TL;DR
- In September 2026, we brought a select group of Kraken VIP clients to a Forbes-featured hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for a retreat built around mountain adventure, great food, and time together.
- Guests could choose their own Monday morning adventure (a hot air balloon over the Tetons, horseback riding, an e-bike tour, or a guided hike) before an evening at Split Creek Ranch with a cowboy cookout and fireside s’mores.
- Tuesday brought direct access to our leadership, including a CEO fireside chat with our co-CEO David Ripley and Erich Rickens, Director of VIP Client Group, followed by dinner at the summit of Snow King Mountain.
- Kraken VIP is built around experiences you can’t book your way into, and this retreat was one of them.
Some conversations happen over a video call. Others happen around a bonfire in Wyoming. As one VIP put it, “The feeling of connection rather than high-pressure sales. It felt like, from the CEO down, that everyone was on board.”
In September, we welcomed a select group of Kraken VIP clients to a Forbes-featured hotel in Jackson Hole, where the spirit of the Wild West meets the Tetons.
Three nights of mountain adventures, unforgettable evenings, and plenty of time to connect, with everything taken care of so our clients could settle in and enjoy the ride.
The setting: Jackson Hole
Guests arrived on Sunday to an afternoon that was theirs to spend: wandering downtown Jackson Hole, settling into their rooms, or sitting down to lunch on us with a VIP Dining Card at the hotel restaurant or from the comfort of their room.
Check-in and the welcome lounge opened that afternoon, and in the evening we gathered on the rooftop for happy hour overlooking Jackson Hole.
An intimate private dinner followed, along with a curated whiskey tasting, music, and good company. When dinner wrapped, the bar downstairs stayed open for anyone who wanted to keep the night going.
Monday morning: choose your adventure
Monday started early for some and slowly for others. Guests reserved a spot in advance for one of four guided morning adventures, with a full breakfast buffet on the rooftop.
- Hot air balloon: rising above the Tetons at sunrise for panoramic views of the Jackson Hole valley, with an experienced pilot guiding the way
- Horseback riding: a ride through Wyoming scenery with experienced wranglers, open to first-time riders and seasoned ones alike
- Scenic e-bike tour: a guided ride through the landscapes surrounding Grand Teton National Park, with mountain views and an eye out for local wildlife
- Guided hike: a hike through Wyoming’s mountain landscapes with local guides, who shared the area’s wildlife, history, and natural environment
Prefer to do your own thing? Guests were also free to spend the morning exploring the shops and galleries of downtown Jackson Hole, or simply relaxing at the hotel. Lunch was on us again with VIP Dining Cards for the hotel restaurant, or a table at one of Jackson’s local restaurants for those who wanted to explore.
Monday evening: a day at Split Creek Ranch
That afternoon, we gathered in the lobby, cowboy hats in hand, for the ride out to Split Creek Ranch. Cowboy casual was encouraged. Upon arrival, guests spent the afternoon enjoying axe throwing, archery, roping, lawn games, and cowboy hat customization.
As the day wound down, the ranch settled into sundown, with passed appetizers and cocktails as the light faded over the hills. A hearty cowboy cookout followed, a true taste of the Wild West with good conversation to match. Later, the group moved to the bonfire for build-your-own s’mores and a relaxed end to the evening under the Wyoming stars. Vans then ran back to the hotel.
Tuesday morning: direct access to our leadership
Tuesday opened with breakfast on the rooftop, followed by a morning session reserved exclusively for VIP clients: a discussion with our leadership team.
- Introductory remarks from Erich Rickens, Director of VIP Client Group
- A market overview from Gabriel Selby, Head of Market Research at CF Benchmarks
- Payward Ventures discussion from Andrew Casey, Director of Corporate Development
- A CEO fireside chat with our co-CEO David Ripley, moderated by Erich Rickens
The session closed with the fireside chat, a chance for clients to hear directly from one of the people steering the company.
Tuesday afternoon: yours to choose
After lunch, guests chose how to spend the afternoon, reserving a spot in advance for a small group activity or keeping the time free:
- Shooting experience afternoon: a session at one of Wyoming’s premier sporting clays courses, with professional instructors guiding guests through a variety of shooting stations. All equipment, ammunition, and safety gear were provided, and no prior experience was necessary
- Wine tasting: a curated selection of regional favorites at Jackson Hole Winery, a short walk from the hotel
For anyone who preferred a quieter afternoon, downtown Jackson Hole and the hotel were right there.
Tuesday evening: dinner at the summit of Snow King Mountain
In the early evening, coaches left the hotel for the short drive to Snow King Mountain. A scenic 8-minute gondola ride carried the group to the summit, where a welcome drink was waiting on arrival.
Dinner followed, served atop the mountain with sweeping Teton views and the Wyoming night sky overhead. After dinner, guests explored the stars with an immersive stargazing experience at Snow King’s Observatory & Planetarium.
The gondola brought everyone back down late in the evening to the waiting coaches, with the option to continue on to the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, a must-visit bucket-list venue for anyone who visits Jackson Hole.
What comes next
On Wednesday morning, we shared a final breakfast together, with our team on hand to help with luggage, checkout, and airport transfers.
Some of what matters about a retreat like this never makes it onto an itinerary. Our clients shared a bonfire, a dinner table, and a gondola ride, and the conversations that came out of them were entirely their own. We plan the evenings. The rest is theirs.
In our clients’ words
Here’s what some of our VIPs in attendance said about the retreat.
- “Every detail was handled before we even thought of it, and they made everyone feel welcome from the moment we landed.”
- “The best part of the experience was the community that formed. By the end it felt like one big family.”
- “You don’t often get experiences like that with like-minded people in such a relaxed, activity-filled setting.”
Being a Kraken VIP means a dedicated relationship manager, direct access to our leadership, and invitations to experiences like this one. We’re building more of them. If you trade at a volume that qualifies you for Kraken VIP and haven’t yet joined us, get in touch with our VIP team. We’d be glad to talk.
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