Meet Marisa: The Heart Behind Summit Yoga
I’m Marisa (Moor‑ee‑sa), an Italian‑heritage geologist, yoga teacher, and off‑grid Yukoner. I first came north in 2014 for work and have spent the last six years living full‑time in an off-grid cabin just outside downtown Whitehorse.
I began my yoga journey in 2009, and completed my 300‑hour Yoga Teacher Training in March 2025. I hold an RYT‑200 certification with Yoga Alliance. My roots are in the Modo Yoga community, and my teaching draws from vinyasa, hatha, yin, pilates, pranayama, and meditation.
Professionally, I bring over 15+ years in geoscience, supported by an M.Sc. and a P.Geo designation with APEGA. I’m also a Holistic Nutritionist & Health Coach, an EMR with the Canadian Red Cross, and an Avalanche Educator with CAA and Avalanche Canada.
Outside the studio, I thrive in the mountains backcountry snowboarding, mountain biking, snowmobiling into remote alpine terrain, hunting, fishing, gardening, and living a homestead lifestyle. Movement and mindfulness shape everything I do, whether I’m on my mat or exploring the wild landscapes that inspire my practice.
SUMMIT YOGA
The name Summit Yoga is derived from my passion for the mountains and the numerous summits I have reached through activities such as hiking, snowboarding and/or biking. Whether ascending a peak on foot, carving through fresh snow, or cycling uphill, each journey to the summit embodies effort, focus, and surrender, similar to the practice of yoga.
In both yoga and mountain pursuits, we discover strength, balance, and presence. Each summit whether it is a majestic peak or a moment of clarity during practice, serves as a reminder that growth occurs incrementally with each step, breath, and wheel turn.
Through Summit Yoga, the goal is to convey this spirit of adventure, resilience, and connection, assisting others in reaching their own summits, both in nature and within themselves both on and off their mat.
The practice is not just about physical movement but about cultivating inner strength, adaptability, and mindfulness in everyday life. Just as every mountain has its own unique shape and terrain, every individual’s yoga journey is a unique experience in itself and deeply personal.
Certification & Training
Yin Level 1 Immersion (w/ Alan Mileham)
Metta Hot Yoga Calgary North, February 2026
Understanding Pilates: The Mat Series (w/ Nadea Knodel)
Root + Reach Pilates, January-February 2026
Yoga for Perimenopause & Menopause (w/ Paula Walbauer)
Heal Yoga, March 2025
Vinyasa & Hatha 300hr Yoga Teacher Training (w/ Darci Nyal)
Amitié Yoga, March 2025
“Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you're no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are the things you should notice anyways. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountains which sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow.”
― Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
© 2026 Summit Yoga