Sensi Magazine Colorado - Summer 2023

24 The Maine Attraction

Camp Laughing Grass is the state’s first licensed, cannabis-friendly campground.

30 The Bright Lights of Northern Lights

The famed California music festival celebrates its 10th year with a new blend of electronic music and cannabis offerings.

36 Foraging for Magic

Stalking the wild Azzie in the mushroomhunting capital of the Pacific Northwest

DEPARTMENTS

11 EDITOR’S NOTE

12 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop

COUNTERCULTURE CHOCOLATES Midnight Bars’ tasty cannabis treats WEED LICENSE Cannabis license plate auction bene ts disabled community.

HIGH TEHC TOKE Looking for new ways to enjoy THC more quickly?

SOUNDS LIKE SUMMER Festivals that are music to your ears.

THE GREATEST GOOD Cannabis Cares recognizes businesses giving back.

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS Take the staycation of a lifetime at Cloud Camp, part of the Broadmoor Wilderness Experiences.

18 THE LIFE

Contributing to your health and happiness

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE At The Wild Animal Sanctuary, rescued exotic and endangered animals live large.

42 THE SCENE

Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town

NEW SENSATIONS

Boulder-based Sage Space Retreat combines technology and traditional medicine for a new way of healing body and mind.

50 THE END

ON THE COVER Northern Nights Music Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary.

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder ron@sensimag.com

Jamie Cooper President jamie.cooper@sensimag.com

Jade Kolb COO jade@sensimag.com

Jona Patterson Creative Director jona@sensimag.com

PUBLISHING

Tyler Tarr Market Director, Colorado

Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan

Richard Guerra Market Director, Massachusetts

Jake Boynton Market Director, Massachusetts

Keely Thornhill Market Director, Oklahoma

EDITORIAL

Matthew Solan Executive Editor Matthew.Solan@sensimag.com

Mike DiPaola Copy Editor Mike.Dipaola@sensimag.com

Elana Frankel National Contributor

Robyn Griggs Lawrence National Contributor

Aaron Bible Contributor, Colorado

Claire Barber Contributor, Colorado

Leland Rucker Contributor, Colorado

Meredith Freed Contributor, Massachusetts

Gretchen VanMonette Contributor, Michigan

Debbie Hall Contributor, Oklahoma

DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com

Rheya Tanner Art Director

Wendy Mak Designer

Josh Clark Designer

Andrew Ontko Designer

PRODUCTION

Neil Willis

Production Director & Client Support Specialist

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The summer season holds a special place in

our hearts as it allows us to indulge in our favorite activities. From attending vibrant music festivals to enjoying the serene beauty of beaches and lakes, we relish the opportunity to connect with the great outdoors alongside our cherished cannabis communities, friends, and family.

This particular summer holds even more significance for us as we unveil our exciting new programs in every market we serve. Since 2020, we have been compelled to re-evaluate our business and adapt to changing circumstances.

In late 2020, we transitioned to a digital platform. However, by the summer of 2021, our partners expressed a desire for tangible magazines they could hold in their hands. As a result, we introduced four regional magazines (Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Oklahoma) and organized four events: two Sensi Nights and two Sensi Connects. These programs continued successfully throughout the year until a new opportunity presented itself.

FACEBOOK

Like Sensi Media Group to infuse your newsfeed with more of our great cannabis lifestyle content.

TWITTER

Follow @sensimag for need-to-know news and views from Sensi headquarters.

Recognizing the value of facilitating connections between buyers and brands, we initiated curated events held eight times a year across the states we serve. These intimate gatherings focus on driving revenue and cultivating stronger relationships between buyers and brands at a statewide level.

We are delighted to welcome two exceptional leaders to our Senior Leadership team to further enhance our operations. Jamie Cooper, who currently spearheads our Michigan market, has assumed the role of president and will oversee our marketing, content, and production departments. Meanwhile, Jade Kolb has assumed the position of chief operating officer (COO) and has remarkably transformed our systems and programs within a matter of months. Their invaluable perspectives contribute to our leadership team, ensuring immediate and meaningful impact.

Furthermore, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our new website alongside this latest issue. We invite you to visit SensiMag.com and explore the remarkable digital programs that will emerge from this innovative platform.

INSTAGRAM

Pretty things, pretty places, pretty awesome people: nd it all on @sensimagazine

Within this issue, you will discover captivating stories around cannabis-focused events and summer tourism, such as foraging for mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest and a visit to Cloud Camp at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.

Happy Summer, Sensi Readers!

This particular summer holds even more significance for us as we unveil our exciting new programs in every market we serve.

Ron Kolb

Counterculture Chocolates

In a world of bland, cardboard-tasting supermarket chocolates, why not treat your tastebuds to artisan chocolate cannabis bars and discs from Midnight Bars?

There are 14 combinations to select from, each handcrafted in small batches. Try their traditional creamy milk chocolate or indulge in one of their more unique flavors. The Key Lime Pie white chocolate and S’mores are popular, while the seasonal Pumpkin Spice and Strawberry-Lemonade milk chocolates must be tried to be believed. The line also includes

dark chocolate and two sugar-free options. Each bar has 200 mg of THC, conveniently scored for portion control.

Try one of their Full Moon bites for a smaller portion with maximum dosage. Made with the same high-quality ingredients and THC, these chocolate discs are packed with 200 mg of THC and come in various flavors — Thin Mint, Strawberry Milkshake, and Orange Chocolate — as well as sugar-free versions.

Midnight Bars and Full Moons were created by grower Jacob

Greba, winner of 12 High Times awards, and produced and distributed through a partnership with Highway Horticulture.

— Gretchen VanMonette

Satisfy your sweet tooth and pick up a Midnight Bar or a couple Full Moon bites from the candy counter at your favorite dispensary or visit

W33D L1C3N53

Cannabis license plate auction bene ts disabled community

As if your standard green Colorado license plate doesn’t already say what it needs to say, you can up your chances of getting pulled over out of state with these new, fundraising MJ-themed license plates.

