Course Description:

This is the third hike through the 2024 Peak Ready Series (click here to read more), a partnership between Women’s Wilderness and Life’s 2 Short Fitness. These hikes are intended for women and gender expansive people that are new to hiking, are wanting to explore the beauty of Colorado in a supportive community of like-minded women, or are training for the Life’s 2 Short Fitness trek to Kilimanjaro this summer.

This Sunday, May 5 hike is scheduled to take place on the beautiful trails of Golden Gate Canyon State Park, located 25 minutes west of Golden.

Our planned route is the Mountain Lion Trail, an 8-mile loop hike through diverse terrain and ecosystems, including streambeds, conifer forests, and open meadows. We’ll be on the lookout for the beginning signs of plans coming out of their winter dormancy! The starting elevation at the Nott Creek Trailhead is 7,740 ft, and we’ll max out at 9,141 ft at the summit of Windy Peak. This hike will provide a challenge as we work up our physical and mental endurance, but the beautiful scenery and camaraderie will keep us moving and enjoying each step.

During this hike, we will learn about and explore many aspects of trail safety to remain unharmed, healthy, and found. We will uncover ways to manage encounters with threatening wildlife or humans while hiking, encounters with threatening humans while hiking; and methods for protecting yourself during unsafe weather. As with all Peak Ready Series hikes, we will take rests to interpret the cultural and ecological history of the land, explore hiking skills, hydrate, snack, and enjoy one another’s company!

*If trail conditions do not allow for safe hiking in Golden Gate Canyon State Park, or the park closes the trailhead/trails for any reason, we will determine a new trail system and communicate that update to participants before the program date.

Hike Statistics:

8-mile loop

1,401 ft elevation gain (begins at approximately 7,740 ft, and we’ll max out at 9,141 ft)

Details:

Date: Sunday, May 5th 2024

Time: 6.30am-3pm

Location: Golden Gate Canyon State Park, CO.

When registering, you can choose to meet at WW HQ: 1206 Euclid Avenue, Boulder CO 80302 at 6.30am or drive yourself and meet at the parking lot off Highway 93 and Golden Gate Canyon Road at 7am

Price: $35/45/55 sliding scale

Included: transportation, light breakfast + lunch + snacks, entrance fee, guided hiking

What to Wear & Bring:

Wear layers (Upper Body: wool or synthetic base layer, midlayer, and a top layer jacket; Lower Body: base layer and a top layer, unless temperatures are warm)

Lightweight or midweight gloves, winter hat (fleece or wool)

Baseball camp or wide-brim sun hat

Insulated/waterproof hiking shoes/boots (trail running shoes ok if its dry out); wool socks, gaiters if there is snow

Sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm

Daypack (between 12L and 30L) – enough to hold water, snacks, lunch, and layers

Notepad and pencil/pen (if you’d like to take notes or record observations)

Water bottle (s) or hydration bladder (ideally 50-60 oz, or 1.5L)

Women’s Wilderness has daypacks, hiking boots, and warm clothing) you may use for free, as well! We will send you a Gear Checkout form prior to the hike.

For any questions email info@womenswilderness.org – apply here for Financial Aid.

Your Instructors:

Lily (she/her) grew up in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies and has always loved playing in dirt, snow, water, and woods. With an undergraduate degree in Sociology focused on Power and Inequality in a Global Perspective, Lily spent much of her early career exploring how her passions for wilderness, social justice, community, and good old fashioned fun could come together. Lily loves to mountain bike, ski, backpack, trail run, play pond hockey, garden, and cook. She lives in Denver with her partner, their sweet, goofy dog, Timber, and their five chickens, Udon, Sashimi, Ravioli, Chimichanga, and Brown.

Marley (she/her) has spent over 25 years engaging communities in wildlife conservation education, as well as evaluating environmental education programs and measuring impact. Working for Women’s Wilderness is a meaningful intersection of Marley’s passion for outdoor recreation and her commitment to equity, access, and inclusion for individuals and communities historically excluded from experiences in and with the natural world.