Welcome to Wilderkill
Located in Saugerties, NY, 1.5 hours from NYC, Wilderkill has 14 acres of field and forest, including a tennis court, pool, and pond with expansive views of the Catskill Mountains.
the property
The property features two independent live/works spaces, including an 1820s farmhouse (3+ bedrooms) and a recently converted modern barn (3+ bedrooms) which features several large rooms to gather teams, retreats and events. In addition to the two buildings we recently designed/built two glamping tents, an additional wood-burning sauna, and an outdoor/compost bathroom.
your hosts
Maria Cristina Rueda-Hilgendorf (MC) is the Co-Founder and General Manager of Wilderkill, where she combines her love for design, hospitality, and storytelling to create beautiful spaces and meaningful experiences. With a background spanning interior design, retail, and food & beverage, she approaches every project with a focus on elegance, warmth, and attention to detail.
Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Maria Cristina grew up surrounded by a large and loving family that taught her the joy of gathering and sharing good moments. After moving to New York City two decades ago to pursue a career in design, her work and curiosity have taken her around the world—from biking through Kyoto’s temples to collaborating with design students in the Dominican Republic and even getting married by a sailor priest in a small Baltic fishing village.
These experiences inspire her approach to hosting at Wilderkill, where every stay and event is crafted with care and a deep appreciation for what makes a moment memorable.
Before founding Wilderkill, Maria Cristina led international partnerships at Parsons School of Design and worked as a senior designer at The Conference Board, where she managed creative teams and complex projects with a global reach.
William (Bill) Hilgendorf grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, but discovered his passion for furniture design and interiors while living in Stockholm, Sweden, exploring his Scandinavian roots. After earning his BFA in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, he moved to Brooklyn and co-founded the multidisciplinary design firm Uhuru in 2003. For two decades, Bill has used design as a storytelling tool, bringing new life to discarded objects and underutilized materials through craftsmanship and creativity.
In 2016, Bill co-founded Wilderkill, a family retreat in the Catskill Mountains, envisioned as a place for small groups and families to connect with nature and deepen their understanding of their environmental impact.
Following a trip to Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2019 to study innovation in sustainability, Bill transitioned from day-to-day operations at Uhuru to focus more directly on addressing the climate crisis. His growing passion for biochar led him to co-found Eldr Six and ECHO building systems, a launchpad dedicated to developing and showcasing upcycled, carbon-negative materials and products. With a focus on localized material innovation around biochar, Bill continues to explore the next generation of carbon sequestration and net-zero solutions through design.