Last month, the state held its third annual cannabis-themed license plate auction, allowing fans to rep con gurations such as “DANK,” the creative “FRTWNTY,” and simply “MJ” on their whips. Proceeds support Colorado’s disabled community through the Colorado Disability Funding Committee, raising more than $40,000 yearly since its inception. Last year the plate con guration “420” went for $10,000.

The 2023 auction wrapped up at the end of April. Now you’ll see the unique personalized plates around town, or winners can purchase a novelty plate for display in their home or o ce while retaining the rights to the unique wording.

But cannabis isn’t the only star of this unique fundraising show. Star Wars-themed plates spelling out “ANAKIN,” “OBIWAN,” and “CHEWY” were also auctioned o , along with plates commemorating the long-anticipated re-opening of Casa Bonita (the cli diving-themed Mexican restaurant), purchased in 2021 by Matt Stone and Trey Parker of South Park fame.

Others may opt for something classic yet low-key: the original “greenie” plate background, used from 1962 to 1999, whose purchase also goes to support the state’s disability funding committee. — Aaron Bible

BY THE NUMBERS

46.2 PERCENT

Percentage of cannabis sales from millennial consumers (people born between 1981 and 1996); Next is Generation X (born between the mid1960s and 1980) at 23.9%; Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2010) at 16.8%; and Bab Boomers (born between 1946 and the mid-1960s) at 13.1%.

SOURCE: Headset Demographics Report 2023

0.5

Amount of every dollar spent in the U.S. on cannabis topical products during the rst two months of 2023 that came from female consumers.

SOURCE: Headset Demographics Report 2023

HIGH TeHC TOKE

Looking for new ways to enjoy THC more quickly? This product line has you covered.

Their next generation of products springs from a proprietary technology that improves the way THC and other cannabinoids enter the body. The 28 global patents provide fast and accurate dosing, allowing a discreet high with an average onset time of 15 minutes.

Take High TeHC’s versatile Elev8 powder, for example. Scooping out five milligrams of the lightly honeyed-flavored powder at a time adds a healthy dose of THC to anything, with no weed taste. The DeHydr8 food science team has seen Elev8 dosed in mocktails, soda, salad dressing, BBQ sauce, ice cream, or just dropped on the tongue. “As a beverage enhancer, it’s a way to enjoy the social aspect of drinking without the alcohol,” says DeHydr8 founder Todd Webber. “You can still be the life of the party, but without a hangover.”

HIGH TeHC also offers naturally sweetened, vegan, and gluten-free gummies known as the TeHC Stack by HIGH TeHC. They are already racking up rave reviews for their beneficial ingredients, great taste, and quick onset. Coming soon to retail shelves is their Tic TeHCs (think Tic Tacs) featuring flavors like Mellow Melon, Lemon Haze, Vanilla Mint, and Grape. These dissolving treats provide a quick, predictable microdose of 2.5 mg of THC per piece, allowing anyone to find the best dose to fit their lifestyle. “We’re finding that many users are looking to microdose, not get blown out of their minds. Weekday enjoyment is often different from weekend use,” says Webber. — GV

PHOTOS FROM LEFT: COURTESY OF @GOVOFCO TWITTER; DEHYDR8

Sounds Like Summer

Planning to visit the Centennial State this summer? Here are a few musical and cultural events you should check out.

Dillon Amphitheater Summer Concerts

The Dillon Amphitheater boasts some of the best views in the state and gives unprecedented access with its intimate scale and casual atmosphere. It’s one of the most stunning venues in the Rockies to see a show and sometimes the talent is legendary: Bob Dylan performed last year. This year, catch the Infamous Stringdusters and Gregory Alan Isakof, plus many more outstanding performances, some of which are free.

June 15–September 14, Dillon / dillonamphitheater.com

51st Annual RockyGrass Festival

Put on by the same group that brings us Telluride Bluegrass but in a more accessible, convenient, family-friendly location in Lyons, any “festivarian” or bluegrass fan has to put this one on their bucket list.

July 28-30, Lyons / bluegrass.com/rockygrass

Rocky Mountain Folks Festival

Can’t make it to RockyGrass, or looking for something even more laid back? Then pull up a folding rocker creekside (at the Planet Bluegrass/RockyGrass headquarter grounds) along the beautiful bu s and lazy river above Lyons and take in an incredible folksy lineup, including Leyla McCalla, Shovels and Rope, Charlie Crockett, Katie Pruitt, and plenty of jam sessions and clinics to boot. — AB Aug. 11–13, Lyons / bluegrass.com/folks

The Greatest Good

Cannabis Cares recognizes businesses giving back.

Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses, the Office of Marijuana Policy, and a handful of other businesses and local non-profits focusing on social equity recently launched a new industry recognition program called Cannabis Cares.

According to Denver.gov, the Cannabis Cares program is a City and County of Denver initiative that recognizes “cannabis businesses that go above and beyond to make a positive impact.” The group says businesses can earn “badges” that represent their commitment in five areas: diversity and inclusion; social equity; sustainability; community engagement; and contracting with minority-owned businesses.

During an in-person networking event at City Park Pavilion, Cannabis Cares pledged to recognize business owners in the cannabis industry that are “giving back to their neighborhoods and communities.” And the program is part of Denver’s overall social-impact plan, which is required for all marijuana licenses in Denver.

Molly Duplechian, Executive Director of the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, told TV station Denver7: “We have been regulating cannabis here in Denver for almost 10 years now, and this new program … is unlike anything we’ve done previously. We try to lead the way with new and innovative policies.”

