Babes Network began with a frustration shared by a lot of women: the outdoors is for everyone, but the on-ramps are not. Gear shops can feel like a quiz you did not study for. Trailhead culture can feel cliquey. And the images that dominate adventure media too often turn women into scenery instead of athletes. We wanted the opposite — a community that treats women as the capable, ambitious adventurers they are, and that lowers the barrier to a first big trip without lowering the bar on skills or safety.
What We Believe
Our name is a reclamation. "Babes" here means strong, competent women who go after big days in wild places — not an invitation to be objectified. Everything we publish reflects that. You will find no glamour here, only grit, growth, and genuine welcome.
- The outdoors belongs to every woman. Size, age, background, income, or experience level — none of it is a prerequisite for the trail.
- Beginners are the point, not the problem. Everyone starts somewhere. We make starting easier.
- Skills over swagger. Real confidence comes from preparation and good judgment, not bravado.
- Protect what we love. We adventure within Leave No Trace ethics and leave places better than we found them.
- Community is the multiplier. A good partner turns an intimidating objective into an achievable one.
How We Started
What is now a network of trail crews, skill workshops, and trip reports started as a single group chat of women who kept missing out on adventures because they could not find partners. One person would want to try backpacking; another had done it twenty times and was happy to show the ropes. Multiply that by a few hundred women across a few regions, and you get something powerful: an apprenticeship model for the outdoors, run by women, for women.
Inspired by trailblazers like the original Babes in the Backcountry movement and the broader rise of women-led outdoor education, we have grown into a place where mentorship happens naturally. The veteran climber who belays a nervous first-timer this season becomes the reason that first-timer leads her own pitch next season.
Who This Is For
Babes Network is for the woman who has always wanted to backpack but never had anyone to go with. It is for the trail runner who wants to push into the alpine. It is for the experienced mountaineer looking for partners who match her ambition. It is for the friend group that wants to level up from day hikes to overnights. If you want to spend more of your life outside and you would rather not do it alone, you belong here.
The Bigger Picture
Getting outside is good for the body and the mind. The research on this is overwhelming — time in nature is consistently linked to lower stress and better well-being, and organizations like the REI Co-op have built entire communities around that simple truth. We are doing our part: one trip, one skill, one new partner at a time. Ready to get involved? Visit our community page or send us a note from the contact page.