading up to, during, and after the conference. Please invite them to register their names and their emails here so we can correspond with them just prior to and during the conference.
Let's pray together right now...
Dear God, Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Spirit, thank you for arranging for my getaway with you. Thank you for pursuing me and wanting me, inviting me to come away and explore the glory of who you are and discover more of your Love, Life, and Kingdom. I worship you and offer my hopes for this weekend to you. I invite you to prepare my heart, soul, mind, and body; all of who I am and am becoming; for the journey and the steps you have for me tthrough The Heart of a Warrior Encounter.
Father, you are my true father and the one who has brought me into your family through Christ, your son. I too am your son and receive all the work of Jesus on my behalf; Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension. Thank you for your grace and your love and for wanting me as yours. I open my heart to you now and through these days leading to The Heart of a Warrior Encounter. Thank you for making me a Beloved Son and for revealing to me all that is wonderful, glorious, and significant about my place in your heart.
Jesus, thank you for coming for me, ransoming me, redeeming me, and now restoring me into the greatest version of myself—who you made me to be when you knew me before the foundations of the earth. I declare you are the King of my heart, the Good Shepherd, the Savior of my life, and I take my place now in your Life… you alone are Life. I give you my heart and all the hopes I have in this weekend. I give you my hurts, disappointments, and discouragement. Carry me to the weekend, Jesus. Prepare my heart for more of you and more of me—my true self, the Beloved Son of a good, good Father.
Holy Spirit, I give you my heart. Thank you for guiding me to this weekend away with you. I confess, I need you, Holy Spirit. Connect with my spirit in the deep places. I give you permission to prepare my heart for the days ahead and for the weekend to come. I need your guidance, counsel, teaching, and correction. Prepare my heart, Holy Spirit, for the weekend; prepare my eyes, ears, and heart to receive all you have for me that you would bring transformation and irreversible change to my life.
Dear God, Blessed Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, protect me from the evil one. I call forth the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ over my heart, my marriage, my family, my relationships, and all of my domain. I declare, this is a weekend set apart for my healing, training, and freedom and that Satan and the kingdom of darkness and all the fallen angels are defeated by the Cross and full work of Christ, and I take my place in the Cross declaring victory over the enemies of my heart and all their foul work set against me, my family, and my domain. I pray in and claim the day of reckoning where lies are replaced with the truth and freedom takes the place of any and all bondage. I take my place as a Beloved Son-Warrior Man of your Kingdom. With all its privileges and responsibilities, I prepare my heart to receive the fullness of who you made me and the authority which you want to entrust to me.
Father, send out your warring angels, dispatch the heavenly hosts to war for me and my second birth right. I bring my full heart and all of my domain—everywhere I have been given authority—under the provision and protection of the Lord Jesus Christ who has called me away for this weekend. I declare my freedom and these steps to freedom. I bring the authority, reign, and rule of the Lord Jesus Christ over my household, my finances, my relationship, my work, and all of my domain. I declare, Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. I belong to God and all the riches and blessings He has set for me in Christ I now claim in the name and authority that is above every name, Jesus, my Savior and my King. Amen and AMEN!