Businesses focusing on social equity will also be able to participate in a new program from Colorado’s Cannabis Business Office and Oregon-based non-profit partner NuProject, which will provide a revolving fund to offer loans between $50,000 and $150,000 to cannabis businesses. — AB

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT STORY: COURTESY OF DILLON AMPHITHEATER, PLANET BLUEGRASS; COURTESY CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER GOVERNMENT

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

Take the staycation of a lifetime at Cloud Camp, part of the Broadmoor Wilderness Experiences.

Originally opened in 1926 with great fanfare of marching bands, exotic animals, cowboys, and wealthy in uencers of the day, the Cheyenne Mountain Highway must have seemed extremely steep, windy, and treacherous when it rst opened to bring guests to the top of Cheyenne Mountain, high above the greater Pikes Peak region.

Remotely and privately located above Olympic City, USA—otherwise known as Colorado Springs—Cloud Camp is owned and operated by the famed Broadmoor Hotel, an international upscale destination hotel and resort continuously operating since 1918.

Broadmoor founder Spencer Penrose built the road as well as the camp’s original lodge. The exotic animals he was so fond of and that once roamed the grounds of the Broadmoor and up above at Cheyenne Lodge

eventually found their home at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (the highest zoo in North America). The gateway to the Cheyenne Mountain Highway, the stunning Will Rogers Shrine (with its unusual tower and daily chimes sending vibes out across the city since 1937), and on up 3,000 vertical feet to Cloud Camp, was rebuilt and reopened by the Broadmoor in 2014.

The timber frame 8,500-squarefoot main lodge with wrapped decks is stunning, the art is incredible and haunting, and the views of Pikes Peak and the southern Front Range are breathtaking, with a private, unobstructed vantage point. A modern overlook meeting room for private events doubles as a yoga studio.

We all know there’s more than one way to get high in Colorado, and this is de nitely one of the best and most

exclusive. It is highly recommended for large private groups or intimate personal getaways, whether it’s a top-secret corporate strategy meeting, a writing retreat, or the celebration of an important anniversary.

Even though parts of “The Springs” can sometimes feel like you’ve been transported back to the early 1990s into a Beavis and Butt-head cartoon, the Broadmoor and the surrounding foothills are a shining beacon of serenity and access for an otherwise lesser celebrated area of Colorado’s beauty and recreational opportunities.

The Cave of the Winds, Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, and other natural wonders add to the region’s spectacle, history, and inspiration, just an hour south of Denver. The all-inclusive Wilderness Experiences operate from April through October and o er exceptional natural settings, outdoor sports like archery and y shing, and one-of-a-kind stays seamlessly blended with the Broadmoor’s signature luxury hospitality. — AB

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLOUD CAMP

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Where the Wild Things Are

At The Wild Animal Sanctuary, rescued exotic and endangered animals live large.

TEXT LELAND RUCKER

There are fewer than 4,000 wild tigers left in the world, most of them in Asia. In the United States, there are about 5,000 tigers in captivity, according to recent estimates. The International Fund for Animal Welfare puts that number closer to 10,000. The Humane Society of the United States estimates there are as many as 15,000 big cats in private hands in this country; more than 4,000 are in individual hands in Texas alone. These animals are living in restrictive envi-

ronments—held in public and roadside zoos, kept in cages in backyards and basements, often in squalid, inhumane conditions. Some are made to perform, appearing in advertisements for everything from grocery stores to home furniture outlets. Others are sold to hunting ranches or euthanized when they get too large to be useful. None of these animals were captured in the wild. They were bred

here, born in captivity, and most have never seen the outside of a cage. This is not a wildlife conservation issue, it’s a captive-wildlife crisis. It’s animal cruelty. And there’s a Colorado organization dedicated to giving lives of dignity to abused tigers, lions, and bears (oh my!), alpacas, leopards, wolves, lynx, and other animals. The group is giving these exotic, endangered captives rescued from around the

world a wild sanctuary where they can live out their lives in peace—literally a retirement home for abused animals. The appropriately named organization: The Wild Animal Sanctuary.

The nonprofit organization operates three sites in Colorado, with more than 33,000 acres of land providing shelter for more than 750 large carnivores and other rescued animals. The majority of the land is the recently purchased Refuge facility, a private 9,684acre property in southern Colorado. Farther north, about 30 miles northeast of Denver, is the 1,214acre educational facility, open to the public—and worth visiting time and again. Here, more than 550 lions, tigers, bears, wolves, foxes, leopards, jaguars, mountain lions, and other exotic animals live on rolling grasslands and former wheat fields with majestic views of Colorado’s Front Range. In January 2023, the

BY THE NUMBERS: THE WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY’S RESCUED RESIDENTS

• 86 African Lions

• 97 Tigers

• 156 Black Bears

• 43 Grizzly Bears

• 20 Wolves

• 2 Jaguars

• 2 Cheetahs

• 12 Mountain Lions

• 2 Leopards

• 1 Camel

• 4 Coatimundis

• 9 Bobcats

• 9 Lynx

• 12 Coyotes

• 14 Foxes

• 1 Raccoon

• 3 Ostriches

• 8 Emus

• 51 Alpacas

• 225 Horses

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

sanctuary purchased an additional 22,500 acres for their new Wild Horse Refuge, which will offer refuge to wild horses currently being rounded up by Bureau of Land Management programs. “The new refuge is now Colorado’s largest wild mustang sanctuary,” says founder Pat Craig.

For those who can no longer tolerate zoos or seeing animals caged in small enclosures, walking through the sanctuary is a real breath of fresh air, an opportunity to watch contented animals – not ones pacing back and forth at the limits of their boundaries, as one might see in zoos.

The idea for the sanctuary began in 1979 when Craig visited a

friend who had gotten a job as a groundskeeper in a North Carolina zoo.

“He gave me a behindthe-scenes tour,” he says.

