Back in July, Amie Heeter (one of my besties) and I organized a week-long backpacking trip to one of my favorite places on earth: Isle Royale National Park. This trip has been in the works for years and a dream of mine for even longer. It worked out beautifully that 8 women friends wanted to join us on this first Adventure Babes trip (more trips to come in the future!). We hiked 40 miles along the shores of Lake Superior and gorgeous inland lakes, through magical bogs and forests. We skinny-dipped and giggled and played and took 2 days off from hiking to enjoy the beauty of the land and to relax, read, write, and talk. The dynamics between everyone were fabulous and fun and a transformative experience was had by all.
Isle Royale holds a big ol’ special place in my heart because Amie and I actually met on a trail crew there when I was 19. She was the trail crew leader and we spent weeks going out into the field with only the gear necessary for our survival and some tools (shovels!) to build and maintain trails all over the island. I spent 2 years in this magical place, making some of my best friends, who I still live near and am close to today. It was a homecoming for us and a perfect place to dip my toes (literally and figuratively) into leading trips.
Amie is an old pro at leading trips around the world, but this trip presented unique challenges. For those of you who’ve backpacked before- it’s safe to say that even when you’re planning a trip just for 2 people, the packing and planning can be daunting. I know plenty of people who would love to backpack more but find the process overwhelming. It was hard work to plan this trip (food, ferry, camping permits, med kit, etc etc!) but 100% totally amazing and worth it!! It was a dream come true and I’m soooo happy about that.
Check out my boudoir site’s blog post for some more risque pics (bug suit boudoir!). *Fair warning: nudity and ridiculousness.*
The next trip with Adventure Babes is already being planned and is booked up too. Kate Woodford, a badass bilingual educator, and I are taking a crew of women to the Peruvian Amazon. I’m still deciding where the next trip will be after that. If you’d like to be one of the first to learn about the next trip sign up for the mailing list at the footer of this page.
Here’s what 3 Adventure Babes had to say about this trip:
“Adventure Babe founder Maureen Cassidy has a knack for bringing out every babe’s playful side, which makes an already great and exciting trip even more fun. She is also great at leading from behind, so you don’t feel like you’re being bossed around but rather on a trip with friends… and everything just happens to be perfectly organized without you lifting a finger.”
“From my heart, thank you for one of the most memorable trips ever! From the enchanted forest and waters, to experiencing my body as stronger than I knew, to the beautiful group cohesion. I felt safe, supported, and had a blast!”
“The Adventure Babes trip on isle royale was empowering and magical! There’s nothing like badass adventuring with women! I fell more in love with nature and my body in the most supportive group of women. I can’t wait til my next adventure babes trip!”
