Making a Website for Lady Hikers. Suggestions, please!

[Hashbrown]

Thank you for all the great ideas and contributions. I'd like to get this site up and running within the next few months, so that the class of 2013 might get use out of it. And I would love to have contributors share their personal trail stories or write informational articles. LadybugPicnic, I'll definitely include some vegetarian articles. I'm also a vegetarian and I managed to do my thru-hike without eating any meat. I'll be sure to give an update when my site is up and running.

Gentlemen: thank you for your mansplations about how women are equals. That's very helpful. However, the truth is that there aren't nearly as many women on the trail as men, and I would like to help change that by creating an a place that's geared toward the concerns and questions of female backpackers. No offense. You'll be welcome to visit the site if you're interested in the female perspective.

[Hashbrown]

Thank you for the good suggestions. It does take a lot of effort to find good clothing for hiking that isn't bulky. I might expand to include other trails once I have my site up and running.

[S'more]

Keep us posted as to how it's going, Hashbrown!

[Ursa]

I like the idea. I am planning a through hike in 2013. I would love to learn about practical issues that are specific to women. Staying safe on the trail is certainly one of them, useful stuff like how to avoid getting poison ivy on your butt when peeing in the woods (ok...maybe silly, but I'll bet there's a few people out there worry about this), which packs are better for female frames, same with boots. To the extent that a sort of social network can happen -- that would be great. I know many of us are looking for female hiking buddies -- just my two cents...

[Adriana]

useful stuff like how to avoid getting poison ivy on your butt when peeing in the woods (ok...maybe silly, but I'll bet there's a few people out there worry about this)...

Google pSyle, it's an amazing device that lets you pet stading up. I just got mine and LOVE it! Will never hike witout it. No more squatting to pee for me!

[Carry-On]

Google pSyle, it's an amazing device that lets you pet stading up. I just got mine and LOVE it! Will never hike witout it. No more squatting to pee for me!

Agreed on the Pstyle. I used mine for my whole 2012 thruhike and LOVE it!

[Carry-On]

Hashbrown, did we ever meet? Anyway, I know that I read all sorts of books and trail journals for a solid year before my 2012 thruhike, and I was always on the lookout for ones by women, like Becoming Odyssa and the Barefoot Sister's books. I kept a daily blog, which I'm moving over to blogspot, and ended up hiking with a group of women for most of my hike. There were up to five of us at one point but only two of us finished. Anyway, I would have loved some sort of compilation list of trail journals and AT books and articles and interviews with women who thruhiked, especially if they started solo like I did.

Some women specific issues of course, peeing, periods, underclothes, being a minority on the trail, being the center of male hiker attention-sometimes uncomfortably so, hitchhiking alone (men do have to worry about this, too, but women more so), how to deal with and "train" concerned family and friends (seems to be worse with young women). Other issues like don't camp within a mile of a road, how to recognize and diffuse dangerous situations (like info in the book The Gift of Fear), why not to keep a current trail journal (online stalkers), are things that men also can benefit from knowing, too, but women worry about more than men I believe.

[Dogwood]

I've seen a few hiking websites, for whatever reason, largely fall by the wayside and that was with the site appealing to ALL hikers, a much larger potential user market than just female hikers. Even some of the sites appealing to a select hiking segment such as Ultra Lighters have gone downhill or folded it up. Some have prospered. Hopefully, your site will be one that prospers OVER THE LONG TERM, if that's your intention.

Personally, even though I'm a male, and perhaps I'm not aware of ALL the potential hiking issues related to females, I REALLY LIKE the way Whiteblaze is organized to allow for a WOMENS/FEMALE FORUM AND *HAVING IT WISELY MANAGED/MODERATED.* I thought that largely accomplished what you seek HashBrown - "having a female or lady's hiking place geared towards the concerns and questions of female hikiers!