“In the back they had a ton of lions, tigers, bears, and stuff, in really cruddy little cages.” When he asked, he was told that for whatever reason there were too many to put on display, and the rest were kept in cages out of sight of the public.

That really bothered Craig. He got in touch with the Denver Zoo and found out that it too had more animals than it knew what to do with, and that some were being euthanized. When he asked what it would take to stop this, he was told he’d have to build his own zoo. Craig couldn’t

do that, but he did have room on his farm and, after some research, he found that if he built enclosures that met zoo standards, he could save the animals. “Back then we called it the conservation center because nobody was using the word ‘sanctuary.’”

He put up some buildings on the farm, passed inspections, and was licensed, in essence becoming the youngest zookeeper in the country. He petitioned to change laws about captive animals to allow them more space. “Initially I didn’t know what I was getting into,” he admits. “But I got the zoning changed and applied for a nonprofit and did all that stuff you’re

supposed to do.”

He immediately sent out letters to every zoo

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in the country offering to take surplus animals off their hands. The reaction was overwhelming. “The fi rst month I got over 300 responses saying they were interested in the idea rather than euthanizing. Those people didn’t want to kill these animals, either.”

The fi rst 12 cages were occupied quickly. He dropped out of school, started building more structures, and got a second, part-time, job to help pay for it.

He moved his “zoo” to a location with more space near Lyons, Colorado, for eight years. Volunteers donated time to help out, but there was always more to do. “I

typically would work until seven or eight at night and then go home and clean till one or two in the morning and feed the animals and then go get a few hours of sleep, go back to work and do that again. I always tell people that it’s like having kids—once you get them, you’re on the hook for the rest of their lives.”

The sanctuary relocated again to its present location in 1994. “When we moved out here, the main goal was to get a lot more space for habitats, because in the early years all the laws and regulations said you needed a concrete floor, chain-link walls or bars or a steel top, and a pret-

ty sterile environment. I was like, ‘Well this kind of sucks. I’m saving a life, but I’m not really giving any kind of quality of life.’”

Watching the animals’ behavior helped him better understand the kinds of habitats they needed. “When they come here, they go into a normal cage—because that was their life before. And then we kind of let them out into a little bigger space until they fi nally go, ‘OK, I’m cool. I realize nobody else here is going to hurt me.’ And then they have to start building muscles and learning motor skills. A lot of them have never touched grass before in

TIPS FOR YOUR VISIT

• It takes three to six hours to see the entire facility, so plan on arriving at least four hours before closing (sunset). They stop taking visitors two hours before then.

• Animals are most active around dusk, especially during the summer.

• Adults: $30; children: $15.

• No dogs allowed, not even service dogs. No, not even if you leave it in your car. (You shouldn’t do that anyway!)

• Your GPS isn’t guaranteed to guide you there. Use the directions on the website.

their lives.”

Craig is not sure we’ll ever get to a place where we don’t have zoos or sanctuaries, so that concept is key to the future.

“You know, our goal is that we all go out of business, and animals are just in the wild. But unfortunately every animal out there is going to go extinct other than tiny managed groups that are theoretically wild, but are just basically habitats that are still fenced. It’s already happening in Africa and in many parts of India. The future is that these animals are going to live in these managed spaces and we’ll call it the wild, but it’s relative.”

• It gets hot during the summer, but there’s almost always a breeze up on the walkway, so bring layers. As well as hats, sunglasses, sunscreen—the standards.

• If you have binoculars, bring them! Otherwise, you can use the free stationary units on walkways and decks, along with the other binoc-less visitors.

THE MAINE

Camp Laughing Grass is the state’s rst licensed, cannabis-friendly campground where everyone can nd something they like.

TEXT ELANA FRANKEL

Late last spring, my husband walked into my home office and said he wanted to go camping for three nights in Maine. I had spent years trying to talk him into pitching a tent in a forest, on a beach, by a lake, or near a mountain, but the cityborn-and-bred, 6’3” man always

was a firm, “No.” So his invitation was a surprising turn.

“But this isn’t really camping camping,” he said. “The tent is already set up, and there’s a Queensized bed with sheets and pillows. We cook outside, and there’s a bathhouse with toilets, sinks, and showers. It’s deep in the woods, by

ATTRACTION

the Crooked River. There are swimming, kayaking, canoes, and hiking trails. And Maine is soooo gorgeous.

“Oh, and one more thing,” he added. “It’s the only state-licensed, cannabis-friendly campground in the country, and they have a 4:20 happy hour daily.”

I was all in.

And so it was six weeks later that we found ourselves rambling down a rocky pathway to a spot called Dark Star, where we would hunker down in a tent in Harrison, Maine, listening to the rainfall (romantic) and hearing owls hoo-hoo-ing in nearby trees (nature). A breeze moved through

the tent, and we were tired from floating in the river and tasting new local strains at the campground happy hour.

There is something magical and serene about spending time outdoors, off the grid, but even more so when there is the freedom to inhale. Whenever you want. With-

out judgment. Without fear. With a like-minded community.

And there’s nothing more poetic than a symphony of coughing to break the night’s silence.

“I love hearing people’s stories,” says Trinity Madison, who founded Camp Laughing Grass four years ago. “And knowing they had fun.”

The Backwoods Backstory

Maine legalized adult use and retail sale in 2016. After purchasing the 17-acre site in 2019, Madison decided to open a 21+ cannabis-friendly campground for storytelling, sharing, and smoking.

But it wouldn’t be cannabis without a pivot, and this coming summer is one for the history books.

Towards the end of last year’s season, Ryan, the founding groundskeeper, died in a motorcycle accident. A vital part of the Camp Laughing Grass vibe, Ryan was the first person you met when you arrived, the first person you called when you ran out of toilet paper or needed firewood, and the first person you asked about local growers. And he was the last

person to wave goodbye as you left. Ryan’s impact can still be felt in the campground as each site’s turndown service is adorned with his trademark mini weed-leaf soap.

