Safer Alone in the Backcountry: Sarah Grothjan
She Explores
English - June 19, 2019 09:19 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MB - ★★★★★ - 878 ratingsWilderness Sports Society & Culture Places & Travel outdoors outdoor women road trips hiking camping creativity Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Sarah Grothjan believes solo hiking is one of the safest things she can do. Sarah explains why she feels safer alone in the backcountry than she does in her off-trail life.
We talk with Sarah about how a city can feel less safe than being by yourself in the woods, why she wants to change the pervasive narrative that says otherwise, and how the last five years of hiking and backpacking have helped her come out of her shell and step into herself.
Featured in this episode: Sarah Grothjan
Featured in the midroll ad: Emilee Struss
Hosted by Gale Straub
Sponsored by Merrell
Continue the conversation and join us in our She Explores Podcast Facebook Group!
In this episode, you'll hear:
How Sarah got into hiking and backpacking solo
Why she wants to break the pervasive narrative that women need a man to hike safely in the backcountry
How a stalker changed her perspective on city life and words from thru-hiker Heather Anderson made her want to try backpacking
The ways hiking and backpacking helped with Sarah's shyness
That there are risks to spending time in the backcountry, but Sarah doesn't believe they are gender specific (for the most part)
The mixed reactions Sarah gets from people about her solo outdoor experiences
Why she wrote an essay for Outside Online and what the feedback was
What outdoor trips Sarah is looking forward to this summer
Resources
Sarah Grothjan: Instagram and Website
Sarah's Outside Online Article: Backpacking is My Respite from Sexual Harassment
Sponsor Websites and Codes
Merrell: Learn more by visiting Merrell.com
Enjoy this episode? Rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It’ll help other people find us.
Music is by Lee Rosevere, Josh Woodward, and Kai Engel using a Creative Commons Attribution license.
She Explores airs weekly on Wednesdays - subscribe so you never miss an episode!