Out Here Yoga was a dream come true for co-founder Laura Rust—literally. “I had a dream I started a yoga studio in Steamboat,” says the 37-year-old founder who also has studios in Houston and Austin and now lives in Steamboat full time with her husband and two children. “I know it might sound trite, but I felt a very strong feeling this was something I needed to do.”
Rust, who founded OHY with partners Nancy Perry and Shannon Crow, had spent a lot of time in Steamboat growing up and knew she wanted to bring her brand of Power Vinyasa yoga here, and to create a studio that was about more than just yoga but also a space to help people better their lives. “Our mission is to connect and elevate our community to the highest quality of life and the greatest experience of personal fulfillment,” Rust says.
That’s achieved through a lot more than a series of yoga poses, though the studio does offer a full daily schedule with a wide variety of classes, from the more athletic heated power vinyasa flow to slower flow and recovery classes. “We get all kinds of students in our classes and all ages, from high schoolers to a super fit cadre of retirees,” Rust says. “And there are often just as many men as women.”
The studio, located above Stonewall in Wildhorse Plaza has unobstructed view of the ski area (in lieu of mirrors so you can look at the mountain instead of your own reflection), and in the summertime, there are often classes offered outside on the rooftop deck. There’s also full offering of outdoor classes, from yoga on the mountain at the top of Thunderhead gondola and on the lawn at Snow Bowl to SUP classes at Pearl Lake.
What really separates OHY from other studios is its more comprehensive offerings, like the 40 Days of Clarity program, a commitment to practice a minimum of four days a week, attend one group meeting per week, and to meditate four times per week for 10 minutes or more. “We want to help people to live their lives with purpose, to believe in themselves and remove the barriers that get in the way of achieving their goals,” says Rust, who is also a certified Lightyear Leadership coach. The studio also offers Transformational Breathwork and a Teacher Empowerment Program, a 200-hour course for students who want to become teachers or just deepen their practice.
The most exciting thing for Rust, who ditched the city for Steamboat’s small mountain town lifestyle, is its community. That’s why OHY is committed to making sure there is no barrier to entry for anyone to come and participate. The studio offers one “Yoga for All” weekly donation-based class and three classes per week with pay what you can childcare. There’s also the OHY Scholarship Fund, a community program that provides scholarships for memberships, class packs and programs. “Anyone is eligible to request assistance for any of our offerings, whether it’s a single class, teacher training, or 40 Day,” Rust says. “We want to make sure yoga is made available to anyone who wants to participate.” Om, yes please. //outhereyoga.com