Then earlier this year, after a TikTok video went viral, the campground sold out for the season. The five glamping sites and five cabins were booked, but Mother Nature had other plans.

“A storm wiped out the paths, and now the river runs right through the campground,” says Madison.

Madison rearranged the glamping sites to accommodate the guests coming this summer from a range of states and countries. She added a converted mini bus

wired for electricity and running water. She received permission from the town, which has always supported the business since day one, to build an A-frame structure with an indoor/outdoor space for a private hot tub.

A Booming Destination

Cannabis tourism is evolving and has become a $17 billion industry, according to Forbes data. However, while Maine’s 12 state park campgrounds, Acadia National Park, and approximately 200 licensed campgrounds are excellent camping options, only Camp Laughing Grass discourages alcohol and tobacco and encourages cannabis.

CANNABIS CAMPING ETIQUETTE

Be respectful. Always. To people and the plant. Leave no trace. No one wants to see blunt butts on the trail or near their tent.

Be mindful of heat, from camp res and roaches. Bring extra water Dehydration and cotton mouth are not a fun combination.

Know your way home Finding your way in the dark is one thing, but nding your way in the dark while high is another.

Quality Cannabis

Quality Concentrates

During our stay, we met people from every age and stage—a group of local, single mothers who needed a break from the day-today; friends who love to camp and smoke; couples of all kinds; and a mother and her son who just got out of rehab and was trying CBD dominant cannabis to keep him off the hard stuff.

The social aspect of Camp Laughing Grass—smoking and sharing stories—bonds campers and sets it apart from other campgrounds.

People like Trinity Madison herself. Not only is she the owner and proprietor of Camp Laughing Grass, but Madison is also its heart and soul. She is knowledgeable, funny, and makes everyone feel at home—and safe. It’s the cannabis community you’ve always wanted to be a part of. And maybe, (just maybe) the rumors of Madison franchising the campground will soon bring cannabis, camping, and community to your state.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

WHAT YOU GET

Each site has access to a re pit, bathhouse, picnic tables, hiking and biking trails, and kayaks and canoes. Glamping sites and cabins range from $119 to $139 per night, while traditional tent sites can be reserved at $59 per night. The converted bus and A-frame are priced upon request. Continental breakfast is included.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Pondicherry Park at Depot St, Bridgton, includes 66 acres of woodlands and streams in the heart of Bridgton and a 2.3-mile trail network from easy to moderate.

Bridgton Books at 140 Main St, Bridgton. An independent bookstore in the area since 1993. Sells new and used.

The Village Tie Up at 29 Main Street in Harrison. If you want an incredible egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwich on the way in or out of the camp friendly tip: don’t ask for it on a roll. It’s a Kaiser.

THE LOCAL SCENE

Every afternoon, the 4:20 Weedchuterie board features samples from local retailers, including High Rollers, Crystal Springs, High Tide Edibles, Sticky Bud Farms, Baked Bliss, GRE (Golden Remedy Edibles), and Paul’s Boutique, and Smokies

OWNER TRINITY MADISON’S PICKS:

• Deliveries from Crystal Springs and High Rollers

• Favorite edible: Highbrow hash rosin fruit punch

• Favorite supplier of hash rosin: Cure Cannabis Co. “I just smoke hash rosin; they always have the biggest selection.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elana Frankel is a writer, creative director, and filmmaker.

The famed California music festival celebrates its 10th year with a new blend of electronic music and cannabis o erings.

TEXT MATTHEW SOLAN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NORTHERN NIGHTS

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The Northern Nights Music Festival—that rare offering of electronic music, cannabis, art, wellness, and glamping—will celebrate its 10th anniversary July 14 to 16 at Cook’s Valley Campground in Piercy, a two-hour drive north of the Bay Area.

An estimated 5,000-plus festival goers are expected to gather in the bend of the Eel River in Humboldt County in the heart of Northern California’s Emerald Triangle.

In business, location is everything, and that’s true for the festival business. “The Cook’s Valley Camp-

ground has hosted Northern Nights every year, and people look forward to getting away from everything for a few days,” say co-founders Matty Roberts and Andrew Borgelt.

CANNABIS CULTURE

Northern Nights have long been a pioneer in marrying cannabis with electronic music. In 2019 when recreational cannabis was legalized in California, Northern Nights became the first overnight camping music festival to sell cannabis on-site. “When cannabis became legal, we knew we had to incorporate it into the festival,” say Roberts and Borgelt.

Last year they upped their commitment a notch by posting dispensaries at multiple stages so people could enjoy the tunes while enjoying their weed. “This year, we plan to expand Northern Nights’ reputation as an integrated cannabis experience and offer cannabis sales throughout the event,” say Roberts and Borgelt.

To celebrate its milestone birthday, Northern Nights will also be the first festival to develop its own in-house cannabis strain, in collaboration with Humboldt Seed Company. Seeds will be available on-site for personal and commercial sales.

The festival’s popular Tree Lounge returns with a new central location, featuring cannabis sales and live music. It will be the only place people can consume the specialized strain.

Other cannabis vendors and businesses who will be on-site include Weedmaps, Embarc Events, Cvalt, and One Log House. There will also be festival-wide cannabis experiences curated by Royal Blunts, Arcata Fire, Boonville Farm, and others. Local cannabis farms will also be on hand to highlight their services, share their stories, and support other local farmers and small businesses looking to pursue cannabis.

MUSICAL GUESTS

But the festival organizers point out that it’s always music first and cannabis second. This year’s lineup will showcase a blend of top electronic musicians and up-and-coming local talent. Scheduled to perform are Belgian drum-and-bass

veteran Netsky, Tokimonsta, Big Gigantic, G Jones, and Dr. Fresch.

