Why I Love Touring with Other Women

The Only Woman in the Group

I show up at the trailhead parking lot, toss skins on my splitboard, and huddle up with my touring group—and I notice, once again, that I am the only woman in the group. I get my gear on and chase my partners up the skin track, just a little bit too fast. I huff and puff until I catch my stride, and don’t mention that I’m feeling a little out of breath in the crisp morning air—I can easily keep up in most touring groups, but my body feels best starting slower and ramping up my pace as I warm up. But as the only woman in the group, I never want to be at the back because I feel like I’ll get left behind. I let my baselayers get clammy with sweat because I don’t want to slow the group down. On days like these, I have difficulty stepping out of the back seat in decision-making. In short: I struggle to find the confidence I need to take a leadership role when I’m the only woman in a group.

Finding a leadership role to grow in

If you’re a woman who recreates in the outdoors, you may have experienced some of these feelings. Especially in technical spaces, I often feel like my opinion gets lost, making it difficult to voice my needs and feelings on where we should go, how we should ski, and when to take a break. Touring almost exclusively with men, it was difficult for me to develop the confidence I needed to progress my skills because I was too uncomfortable to take a leadership role. Fast forward a few years later: I feel less nervous to step up and participate in a group. If you’re wondering what changed—I started touring with other women.

Making Space for Women in the Backcountry

Gear Challenges

I often don’t feel like splitboarding is designed for me. As a five-foot-tall woman, I’ve never found a ski touring backpack that fits me—and the close ones don’t have enough capacity for a pair of crampons and my first aid kit. I’ve talked to many other women who have experienced the same aching shoulders and headaches caused by ill-fitting packs, and I’ve sent more than a few back to companies who claimed to sell a short-torso pack that was nowhere near my size. When I was looking to buy a powder-oriented splitboard, only one company made one in the length I needed—but there were dozens in men’s sizes. The other boards on the market were nearly as tall as me. 

Touring for myself

Already feeling like I was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be, I felt pressure to perform better and show those around me that I belonged in the backcountry. It was easy for me to compare myself and feel like I needed to charge up the steep bootpack or ride faster, thinking of myself as the weak link of a group. Touring with my wonderful and competent significant other, I constantly felt like he was the reason I got to ride big lines—he would usually lead the bootpack, which made me feel like I hadn’t truly gotten myself to the top of the mountains I summited.

My joy in the outdoor activities I love diminished as I put pressure on myself to tour like my male partners. Panting uphill just a switchback behind a partner, or feeling tired at the end of an eight-thousand-foot day—I replayed each part of the tour and found ways to criticize my skills and abilities.

A Breaking Point: Touring with Women

Fast forward. I rode my snowboard every month of the year, toured over sixty days each season, and passed my AIARE Pro Level 1 course. I felt more confident in assessing avalanche conditions and hunting soft snow in bucket-list lines, but the fear of not being good enough lingered. I stepped back and realized that finding a more supportive setting was essential to feeling better about my days riding in the mountains. 

I began investing more time and energy into developing touring partnerships with other women. They weren’t—and still aren’t–-always easy to find, because there aren’t many of us. Not every partner was a good fit, but when I toured with other women, I felt more like an equal, and more inspired. I had an easier time making decisions and sticking to them. I had an easier time turning around, asking to take a break, and listening to my body. I started feeling more like I had the experience and avalanche knowledge my pro course evaluators believed I had. Touring with other women made it easier to stop second-guessing myself—and to feel more like my ability and experience got me to the top of a line.

The Final Word

I’m certainly not over the hump. I still struggle with feeling like I’m not enough. I still have to force myself to take a leadership role in many group settings—especially when I’m the only woman. I don’t like to be loud or step on toes to get my opinion across in a group, but practicing leadership—and watching my female partners do the same—has made it easier for me to use my voice regardless of the gender breakdown of a group.

I’m learning to both find mentorship in the amazing women around me and provide mentorship to others as I continue to grow as a splitboarder and a leader. I love touring with women because they inspire me to push myself while taking better care of my body and mind. I’m so incredibly proud of the wonderful women I’ve gotten to ride in the backcountry with. I hope to see you all hiking uphill, shredding lines, and making space for other women in the backcountry.