What does nature mean to you?
Jen Hirsch
Wild Women Outdoors – Colorado, Founder
The Universe only gives you what you can handle. Nature provides the unknown. The playground for us to test ourselves – to learn, to grow, to inspire. Adventures in the wilderness teach us. They heal us. They challenge us, and when we need it most, they accept us.
I am living my best life when I’m in nature. I know the treks I take have risks associated with them – some life threatening. But I also know that I am safe when prepared to the best of my ability. I know when it’s time to kick up the attention to detail, and when it’s time to pop open a beer and “cheers” to a successful adventure. That safety and knowing I will return home, is the most important part to any of my adventures. I want my hikes and summits to inspire other women to load up their packs, hike with their friends, and capture their own stories in the wilderness to bring home and share.
When I leave this earth, I want my life to be one that other women can admire. I want to live my life with no regrets. It doesn’t matter exactly what those accomplishments are, but rather, how did I allow those experiences to change me as a person. What lessons did I learn? How did I grow? These questions not only relate to being in nature, but also are directly relatable in my everyday life, and drive me to persistently grow and learn more about myself.
The Colorado back country has become my home. Being in nature allows me to be one with myself – my soul. It’s where I feel I am being the best version of me. Through backpacking, camping, summiting 14ers, paddle-boarding – I explored an incredible number of tools to help me learn to read maps, understand weather forecasts, and route finding. The lessons I learned from each of these experiences have made me a better adventure babe, and most importantly, a better woman. For this I am eternally grateful. When I hiked to the summit of Maroon Peak, I gained a new perspective. Being on top of the mountain made me realize just how small our day-to-day problems are in relation to the vast beauty of the wilderness. When you’re up that high, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the vistas of mountains layered upon mountains. And while I’ve summited some difficult peaks before, I realized each time how few people make these treks. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the volume of people; it was the lack thereof. Fewer than seven to ten each time. And moreover, I couldn’t help but notice how few women were standing shoulder to shoulder with me. I was usually one of the only women up there. This felt empowering. To know the strength in myself, made the accomplishment of hiking 10 plus hours with inconceivable vertical gain, seem more than worth it.
When I stand on these peaks, my soul becomes still. I pause and inhale the deepest breath, then exhale my worries and troubles. I want this for all women. It’s drives me to find out how to push myself to more objectives, in more mountain ranges, with this kind of company. Nature puts life into perspective. Being amongst the trees and wildflowers, the aspens as they change from green to golden-yellow, and standing in the silent snowfall gives me the opportunity to thank the universe. I reflect with gratitude: the journey, the struggles, the companionship, and the opportunity that being outdoors gives me. I love being up for the challenge, because you know what?
The Universe only gives you what you can handle, and I just can’t wait to see what that is for me and Wild Women Outdoors Colorado.
To learn more about Jennifer’s work and Wild Woman Colorado, please visit:
https://www.wildwomenoutdoors.com/colorado
https://www.instagram.com/wild.women.outdoors.colorado/