Other performers include Coco & Breezy, Daily Bread, Elephant Heart, Leigh Jones, MiMOSA, High Step Society, Megan Hamilton, Forester, and TruthLive.

California-grown talent includes Santa Cruz-based KR3TURE and San Diego’s Casmalia.

“With a touch of funk and soul, there’s something to scratch everyone’s musical itch,” say Roberts and Borgelt. “Every year, we send patrons a questionnaire to see what music they are excited about and who they want to see.”

Don’t be surprised if some festival acts soon appear in sold-out arenas. “We’ve had many bands play here, and within a few years, they have moved up to the national stage,” say Roberts and Borgelt.

This year, seven stages will be in action, including the River Stage, which allows guests to float in the Eel River while watching performances; the Grove Stage,

curtained in redwoods; and the Bunker Stage, for those in a party mood. Fans can also get a good view of performers while hanging out in the Tree Lounge.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

The festival is not all music and weed. Organizers have also announced the Movement & Wellness phase-one lineup in collaboration with Movement Makers, which includes breathwork practices, sound healing experiences, primal movement, exploratory dance, community education circles, live music, arts integration, yoga classes, and a cacao ceremony.

For people wanting to make an entire weekend of it, Anywhere Outpost Glamping tents are available. The luxury setup includes furnished bedroom tents, lounge tents, air-conditioned restrooms with flushing toilets, exclusive hot outdoor showers, and a complimentary beverage bar. Northern Nights is an 18-and-older event.

Stalking the wild Azzie in the mushroomhunting capital of the Paci c Northwest

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE PHOTOS LEAH D’AMBROSIO

FORAGING FOR

Chef Sebastian Carosi, one of the first and finest farm-to-fork pioneers and a virtuoso cannabis chef, offered to teach me how to stalk the wild Azzie. “There really is no better experience with anything psilocybin-related than picking your own,” he told me. “You can actually go find your own psilocybin in the wild, beyond a government-sanctioned organic label, and that in itself is part of the therapeutic effect.”

Carosi describes himself this way: “Imagine James Beard and Salvador Dali have a ’70s baby … raised by Alice Waters and Jack Kerouac … babysat by Jack Herer and Julia Child,” a chef who makes “organic, plant-heavy American truck-stop cuisine served on white tablecloths.” He’s a master forager and a heck of a lot of fun to hang out with, and the opportunity to learn the art of the hunt from him in the mushroom capital of the Pacific Northwest was far too good to pass up. He didn’t have to ask twice.

I wrapped myself in layers of North Face, laced up my Sorels, and joined Carosi; his wife, Car-

la Asquith; and my friend Leah D’Ambrosio—along with dozens of other hunters who descend on Long Beach, Washington, every fall in cold, wet pursuit of the shroom. (In Long Beach, they say, first come the rains, then the Azzies, then the Winnebagos).

Long Beach is a 28-mile-long peninsula along the southwest coast of Washington where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Warm and wet, it’s a forager’s paradise. The shores are rich with clams, oysters, and crab; wild berry bushes and dense mycelial mats cling to the sandy soil. James Beard made a home and restaurant here, and mycology guru Paul Stamets lives just up the road. Fungi is plentiful, from beefy King Boletes, otherwise known as porcini—which you’ll pay a fortune for at the market, if you can find them—to crunchy, tasty Lactarius deliciosus. Amanita muscaria, or Fly Agaric, with its iconic red cap and white spots, makes for great pics but shouldn’t be eaten.

But, let’s be honest, it’s the Azzies that draw the crowds. Long Beach is legendary for its bounty of the little shrooms, also known as flying saucers, beloved for being the most psilocybin-dense mushrooms on the planet. “Discovered” in 1979 by Boy Scouts camping near the mouth of the Columbia River, just over the bridge in Oregon, Azzies were formally named Psilocybe azurescens by none other than Stamets, whose son is named Azureus for the color of bruised psilocybin.

“Simply blowing on the fibrils of the stem of this purple-brown spored mushroom causes the fibrils to turn bluish with an azure

color, hence its name,” Stamets writes on Instagram. “Psilocybin dephosphorylates into psilocin, then further degrades into an associated blue compound. The more bluish bruising, the more potent this mushroom once was.”

These are the mushrooms Stamets took Michael Pollan to find— likely in the same spots we covered with Carosi—the ones Pollan wrote about tripping on in his best-selling book How to Change Your Mind. When you eat them, according to Psilopedia, a nonprofit educational center and encyclopedia, Azzies “produce intense visual hallucination, profound journeys into alternate realms of consciousness, and more rarely induce temporary paralysis.”

For Carosi, Azzies are good medicine. When he was 17, he was sentenced to seven years for a cannabis charge, and the mushrooms cut through his prison PTSD like nothing else. That he could return to prison for gathering his medicine was not lost on any of us as we searched for it. Picking Azzies is a Class A felony in the United States and the state of Washington. Under the 1971 US Controlled Substances Act, psilocybin and psilocin are listed alongside heroin as Schedule I drugs with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.

It’s hard to get my mind around this. In Denver, we voted to decriminalize psilocybin in 2019, and it seems like everyone’s casually doing mushrooms, in micro and macro doses. In January 2023, Oregon—a stone’s throw from Long Beach—became the first state to legalize the adult use of psilocybin.

Mushrooms show extraordinary promise for many of the mental

When you eat magic mushrooms, your body turns the psilocybin in them into psilocin, which binds with serotonin receptors in the brain that regulate cognition, memory, mood, and perception. Psilocin stimulates the visual cortex while muting the region of the brain responsible for our sense of self, or ego.

