Why we’re here.
The outdoors have become more popular than ever thanks to society’s shift towards prioritizing health and experiences. With that, we’re seeing an increase of women eager to learn the skills they need to hit the trails safely. We’ve volunteered in women’s hiking groups for over 8 years and have seen the same questions asked daily and feel many of these concerns could be put to bed with a little more experience and knowledge. Wild Forces was created to help pull resources to create more ways for women to gain that experience and knowledge so they can be unstoppable in the wild.
Fear stems from the unknown and nothing is more unknown and uncontrollable than the wilderness.
WHAT WE DO
With the help of experienced, qualified, volunteer instructors, Wild Forces provides affordable wilderness skills classes for women. We’ve built a structure that allows for hands-on learning in a casual, supportive setting that allows women to walk away with the the knowledge to take the first steps towards feeling more confident in the outdoors. Our classes are often shorter, more frequent, and jump around locations allowing for them to be more accessible to women in the Carolinas no matter what their schedule is or where they can commute to.
We want to inspire women to seek more education and support those who have decided they want outdoor education to be a larger part of their lives. With that comes Wild Force’s initiative to sponsor training for those looking to pursue outdoor leadership roles. This includes training and certifications such as wilderness medicine and outdoor educator certifications.
WHY ONLY WOMEN?
Women grow up learning how to avoid danger at a young age. These fears of vulnerability are 100% valid but they are highly systematic and created by narratives, not statistics. Fear stems from the unknown and nothing is more unknown and uncontrollable than the wilderness. As if being called crazy for hiking into the mountains wasn’t enough, we are notorious for creating our own obstacles that hold us back. Insecurities about our experience level, our bodies, or simple social anxiety holds many of us back from taking the first step into outdoor activities and education. We’ve worked to build a network of amazing partners and volunteers to create supportive, welcoming, and engaging wilderness classes to help women start their path to becoming more confident on the trail.
ALL-WOMEN GROUP EVENTS ALLOW US TO BREAK DOWN OUR WALLS, CONNECT, EMPOWER, AND LEARN IN WAYS WHERE WE CAN BE OUR AUTHENTIC SELVES.
Overcoming feelings of being overwhelmed or fearful during an activity can be pushed aside when surrounded by a group of women who empathize and support each other. There is no stigma you have to challenge, there is no stereotypes to worry about, there is just a group of women who are there with you, in the moment, ready to conquer the wild.
Photography by Stephanie Juergens. Find her on insta at @asheville_hikes