It's my guess trying to market or organize such an a activity as hiking through a website mainly geared towards females will take a lot of creativity and consistent freshness to keep females consistently interested in the site(female topics) OVER THE LONG TERM. You may find that when first starting a female hiking website you have a great many ideas and topics to explore but as with other websites, mags, TV stations, etc you would/could quickly run out of female only related issues and find yourself competing with similar media that appeal to a genderless audience or allow for topics to be discussed by both genders. I also feel hiking/backpacking/trekking is an activity that is neither a hard line male or female activity. It's basically asexual. What I mean by that, if one is truly open minded and not prejudiced towards either gender, is that females can learn a lot about hiking from males and males can certainly learn a lot from females. I know, I'm one male hiker who has absolutely had my hiking knowledge and experiences enhanced by the opposite sex. Females/female hikers are some of my closest friends/hiking friends. So, although you seem well intentioned, when you say you want to create a hiking website "that's geared toward the concerns and questions of female backpackers" MANY of those concerns and questions aren't going to be gender exclusive when it pertains to hiking! You are going to experience A LOT of overlap. Hashbrown, if still aren't getting my pt examine your questions in your opening statement. Most of those questions can be adequately addressed with a genderless answer! They don't just pertain to females.

I understand that some females like to have greater privacy in discussing female topics by having discussions with only other females but I just don't see how you will facilitate that through a website. For example, how would you know for certain a user isn't a male? In this regard, I think the way WB organizes and moderates the female forum is the way to go. If you can come up with a better way I would like to see it. Go for it

Although I could be wrong, I think your idea Hashbrown is akin to having a females only cooking show or Backpacker Magazine for Females. The number of possible users/customers/marketing base, etc for a female only hiking website(the type of media has some to do with the success of such a proposition too), is more limiting, hmm - not sure if it's big enough to warrant a female only or geared toward females hiking site. Uhh, I don't know how that might work out.

I am absolutely in sync with your idea of getting more females outdoors/hiking though. I think that's the MAIN GOAL - you and I both want to achieve. You shouldn't lose sight of that BIG PICTURE! You might explore other avenues that lead to that achievement! I try to facilitate that, in my own small way, by taking small groups of young people(less than a dozen at a time) of which about 1/3 are young females outdoors/hiking. For example, start a girl's/female only hiking club or girl's/female only camping trip. Sponsor it if you have to but if you are creative, considerate, and thoughtful enough to ponder a female hiking website it sounds someone like you can also raise support for this! Get back to me if you ever pursue something like this. Maybe I can assist. Good luck in your endeavors.

[BayleeC]

I would love to have contributors share their personal trail stories or write informational articles.

This is a great idea! I would like to thru-hike in 2014. There are far more male hikers than females and it would be really swell to hear another perspective. I'm hoping there will continue to be a growing number of women hikers over the next few years. I come from a family that has had a hard time accepting the idea of myself venturing out into the wilderness alone as a young woman. I'm going to prove it's possible, and I feel like a place where we women can share our stories and discuss the issues that pertain to us would help encourage other's to get out there and trek.. Also think it might be a cool way to find other women to hike with as Ursa suggested

[Crusinsusan]

Personally, I think such a site is way, WAY overdue....since ALL hiking sites are about men, so yes, women need their own sites, if only to NOT have to read advice that says button down shirts are great because you can open them to get a breeze; or about how great pack straps are (when they most certainly are NOT for many women). Guys writing about guys is fine. But let's call it what it is: WB, and other such sites are for guys...and we have to sift through stuff that is totally irrelevant to us. We do need our own gear, be it a pstyle or bigger S in our S straps and so on. Hope this gets done.

[Crusinsusan]

And need to add too, that such writings by men (that are for mens' issues only, such as the button-front shirt) are jarring and make me, for one, feel (yet again), "different", "not accounted for". If only we could all write inclusively; with understanding for an inclusive audience, we'd be so much better off. It'd be simple too...the guy writing about the shirt could have said "...for the guys, a button-down shirt..." and then *gasp* add in something for women. You know....maybe, I dunno, ask one for advice? Learn himself?

Hence, we need women space....where we're not "differentiated".

[Mule Team]

Why do men lurk on the female hiking forum?? Believe it or not MEN there are many hiking topics with women centric issues that I don't care to discuss with you! hence this forum. How ,bout that Diva cup fellas..and when was the last time your straps rubbed your boobs raw because some outfitter didn,T understand how to properly fit the female anatomy. Believe it or not, all of us frail little helpless ladies do not always want or need your opinions! Leave us in peace ans stay out of our tiny little speck of forum.

