Photos: Erik’s Ranch & Retreats
Local retreat gives young adults with autism a place and a purpose.
From taking guests on hikes and trail rides to conducting roping tours and housekeeping, Brian Conroy has met people from around the world and greatly expanded his skill set during his eight seasons working at Erik’s Ranch & Retreats in Paradise Valley, Montana. “I’ve done pretty much everything,” Conroy says. “It’s helped me out a lot.”
The 28-year-old Edina resident has been a working member at Erik’s Ranch & Retreats for much of its 11-year existence. Not only has Conroy learned marketable skills, but with the live-work model it employs, he’s gotten comfortable being on his own, a point of pride for the autistic young man. Now, Conroy is looking at a bright future with so many possibilities. “This has broadened my opportunities,” he says. “I think I might like to work with cows.”
Brian Conroy pauses for a moment with one of the ranch’s horses.
Conroy’s success story is just one of many to come out of Erik’s Ranch & Retreats, and it’s exactly what Kathryn Nordberg dreamed of when she founded the nonprofit organization more than a decade ago.
Mom on a Mission
Nordberg spent a lot of time thinking about her children’s future as they grew up. She wondered what they might do, who they might meet and what their life might be like. But when it came to her son Erik Nordberg, Kathryn’s thoughts were interlaced with a thread of concern. “He’s not very verbal,” she says. “When he was 15, there weren’t a lot of options for him … I needed to figure out a place for him.”
Kathryn Nordberg created and named Erik’s Ranch & Retreats for her son, Erik Nordberg. Photo: Chris Emeott
Erik needed options, so Kathryn did what she could to create options for him. “He never wanted to do tabletop games or those sorts of things,” she says. What he did like were physical pursuits, such as hiking, biking, skiing, swimming and riding horses. “I thought, wouldn’t it be great if he could do all those things without relying on conversational language?” Kathryn says.
Leaning on her background in education and her time in corporate America, as well as her connections in the assisted living community, Kathryn spent years developing a live-work-socialize model to assist young adults with autism. In 2012, Kathryn started a horse riding and membership program. Then in 2014, she opened Erik’s Ranch & Retreats to give young adults with autism both a place and a purpose.
Building Skills
Erik’s Ranch & Retreats consists of an eight-room, boutique-style hotel in the heart of Edina and a sprawling ranch with a handful of cabins and guest houses in the picturesque Absaroka Mountain Range near Livingston, Montana. “Pictures don’t do it justice,” Conroy says.
Each location offers members the chance to live independently while showcasing their skills in the hospitality and tourism industries. “We’re looking to provide opportunities for them to show their strengths but also move forward,” Kathryn says.
For members like Erik, that has meant assisting with the guest trail rides or leading guests on electric scooter tours around nearby lakes in Minnesota. For other members, it might be checking guests in, or taking guests on a sailing adventure on Lake Bde Maka Ska. “We have to restructure what we do within to take advantage of the skills people bring to the table,” Kathryn says.
To date, more than 1,000 young adults with autism have applied to join the organization. “We still get at least one application a week,” Kathryn says.
A scenic horseback riding excursion at Erik’s Ranch in Montana offers guests sweeping scenic views. Photo: Erik’s Ranch & Retreats
For those who are accepted, Kathryn says there is a team in place to support members as much as they need. “The team helps with goal setting and life plans,” Kathryn says. And when those goals or life plans change, the team is there to help members make the most of those changes. “We have to like what we’re doing,” she says.
“Good Spot to Be”
Sam Fischer says the support he’s received at Erik’s Ranch & Retreats has been “awesome and amazing.” “You can always talk to them if an issue or a problem comes up,” he says. Fischer’s parents learned about Erik’s Ranch after doing some research to find a place the 31-year-old could be on his own. Since joining, Fischer has led hikes and river rafting tours, done gardening and housekeeping, and served as a concierge. “I get to help people, which I love in general,” he says.
Erik’s Retreat is in the former Roybet building, a retirement home built in 1970 by Wayne Field and named after Renaissance painter Ferdinand Roybet. Field embedded into the design his belief that life is precious and should be surrounded by beauty, care, kindness and respect. Kathryn Nordberg says it perfectly aligns with her philosophy. Photo: Chris Emeott
Fischer has also enjoyed talking to people from around the world. “Without this job, I would not know so much about other cultures,” he says. Now, with a degree in history and earning a degree in computer technology from Normandale Community College, Fischer is hoping to go into IT work, all thanks to the structure and support he’s received. “I like the fact that I’m independent,” he says. “I have my own apartment [and] a support network, and each day, I wake up and have a job. This is a good spot to be.”
An Inclusive World
Though Erik’s Ranch has faced its fair share of challenges over the last decade—including curveballs COVID-19 threw at them—Kathryn says the model is working for their members. “They’re gaining lots of confidence and self-esteem,” she says.
There is a sense of ownership and pride from members at each of their properties. Kathryn says she can see it when one of their members takes the initiative to add something new to a tour or suggest a new activity. It makes Erik’s Ranch a special place to visit. So much so that it was featured on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals during the Season 2 episode entitled “Give Back Getaways” where the hosts loved the panoramic mountain views in Montana but were even more inspired by the organization’s mission.
Photo: Erik’s Ranch & Retreats
Seeing members follow their passions is a key aspect of any stay. “We want guests to understand how much our folks have to offer,” Kathryn says. “There’s so many of them looking for meaningful employment.” One of the best reactions guests can have is one where they go home and ask, “What else can we do to make this world inclusive?” she says.
In the meantime, Kathryn is working on the nonprofit’s next evolution. While details were still under wraps when this magazine went to print, Erik’s Ranch’s mission remains the same: to provide a place and a purpose for young adults with autism. “We’ve seen so much growth and maturity among our members,” Kathryn says. “But there are still so many others looking for these kinds of opportunities.”
Erik’s Ranch & Retreats
Instagram: @eriksranchandretreats