MUSHROOM MAGIC

health issues that intensified during the pandemic—particularly depression—and they’re losing their stigma under the gaze of celebrities like Pollan and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Still, we had to be aware. Rangers looking to harass dune-pickers patrol the state parks ringing Long Beach, and I couldn’t stop checking the horizon for them when I should have been scouring the thick wet grass for little caramel-colored, nippled caps with purple spores. That might be why we weren’t all that successful. Again and again, D’Ambrosio and I called out that we’d found a patch of Azzies, only to be told they were galerinas, poisonous mushrooms that look like Azzies but have rust brown spores and appear to be far

more prevalent. I’m not sure I ever got my “mushroom eyes,” and fear of arrest didn’t help my flow. We—or really, Asquith—found a mere handful of Azzies. Late in the day, as the rain came down in relentless sheets, I was kneeling under a clump of shore pines when Asquith told me to look to my left. Two little brown mushrooms and a couple of pins (babies) were nestled together in a cluster in the grass. When I picked them— gently, so I wouldn’t damage the mycelium below—the white stems immediately turned blue in the palm of my hand.

TIPS FOR HAPPY HUNTING

• WEAR SEVERAL LAYERS of warm, waterproof clothes. Good gear makes for good days.

• BRING A POCKET KNIFE to get a clean cut of the mushrooms at the base (though it’s possible to pick them by hand) and a mesh bag or basket that allows the mushroom spores to fall to the ground and repopulate as you walk the dunes.

• DON’T DISTURB THE UNDERGROUND ROOT SYSTEM anymore than you need to when you’re harvesting.

• ALWAYS LEAVE SOME BEHIND Even if you get lucky and nd a whole colony, don’t pick them all.

• TAKE FIELD NOTES about the habitat, how the mushrooms are growing, and where you nd mushrooms. Make sure to visit the site again because mushrooms often return to the same spots year after year.

• DRY YOUR MUSHROOMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. mushrooms are 90 to 95 percent water and should be dried immediately to retain their potency. They can be air-dried for two or three days, or you can pop them in a dehydrator to speed up the process.

had penetrated all our layers, even the waterproof ones.

We called it a day, a successful one, and headed back to town for much-needed cups of hot tea and bowls of clam chowder. Carosi surmised we may have been about five days too early for the best pickings, and that was fine. We experienced the thrill of finding our own medicine—just enough of a taste to make me want to try again next year.

Update: In May 2023, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed the Washington Psilocybin Services Act, which lays the foundation for implementing the legalized use of psilocybin therapy. However, it may be years before the general

New Sensations

Boulder-based Sage Space Retreat combines technology and traditional medicine for a new way of healing body and mind.

TEXT CLAIRE BARBER

If you live in Colorado, you’ve experienced the continuous stream of complementary medicine practices, fads, and tinctures circulating through social circles. Reiki anyone? Micro-dosing or cannabinoid creams?

Whatever your taste, alternative medicinal therapies have been around for

millennia. And by having technology and traditional medicines at its core, Boulder-based Sage Space Retreat is making waves.

The retreat is unique in its extensive hightech-based offerings, including:

• Vibroacoustic Therapy: delivers a continuous sequence of custom-engineered sound

waves to multiple locations on the body. It targets the nervous and adjacent cellular communications systems to support muscle relaxation, circulation, a sense of calmness, boosted energy, mood, and focus.

• Flickering Light Therapy: utilizes rapid and rhythmic variations in light intensity. Based on customized light programming, fl ickering light leverages the

visual system to synchronize brainwave activity to promote enhanced cognitive function, deep relaxation, and immersive visual experiences.

• Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy: involves using a specialized device to generate a low-moderate intensity, low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field. It works to directly “energize” the cells within the body

in a way that supports their natural ability to return to a state of cellular balance and optimized function. In addition, the retreat offers guided natural medicine experiences with cannabis, psilocybin, and ketamine.

“We use sound, light, and psychedelics to help people transform their brains in a way that gets them unstuck,” says co-founder Gabriel Ettenson. “I think many

people are resonating with the idea of feeling stuck, whether in their body, minds, spiritual path, work, relationships, etc.”

Background story

Ettenson is a licensed physical therapist in Colorado but has been working in the wellness product-development space for years, eventually leading to his design of the retreat’s vibroacoustic bed. Ettenson is also certified in Endocannabinoid Science and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research from the accredited California Institute of Integral Studies.

Elena Georgouses, a co-founder along with Ettenson, has worked as a psychotherapist for more than 30 years, has a clinical social work license, and runs a private psychotherapy practice in Vail. Ettenson and Georgouses use their training and differing experiences to facilitate and curate each session for every client.

“We design and curate individual experiences that help people access the deeper parts of themselves, and we utilize technologies to support that,” says Georgouses. The center’s therapies are complementary and do not necessarily replace

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAGE SPACE RETREAT

more traditional therapeutic treatments.

“I’m using all of my clinical skills to assess whether someone might be a good fit for our services,” says Georgouses. The experiences that the center facilitates, like sound, light, and physical vibration, put people into “a non-ordinary state, much like they might experience with deep meditation or psychedelics.”

Ettenson describes the different levels of

therapy that the retreat provides, with sound therapy sitting on the more “gentle” end of the spectrum and psychedelics available as one of the more intense options. According to Ettenson, the center will assess a patient’s needs and “their preexisting medical situation” to decide what treatments might match.

Treatments and therapies are often combined at the center. Christy

Thiel, a client and collaborator of Ettenson’s, says that her natural medicine-assisted session with Gabriel was “incredibly powerful.” At her session, Thiel took 4 grams of mushrooms and lay on the vibroacoustic bed wearing a headset. “I felt more present and in control of my thoughts, visions, and intentions than I ever have,” she says. As for cannabis, the center treats it similar-

ly to the other natural medicine therapies they offer, taking the participant through specific guided ingestion or inhalation.

