First responders find respite at Protectors' Peak in Shoshone County

CALDER — In the last four years, 150 first responders from 15 states have passed through the 144 acres of land at Protectors’ Peak in Shoshone County to connect to themselves, their faith, one another and their spouses.

As a former police chief, Nate Harder started his law enforcement career in Texas before living in Hayden and working at Spokane Police Department.

After being laid off from the department in 2005, he was presented with one option: Move to Minnesota.

However, he couldn’t get his time in North Idaho out of his mind, and he started thinking about a spiritual retreat for police officers and other first responders.

“So often, people grieve their careers, but I was stepping from one ministry to the next,” Harder said.

Former Post Falls Police Chief Pat Knight was among those who thought it was worth trying.

“It’s about continuing to serve those who serve others. It was just such a neat experience, and I had never seen it before. It’s making a difference and it’s just going full bore,” Knight said.

Harder retired as police chief from a suburb of Minneapolis during the riots in 2020 and wanted to give the Minneapolis officers a place to recover.

“We had some men and women who were just beat down and traumatized,” he said.

Through help from locals, they were able to secure a lease on the property, and in 2020 the first retreat took place. 

“We want to return these officers to be lighthouses at their agencies,” Harder said.

The first reviews from visitors to Protectors’ Peak included stories of returning to faith and prayer after years away.

“We wept when we read this. This is exactly where we’re supposed to be,” Harder said.

The retreat’s mission is to better equip first responders to process trauma, anger, stress and the challenges of their job, as well as become more open to receive healing and peace from faith.

“Nobody is talking about spiritual health. They might have just given up their quiet, but we want them to experience North Idaho and do some soul healing out in the woods,” Harder said.

Early on in his career, Harder went through the shooting death of one of his friends and a deadly force encounter. Both events stayed with him. 

“The stuff we had for mental health and peer support was nonexistent back then. God just really blessed me having people in my life to walk alongside me and get me through that.” Harder said.

Retreats have expanded over the last few years to include firefighters and EMS, women of law enforcement, law enforcement marriage retreats, first responders retreats for wives, law enforcement retreats and military retreats.

Harder said he hopes they’re able to give visitors the space and solace to unwind and begin to release the weight they’ve been carrying on their shoulders.

Kayaking, biking, hiking, relaxing, playing games, reading and fishing on the Saint Joe River are among the activities offered between morning and evening Bible study.

The ranch is funded through private donors and fundraising, such as the upcoming Protectors’ Peak Golf Classic.

Information about the golf tournament is available at https://inlandnwheroesfoundation.com/protectors-peak-annual-golf-classic/.

Email protectorspeak@gmail.com to learn more.

    Calder has become a place for first responders to recovery for spiritual retreats at Protectors' Peak. The participants in a recent law enforcement retreat hiked up the cross on the property.
  

    A recent retreat for wives of law enforcement officers takes place at Protectors' Peak in Calder.