March 21, 2001
Women want to explore the great outdoors
Group plans campout on Manistee Trail in April
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Calling all women out there who have outdoor aspirations but lack the moxie to go on their own: a newly formed women's group based at Eastern Mountain Sports is ready, willing and able to help.
From backpacking to kayaking to horseback riding to camping, women can find help and companions courtesy of this group. At the inaugural meeting last Saturday afternoon, the seven women attendees discussed a wide range of outdoor issues.
The prevailing theme of the two-hour discussion was empowerment, both empowering women to participate in outdoor sports and the empowerment that comes from doing so.
"Right out of high school I did the Appalachian Trail for two and a half months by myself," said Margaret LaBar, store manager and facilitator of the group. "Recently, I did a solo hike on Isle Royal. I tell every customer to do one hike by themselves, you won't believe how strong you are and you can problem solve and how quickly you handle things."
The group also discussed where to find hiking trails along the Boardman River, where to find morel mushrooms, setting up a night paddle and perhaps an overnight paddling and camping trip. One attendee was interested in arranging mother-daughter hikes for at-risk teens and another was looking for hiking companions.
Ramona Venegas of Manistee, a Forest Service employee, has seen a rising interest among women for outdoor activities during her 25-year career. However, she noted one strike against women that hasn't diminished: finding time. Even she, an experienced backpacker and hiker who works outdoors most days, finds it hard to make time for even day hikes because of her career and children.
"When I was younger I didn't wait for the perfect conditions, I just did it," she said. "As you tend to get older, have more responsibilities and time commitments, you find excuses not to go."
LaBar and store employee Molly Hoxie decided to start the group to encourage women to make the time and participate. For months, they had wondered if there was interest in such a group. The turnout and enthusiasm Saturday afternoon was so encouraging that they set up an initial outing: an overnight backpacking and camping trip along the Manistee Trail.
Working in a male dominated store, LaBar and Hoxie have seen how unsure women are about going out into nature to challenge themselves physically or mentally. Women may read and dream about something like hiking, but do not know how to make it happen. Sometimes even buying the right equipment, scaled to a woman's smaller size, is the first challenge.
"Women come in and ask about something and the men steer them to something that may not be right for women," LaBar said. "The women may be too intimidated to ask questions or buy what they wanted."
"Many women are living in that stereotype that they can't, but now we're breaking through that."
Hooking up with other interested female backpackers, campers or kayakers drew Connie Finstrom from McBain for the meeting. Also a horseback rider, Finstrom has gone on two trips to Isle Royal with a mixed group and is interested in finding other like-minded women for another trip.
"I sometimes have trouble finding women who want to come along," she said. "Like when I went to Isle Royal for a trip a lot of women I know were horrified. They were like, 'What do you do about hot rollers or make-up. How can you not have a shower every day?'"
For Finstrom, the minor inconveniences of being away from civilization are more than balanced by the benefits.
"You find out a lot about yourself out there," she said. "You find out how little it takes to live. Women want to get out on their own and have the full experience."
The first outing of the women's group will be a backpack trip and overnight camp-out along the Manistee Trail on April 20-21. For more information on this outing, and the mandatory pre-meeting April 14, contact Eastern Mountain Sports at 933-5305.