Celebrating the power of women and girls outdoors
- Posted on
- By AllTrails
In a community that still skews male, SheJumps is inspiring women to take up more space and own their strength.
In a community that still skews male, SheJumps is inspiring women to take up more space and own their strength.
For Claire Smallwood, co-founder of SheJumps and New Mexico born, outdoor play was as much an escape as it was a kind of rebellion. While most folks enjoyed her hometown of Santa Fe for its arts and culture scene, Claire and her friends spent their younger years exploring hiking trails and finding their favorite ski spots.
The first time the power of outdoor play truly “clicked” for Claire was on an elementary school skiing trip. Although she’d been skiing from the age of five, this trip revealed that there was more to it than just skiing — it was also about the joyful experience of being with friends and meeting new people. And as a self-proclaimed “budding extrovert and adventurous child,” being able to carve her own path in the snow made her feel wildly alive.
Claire carried this reckoning into co-founding SheJumps, a nonprofit that aims to increase women and girls’ participation in the outdoors through education and genuine connection. Among the programs they offer are ski patrol, first aid, shelter building, fishing trips, hikes, and ropes courses.
“By the time they reach adolescence, many girls are less likely to participate in sports and outdoor activities due to societal pressures to conform to certain standards.”
Claire Smallwood
Founder of SheJumps
Breaking down the gender gap
According to the 2024 Outdoor Industry Association report, for the first time, more than 50% of women are participating in outdoor activities. SheJumps aims to push this number even higher, given that women and girls are still facing barriers to entry into the outdoor space.
Whether it’s the pressure to have a specific body type — often white, able-bodied, and thin — or the unpaid domestic labor that women often have to shoulder as they transition into adulthood, there are no shortage of social and societal barriers.
On the practical end, learning a skill, finding equipment, affording lessons, and having the leisure time to try outdoor activities also doesn’t come easy. SheJumps fills the gap with its myriad of programs for women and girls at every level, meeting them where they are.
The programs themselves have an infectious energy. Claire describes them as being abuzz with excitement, at times even featuring costumes and joyful whoops, while also holding space for quieter moments of connection and meaningful conversations.
“Outdoor play isn’t just about tackling harsh terrain – it’s about joy, connecting with yourself and others, and nurturing a relationship wit the earth.”
Claire Smallwood
Founder of SheJumps
Looking to the future
For Claire and the team at SheJumps, the goal is to continue doing the work so that true equality can exist in the outdoors, particularly in furthering leadership opportunities for Black, Indigenous, Women of Color, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
“Together, we can reimagine what it truly means to be ‘outdoorsy’ – moving beyond stereotypes and embracing a more inclusive and dynamic vision of outdoor spaces and communities.”
Claire Smallwood
Founder of SheJumps
For women and girls who are new to the outdoors and may not know where to start, Claire has some wisdom to share:
Where do I begin? Start small. If the first step feels too scary, then the first step is too big. It can help to find a friend who also wants to get into the outdoors.
How do I learn more? Find a local SheJumps event in your area! If there aren’t any, it may help to reach out to a locally-owned gear shop and get some local recommendations for easy hikes or activities in the area.
What about safety outdoors? It’s a great idea to take a basic first aid course or Wilderness First Aid course to build confidence — you’ll likely find some fellow adventurers at those kinds of events as well.
At the end of the day, just find joy in the outdoors. Sometimes that might be just sitting in a local park and it might also look like exploring a local trail or taking a snowboard lesson — whatever it is, make sure you remember that no one was born knowing how to do any of this stuff, so be patient.
Mar 1, 2025
Donate - https://give.shejumps.org/campaign/667019/donate
Full Story - https://www.alltrails.com/press/celebrating-the-power-of-women-and-girls-outdoors
SheJumps Event - https://www.shejumps.org/get-the-girls-out
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