“Once that person begins to experience the effects of the cannabis, then we provide a facilitated experience,” says Ettenson. “It’s very somatic or body-centered. So people still maintain a high level of agency and control over their experience.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAGE SPACE RETREAT

Going by the Regulations

Dr. Jim Grisby, a University of Colorado Denver professor in the psychology department and department of medicine, adds that the levels of research and regulations for the natural medicines Sage Space Retreat facilitates are at differ-

ent stages. Ketamine, for example, is a Schedule 2 drug and is “widely available to physicians,” he says. Psilocybin, on the other hand, and of course, cannabis, are illegal at the federal level.

All three drugs are still being investigated clinically for their use in mental health conditions.

Regarding regulations for facilitators in Colorado, “there are no established standards at this point,” says Dr. Grigsby. These regulations would likely fall under the Department of Regulatory Agencies, which currently licenses mental health providers. But in lieu of regulations,

Dr. Grigsy acknowledges that “no matter what we do, people will seek out this kind of treatment, and it may be helpful for them. And so my main recommendation would be that people go into this kind of thing with their eyes wide open.”

Sans the regulations for facilitators or treatment centers at this point, Dr. Grigsby stresses two things— know your provider and understand that the drugs might not have a positive impact.

Regarding psilocybin, Dr. Grigsby adds that “people need to know that it’s not magic. You don’t take this, and suddenly you have a mystical experience, all rainbows and butterflies and stuff like that. Some people probably shouldn’t take it for various reasons, medical or sometimes psychiatric reasons.”

Regardless, Sage Space Retreat is at the frontlines of a changing complementary medicine space. As for the doubters, Thiel says she would tell them that “their fear is keeping them stuck and that there is a whole other world of healing that will probably get them better results than anything they’ve ever tried.”

For more information, visit www.sagespaceretreat.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAGE SPACE RETREAT

DIALED IN… GUMMIES

@DIALEDINLIFESTYLE DIALEDINGUMMIES.COM

Dialed In… Gummies serves the important role of bridging the gap between flower and edibles for the consumer. Before Dialed In… launched, and still to this day, many edibles in the Colorado market have been made and sold without highlighting the quality of the cannabis within. Dialed In… brought cannabis quality back into the edible conversation through our small batch, collaborative style.

Where can people nd you or your products?

You can find us at dispensaries all over Colorado, and our website “find a batch” page is constantly updated to reflect new batch releases and locations.

How many employees do you have?

Just over 60 employees.

What services or products do you o er?

Our liquid and classic gummies are made from solventless extract only, and curated to spotlight

a medley of strains that people know and love, from up to 90+ distinct cultivators and extractors across the state of Colorado. Our classic gummies are exactly what they sound like: 10 delicious gummies per tin in two flavors in a strategic strain pairing. Our liquid gummies are crafted to be extremely versatile. We recommend adding them to anything – from your drinks, to your cereal, to sauces!

What was your mission at the start of your company?

Being the first to Colorado’s market with rosin edibles, the Dialed In… mission began with the desire to bring another caliber of quality to the edible market.

What made you choose to start a company in this industry?

There was an established industry norm for edibles at the time of our launch that accommodated (what we would consider) inferior cannabis concentrates to make edibles. We

wanted to elevate the conversation to reflect the current quality standards for hash, which resulted in a full-spectrum edible, using clean water and ice extracted rosin by and for the community. We also wanted to be transparent to let the customer know where the material we used to make our gummies came from, something no one else was doing. We prioritize collaboration and believe this is what builds communities and helps separate us from some of the other brands in the space.

Does your business give back to your community? (If so, walk us through what you’re doing & why this focus is important to you)

Our brand is driven by an ethos of collaboration and that’s a very iterative process for us. Generally speaking,

we’re big believers in investing our efforts locally, whether it be supporting local artists, non-profits, or the amazing local community of growers and extractors. From a business

production standpoint, we also make sure to highlight our brand partners in meaningful ways, whereas many edible companies usually repress their material partners.

We prioritize collaboration and believe this is what builds communities and helps separate us from some of the other brands in the space.

Summertime and the Reading is Easy

Catching up on your reading is part of enjoying the summer months. Looking for some books to deepen your education and relationship with cannabis? Add these three titles to your summer stack. TEXT MEREDITH FREED

Cannabis: A Big Sister’s Guide by Anna

May Meade

and Mary Meade. This easy-to-read introduction and guide to cannabis gives us the scoop on what it is, how to get it, how to use it, and why adding cannabis to your life could be beneficial. Learning the difference between strains and terpenes, the endocannabinoid system, the many forms of cannabis consumption, how to become a cannabis patient in an available state, and a very helpful appendix with images and charts for a visual breakdown of the information, helps the reader understand the basics of cannabis and how to incorporate this knowledge into our everyday lives. Cannabis advice from a universally caring big sister will benefit us all.

Seeing Through The Smoke, A Cannabis Specialist Untangles the Truth About Marijuana

by Peter

Grinspoon,

MD. Dr. Grinspoon takes us through the history of cannabis, the data on harms (real and political), and the emerging data on the benefits of cannabis, particularly as an alternative to opioid use. Dr. Grinspoon’s father, Lester Grinspoon, was a cannabis pioneer in the 1970s at Harvard who fueled Peter’s interest in the benefits and misconceptions of cannabis in the public realm. This book gives the reader a clear understanding of how we got to this point in the medical cannabis movement and what to expect in the future for cannabis wellness.

Weed Week: A Seven-Day Journaling Challenge by Lisa Capitani. A Connecticut cannabis nurse, Capitani’s wellness philosophy of awareness, understanding, change, and healing to alter patterns, perceptions, and behaviors will help the reader achieve a life filled with health, wellness, and wholeness. This book challenges the reader to practice intentional cannabis use, exploring the experience of different consumption methods and strains, tracking the information with prompts, and encouraging the user to build a relationship with the plant and its effects. Capitani embraces taking advantage of your cannabis habit as a tool for self-exploration and how cannabis can help improve your quality of life.