The mountains were spectacular. The time together was the reason we came.
CISO Ascent has completed its Spring 2026 retreat in Colorado Springs, bringing cybersecurity leaders together May 3-6 for outdoor adventure, meaningful conversation, and another opportunity to recharge.
Following our inaugural Asheville gathering, this second retreat brought the community into a new landscape while continuing the relationships that made the first experience so meaningful.
Back Together, With the Rockies Ahead
Returning members and new peers had several days to get to know one another through shared experiences. With Colorado Springs as our base, the program combined forest trails, distinctive rock formations, and a journey to the summit of Pikes Peak.
The variety gave each day its own character. What connected them was time together: walking, sharing meals, and continuing conversations without the usual rush to the next meeting.
On the trail together in Colorado. Another shared experience for a growing CISO community.
Four Places That Made the Retreat Memorable
- Seven Bridges offered a creekside walk through North Cheyenne Cañon, with forest shade and wooden crossings along the way.
- The Paint Mines brought a very different landscape, with colorful clay formations, hoodoos, and open views near Calhan.
- Pikes Peak took the group above the tree line on the Cog Railway to the 14,115-foot summit of America's Mountain.
- Garden of the Gods added red sandstone formations and views toward Pikes Peak, including the Siamese Twins area.
From the quiet of a forest trail to the scale of a mountain summit, these were experiences people could share without needing an introduction or an agenda for the conversation.
The Relationships Are the Lasting Part
A second retreat is an opportunity to see a community begin to carry forward. A familiar face is someone you already have a story with. A new introduction has room to grow over several days.
That continuity matters. CISO Ascent is being built around relationships that last beyond an individual trip, with peers who understand the responsibility of security leadership.
Time outdoors gives those relationships a place to begin and deepen. The value is in having people you can reconnect with when everyone is back in their own organization.
Another destination. More shared memories. A stronger community to come home with.
Thank You for Making the Ascent
Thank you to every member who joined us, to our board and retreat crew, and to the partners who supported the experience. Your willingness to participate and make time for one another is what gives these gatherings their purpose.
Asheville gave us our beginning. Colorado Springs gave us another reason to be excited about what this community can become.
Explore the Spring 2026 Colorado retreat
Join Us for a Future Retreat
Membership is completely free. If you lead cybersecurity for your organization, apply to become a member. Once your application is approved, we will send you a retreat invitation.
Connect. Collaborate. Recharge.
Photography & credits
Photographs from the CISO Ascent Colorado retreat collection.