[Swordpen]

"Why do men lurk on the female hiking forum? Leave us in peace, & stay out of our little speck of forum".

I second this. Your male comments are generally not welcome, & miss the point, completely. You don't know, what you don't know.

[Meg Wilson Author]

Trying to figure out....how do I delete this post rather than just edit it?
As an author representing ten fabulous lady thru-hikers of 2012, I want no more association with such a negative thread.

[Kookork]

If women think a woman specific website serves them good then why not. I personally don't like to be a member of a man only hiking website. I also do not like to hike in a trail that I will just encounter male hikers. Women hikers/backpackers are hikers/backpackers first and woman second.

I don't understand what advantage the women only website could offer that the Whiteblaze women forum can't.

By the way, Isn't it better for men to be informed and updated about women hiking specific issues? It is not like we live in a male or female specific world.

Do we need a gender specific university or hospital ?

[Mrs Baggins]

Suppliers that make clothing and other stuff actually designed for women - and in my case, short women!

I'm researching a hammock for myself right now - I don't care that it will take a guy that's 6'3" - I'm 5' tall and I sure don't need a 250lb weight limit. I want a short hammock darnit!! I can see a custom made one in my future!


Try finding zip off pants that are actually shorts instead of capri's when you've got an inseam of 28"...rofl!

And don't limit it to the AT - there's a world of trails out there!

Yes!! Clothes for small women!! Especially pants that actually fit in length. Can't cut and hem pants that have velcro closures/zippers right at the hem. I won't buy the zip-offs unless the zipper is at or above my knee. I don't wear capris - ever and I don't want hiking skirts - too open.

[Nedrian]

Hey everyone! I'm new to this site, and this is the first thread I've actually felt the desire to respond to.

I think this is a great idea and would benefit the women that are interested in this idea. If you don't think this is a great idea, who are you to tell someone else what they should or shouldn't do? Don't join. Simple as that. If there's a need (and having read through this thread, it's pretty obvious there is a need), let it be met without having to throw your tantrums. I, for one, would join this site.

It would be so nice to be able to, like others have mentioned, be able to completely and 100% take in all of the information in a thread, instead of having to constantly fit what men have said works for them into what I think would work for me. It would be nice to be able to read information that was written with me in mind.

And again, if you don't think this is a great idea... don't join.

[Butterfly58]

Why are men even here answering this question if this a forum for women? I think that proves why there is a site needed. Men always think they have a right to be everywhere and that they are always wanted and needed everywhere. This is a women's forum, damn. I've been reading and lurking on some of the other forums and frankly have been scared to post anything because it seems so many are bullies. They are just mean. They seem to pick on whomever they perceive to be weak or weird or unprepared. They pick apart journals. God knows, it's frightening as a newbie here. Women, at least ones I know, just don't relate to each other like we're always in a pissing contest.

I think the above ideas are great. I would add some ideas like how to deal with relationship issues while gone on a LD hike. The gear issues are a big issue since most women are smaller and it seems most gear is made for men and what's up with women's stuff being pink? lol How to deal with hitchhiking into town? Scares me to death as a woman, but I don't want to have to rely on a man either. Women-specific hygiene. I'm sure I'll think of more. Anybody going to the Trail Dames summit next month?

[Meg Wilson Author]

My newest book, still in progress, is about what ten lady thru-hikers of 2012 taught me, a trail angel.
My blog is all about these Wander Women, and about other Wonderous Women I have met since I started this project a year ago.
If you women out there (and the men who respect you and what you're doing) want to check it out, here it is:
http://www.megwilsonauthor.com/blog
Please skip my blog if you know you won't have anything constructive to say about it. I see enough negativity on here as it is.
Thanks, and Happy Trails,
Meg Wilson

[Swordpen]

"Do we need a gender specific university or hospital ?"

ummh, yeah, you as a man are going to be treated in an obstetric hospital? Right.

This was almost too absurd to answer.