Storytelling is a key element in closing the gender gap, outdoors and in. But it’s not always easy to speak up!

We’ve spoken lately with women who’ve said:

• “I’m not an elite athlete. Why would anyone care about my story?”
• “There are people doing cooler adventures than me, so mine isn’t a big deal.”
• “If I put myself out there and speak up, people will think I’m silly.”

Angie shares a heart-to-heart for any woman who loves the outdoors but is hesitant to turn up the volume on their own voice, including:

• How YOU sharing your story can change the world
• Why we need diverse perspectives and voices in the outdoors, from trip reports to scholarships
• When Angie realized that her personal adventures could positively impact the outdoor community
• Countering the common mindset traps that women face when sharing their stories
• Visibility isn’t the same as vanity
• Finding your voice and mining for personal stories
• How The Cairn Project can support you as you begin to share your stories

Send this episode to a friend who you believe has an amazing story that the world needs to hear.

(And follow along with Angie’s Adventure Fundraiser here and on Instagram! $5 goes a long way to the cause.)

Like this episode? Leave a 5-star rating and review on your podcast app!

You can help us close the gender gap outdoors and beyond:

• Become a 2025 Trailblazer.Get the storytelling and fundraising skills to make an impact on the sport you love.
• Check out the Summit Scholarship Foundation.
• Share this episode with a friend or family member.

Make sure you subscribe to the See Her Outside Podcast so you don’t miss a story!

Processing grief brought Carly to the mountains. Community gave her a reason to stay.

Carly Dykes is a mountaineer, University of Washington student, and 2024 Summit Scholarship recipient who climbed Mt. Baker in Washington last June.

Just before Carly turned 18, her dad died from cancer. Carly shares how she found solace in the mountains, why she decided to climb Mt. Rainier in his memory, and the life-changing experience of an all-women’s expedition up Mt. Baker through the Summit Scholarship Foundation.

Carly and Angie talked about:

• Grief, growth, and the healing power of the outdoors
• What it’s like to climb Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker as a beginner
• Why all-women’s climbing teams matter in a male-dominated sport
• How Carly is paying it forward by helping more women get into mountaineering
• Baker recap: a birthday summit, glacier school, and mountain sisterhood
• Coexisting with rather than conquering the mountain

Send this episode to a friend who you want to climb a mountain with this year.

You can help us close the gender gap outdoors and beyond:

• ⁠Become a 2025 Trailblazer⁠. You can make scholarships like Carly’s possible.
• Check out the ⁠Summit Scholarship Foundation⁠.
• Share this episode with a friend or family member.

Is 2025 the year you shoot your shot and get out of your comfort zone? 💪

Colleen MacDonald is an ultra and trail runner specializing in the 50 mile and 100 mile distances. Based in Colorado and Minnesota, Colleen is known for her unshakable grit and love of flying down technical descents.

Colleen and Angie talked about:

• Why competition is a positive aspect of sports
• How running helped her adjust after living and working abroad
• Identity, self-worth, and ego in ultra running
• Why athletes need white space in training and life
• Colleen’s attempts at the challenging Superior 100 in Minnesota
• Post-race blues and processing race performances
• Why YOU should go shoot your shot

Send this episode to a friend who loves to run or who has a race in 2025.

Follow along Colleen's adventures: https://colleenmacdonaldathlete.com/

Want to join Colleen as a Trailblazer with The Cairn Project and turn a 2025 adventure into a campaign to get more women outdoors? Learn more at cairnproject.org/trailblazers.

You can help us close the gender gap outdoors and beyond:

• Become a 2025 Trailblazer. Like Colleen, you can make a difference for girls and women who want transformative outdoor experiences.
• Check out the Summit Scholarship Foundation.
• Share this episode with a friend or family member.