Wild Moves

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Love your moves! Appreciate and celebrate the amazing ways your body can move as you stretch and express yourself in different ways! This six-day backpacking trip focuses on self-expression through a variety of physical activities including dancing, rock climbing and yoga as you learn to love what your body can do. Plan to practice your backcountry skills, laugh with a great group of girls, and learn to navigate your way around the woods. If you enjoy getting in a groove, this course is for you! No previous movement or backpacking experience necessary.

Welcome to the Girls' Wilderness Program!You can expect your course to be fun, challenging, and different than anything you've ever done. You'll learn the outdoor skills that will set you up for a lifetime of adventures. You'll also stretch yourself, try new things, and learn things about yourself and others that you can take home with you. You'll laugh so hard that you can't stop. You'll get to know a group of girls in the kind of "real" way that makes the deepest friendships. And, better yet, lots of our course graduates tell us that when they returned to home or school, they felt more confident "being themselves" - trying new things, voicing their thoughts, and making solid friends.

Who Else is Going to Be On My Course?All kinds of girls take Girls' Wilderness Program courses. Some girls who come are "outdoorsy," with previous experience camping and hiking, but most come just to do something adventurous and to meet new people. Everyone brings unique life experiences and perspectives to the course, and you'll leave the backcountry with a new group of friends.

What Will I Do on the Wild Moves Course?This course is a great way to make good friends, learn a lot about backpacking, and explore expressing yourself through movement and community. You will hike, rock climb, dance, do yoga, play, explore, and dance some more. The wilderness is a wonderful place to let your body move you - feel your power while climbing a peak; let it loose while dancing; explore the courage to "take a stand" in a yoga posture or a group discussion. By the end of your course your group will likely have the skills to "run" your expedition on your own, using your instructors as backup for support and knowledge when you need them.

Where Are We Going?Vedauwoo (pronounced vee-da-voo) lies in southern Wyoming at 8,000 feet, between Laramie and Cheyenne. The area's famous Precambrian granite domes have been luring climbers for decades, and the jumbled rock formations interspersed with dense pine forests and aspen groves make it a uniquely beautiful location. Classic cracks, delicate face climbs and a multitude of one-pitch routes make this an excellent area to work on climbing technique. From the tops of the crags one can frequently see the Snowy Range to the west, and all the way down to Long's Peak on the continental divide. Vedauwoo is a 3 hour drive from Boulder.

What about fitness?Girls' Wilderness Program courses are meant to be challenging, but do-able. Regular exercise in the months before your course will be helpful, but a positive attitude and a willingness to try are just as important.

What Will I Eat? Spending all day outside will work up your appetite, and we'll provide meals and snacks that taste good and give you the energy you'll need for five days of hiking and backpacking. Meals are simple and hearty with lots of variety. We'll also make sure to pack enough dessert for everyone! We can accommodate some common dietary restrictions; please let us know if you have specific dietary needs.

What Should I Bring?You will receive a "What to Bring" list with your registration packet. Women's Wilderness will provide all backpacking gear (tents, stoves, sleeping bags, sleeping pads and backpacks), and we have outdoor clothing and hiking boots to loan. Plan to bring everything you have from the "What to Bring" list to your pre-trip meeting (held the night before we depart) and we'll help you with the rest. If borrowing a backpack from TWWI, please bring your items in any bag that is convenient for you.

How Will I Carry Everything? One of the beauties of a backpacking trip is that you will be entirely self-sufficient during your course. This means that when you move from camp to camp, you'll be hiking with a backpack that weighs about 30-40 pounds. Women's Wilderness has a good selection of adjustable packs, and staff will fit your pack just for you so it's comfortable. Since this course is an introduction to backpacking for most participants, we'll hike at a pace that works for everyone and take frequent breaks.

Course ExpectationsWe expect that you will come to your course with a willingness to learn, an open mind, ready to make new friends and have tons of fun! You can expect that we will listen to your needs and interests, and those of your group, and adapt the itinerary and course content accordingly. Your rights and decisions will always be respected, and no girl is ever forced or "talked into" doing something she doesn't want to do.

ItineraryEach course is different, and the itinerary can easily change to accommodate the needs of each group. While weather sometimes influences our schedule, here's a sample itinerary for Wild Moves:

Pre-Trip MeetingAt The Women's Widerness Institute Office:
For Girls: 4:00 to 6:00 pm, on the afternoon before your course starts.
For Parents: 5:30-6:00 pm, on the same day as the girls' pre-trip meeting.
You'll get a chance to meet the other girls on the course, make sure you have what you need, and borrow clothing and hiking boots if you need them. Your parents will have a chance to meet the staff and to get questions answered about the course.

Slideshow and Pizza PartyA celebration slideshow and pizza party will be scheduled in late August for all participants, their families and friends.

CostThe cost of the Wild Moves course is $720. Full and partial financial aid is available for participants from low- and middle-income families, and scholarships are determined on a case-by-case basis. Please request a financial aid form if you would like to apply.