When I first wanted to learn how to backpack, I had nobody to go with. None of my friends were really into hiking or backpacking. The few people who were interested were busy, unavailable or only wanted to go once in a while.

After a while, I realized something that completely changed my life:

If I kept waiting for someone else to go with me, I might never get to do this.

So, I started learning how to backpack alone.

At the time, I thought I was just figuring out how to get myself out on trail. What I didn’t know was that years later, that decision would inspire me to create the hiking and backpacking community I wish I’d had when I first started.

Why I Started Backpacking Alone

A lot of people know me online for solo hiking and solo backpacking but the truth is, I didn’t start going alone because I was fearless or trying to prove something.

I started going alone because I got tired of waiting.

Tired of:

  • Coordinating schedules
  • Waiting for people to commit
  • Having trips canceled
  • Wanting to hike more than the people around me did

Eventually, I realized that if I truly wanted this backpacking life, I had to stop waiting for permission, company or perfect timing.

Maybe you know exactly what that feels like.

You want to:

  • Hike more
  • Learn how to backpack
  • Spend more time outdoors
  • Go on adventures

But the people around you:

  • Are busy
  • Aren’t interested
  • Don’t prioritize it the way you do
  • Or only want to go occasionally

So you wait.

You wait for schedules to line up.
You wait until life slows down.
You wait until someone finally says yes.

But the waiting can steal years from doing the things you love.

How Solo Backpacking Changed My Life

That decision to stop waiting eventually led me to the Pacific Crest Trail.

In 2018, I left to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail solo for five and a half months. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. It was also one of the most life-changing.

Out there on trail, I learned:

  • How to solve problems
  • How to stay calm when things didn’t go as planned
  • How to trust myself
  • How capable I really was

When you’re carrying everything you need on your back and figuring things out day by day, something shifts inside of you. You stop seeing yourself as someone who “can’t.”

That confidence doesn’t stay on trail. It follows you home.

The Bigger Realization I Had After Backpacking Alone

Something else happened during that journey too.

I realized how many women were probably sitting at home wanting to do this exact same thing but feeling stuck. Not because they weren’t capable but because they:

  • Didn’t know where to start
  • Felt intimidated
  • Didn’t have support
  • Didn’t have a hiking community
  • Didn’t see themselves represented outdoors

For many women, the outdoors can feel:

  • Male-dominated
  • Intimidating
  • Unsafe
  • Overwhelming

And because of that, many women believe they need someone else to take the lead but that’s simply not true.

You absolutely belong outdoors too.

Why I Created The Confident Solo Female Backpacker System

After I came home from the Pacific Crest Trail, I couldn’t stop thinking about the women who were in the same position I used to be in.

Wanting to hike.
Wanting to backpack.
Wanting to get outside.

But feeling stuck waiting for someone else.

I realized women didn’t need another inspirational quote telling them to “just go for it.”

They needed:

  • A clear path
  • Step-by-step guidance
  • Support while learning
  • A safe space to ask questions
  • Confidence built through real experience

That’s why I created The Confident Solo Female Backpacker System.

I almost talked myself out of creating this program so many times. I struggled with imposter syndrome because:

  • I didn’t grow up backpacking
  • I wasn’t raised outdoorsy
  • I learned everything through trial and error

Eventually I realized: That’s exactly what makes me qualified to help women starting from zero because I know what it feels like to:

  • Feel scared
  • Overthink everything
  • Talk yourself out of trips
  • Feel like you don’t belong
  • Start later in life

I also know what it feels like to come out the other side feeling confident.

You Don’t Have to Want to Backpack Alone to Join

One of the biggest misconceptions about my program is that women have to want to backpack alone to join.

You don’t.

Yes, some women join because they want to feel confident backpacking solo but many women join because they simply want:

  • More independence outdoors
  • More confidence
  • More skills
  • More community
  • More freedom

Maybe you want to:

  • Backpack with friends
  • Plan trips for your family
  • Take your kids hiking
  • Become a stronger hiking partner
  • Meet other women who love the outdoors

That’s what this community is really about.

Confidence
Freedom
Connection
And choice

What Makes This Hiking & Backpacking Community Different

Inside the program, women learn:

  • How to plan trips
  • How to choose backpacking gear
  • How to stay safe
  • How to physically and mentally prepare
  • How to build confidence outdoors

Beyond the training, something really special happened that I never fully expected.

The women inside this program started building real friendships.

Women who thought they had nobody to hike or backpack with suddenly found:

  • Hiking partners
  • Backpacking buddies
  • Accountability
  • Encouragement
  • Community

Many women join for the backpacking skills but they stay for the community because what they often find is something much deeper:

  • Belonging
  • Friendship
  • Confidence
  • Support
  • A community of women who truly get it

Why Group Trips Matter So Much

One of my favorite parts of this program has been leading student group backpacking trips throughout the year.

These trips allow women to:

  • Practice real backpacking skills
  • Gain trail experience
  • Build confidence
  • Learn in a supportive environment
  • Stop overthinking and start doing

Something incredible happens on these trips. Women arrive nervous, unsure and doubting themselves. Then by the end of the trip, they leave feeling:

  • Proud
  • Empowered
  • Capable
  • Excited to plan their next adventure

Confidence grows much faster through experience than endless research.

You Don’t Have to Keep Waiting

If you’ve been sitting at home thinking:
I want to do this, but I honestly don’t know where to start…

You’re exactly who I created this for.

You do not need another year of:

  • Watching YouTube videos
  • Researching gear
  • Waiting for someone else
  • Talking yourself out of going

You need:

  • A clear path
  • Support
  • Community
  • Women beside you who understand exactly how this feels

Solo backpacking may have taught me confidence but building this community gave that confidence purpose.

Now, it’s not just about hiking alone anymore. It’s about helping more women create their own version of this backpacking life, whether that means:

  • Backpacking solo
  • Hiking with friends
  • Joining group trips
  • Leading family adventures
  • Or simply proving to themselves they can do hard things

And you absolutely can.