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domination, such as 'attack the trail,' 'summit assault,' or 'conquer the mountain.'" Rather, they would say things like "'run the rapids,' 'climb the mountain,' or 'let's start hiking.'" Giammatteo wrote that Mitten taught the hostess concept, meaning that one guides in areas in alignment with one's ability. Just like one would throw a party in a place where one is comfortable and know where things are, ones leads trips in an areas where one is comfortable.
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instead learn through nature, getting to feel comfortable, and ending up feeling blissful, in the outdoors. The idea was that it was not important how far you went, how fast you climbed, etc., but rather what you saw, what you experienced, what you did. Guides completed extensive training and emphasis was placed on leadership styles. Woodswomen directors would look for "alternatives to
267:"When women learn from women, they take more credit for learning," said Elizabeth Barnard in an interview. Traveling with other women also gets women out of passive roles they may take at home and on trips with men, where they may be marginalized in favor of having the supposedly stronger and faster men do the job. When men are not around, it's impossible for women to fall into
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felons would go on three-day outdoors trips, gaining confidence, and trust in themselves and other participants. Another program was called Women and
Children Bonding in the Outdoors provided opportunities for low-income women and their children to experience outdoor activities. This program was designed to expose
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Especially in the early years of
Woodswomen (1970s and '80s), many women did not have strong outdoors skills because they had not been given the opportunity to learn them. This led to women on outdoor trips being marginalized for their lack of skill and not getting the opportunity to learn. When men
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Judith Niemi explained part of
Woodswomen's philosophy as, "not worrying about competition, achievement, ego. Especially not thinking we are conquering nature." Many people go into the wilderness with the mindset of "conquering the great outdoors." Woodswomen trips worked to counter that mindset and
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youth to the outdoors and to provide them with positive interactions with adults, potentially leading to higher self-esteem, a greater affinity for nature, and hope for the future. Wilderness
Experiences for Women Offenders was another of Woodswomen's special programs. Through this program, women
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trip for women. Though these three women are generally credited with the initial organization, they maintain that it was founded organically. This means that each woman has her own
Woodswomen history and no one person started out to make a business out of adventure travel for women. For example,
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Woodswomen ran a number of special programs along with the adventure travel trips. One, called
Minnesota Youth Outdoors, was a program which served gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth and allies. Minnesota Youth Outdoors ran one and two day trips to various locations in Southern Minnesota, giving
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In 1980, Woods-women launched a women-and-leadership course which turned into a well respected leadership program that trained many women who led Woods-women trips and trips for other companies. Woods-women was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1982. Also in 1982, the organisation
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For
Woodswomen guides, leadership was viewed as a role that encouraged appropriate participation, not as a characteristic of a personality type. The rigid idea of goal-setting and the language of right and wrong were removed. Woodswomen guides, for example, would avoid words that connoted
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in participants. Women coming back from trips reported an increase in confidence, saying things like "now I know I can go for that job promotion." Woodswomen affiliates conducted research over the years about the outcomes of trips, and how empowered women felt by them.
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youth, who participated in a series of one to two day trips. Woodswomen guides and "adult supporter team members hope that sense of self and success will help gay and lesbian youth negotiate a time fraught with difficulties."
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Woodswomen's mission was to "offer supportive and challenging learning opportunities for women and for women and children to help foster individual growth, responsibility, and relationship skills." Woodswomen was set up with
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In 1987, Denise Mitten secured a grant from the Emma B. Howe
Foundation and started the Women and Children Bonding in the Outdoors Program. Expanding their reach, in 1989 Mitten answered a request for proposals from the
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Mitten, Denise. "A Philosophical Basis for a Women's
Outdoor Adventure Program." Journal of Experiential Education, Summer 1985, Boulder, CO: Association of Experiential Education 8(2), 20-24.
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In 1985, Kathy Phibbs opened the
Northwest office of Woodswomen and served as its director. Two years earlier, she had organized the first meeting of Women Climbers Northwest (WCN) in 1983.
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In 1993, Woodswomen ran 70 trips in 8 different countries, and upon its closure in 1999, Woodswomen had served over 8,000 women and 1,200 children through its outdoor adventure programs.
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women and their children to outdoor activities; in the process women and children would gain self-respect, the courage to accept challenges, cooperation skills, and respect for nature.
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in Washington state. According to Giammatteo, Denise Mitten refined Woodswomen's acclaimed leadership program, creating a style stressing ethical and inclusive leadership.
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Valuing healthy relationships with people and the environment, hiring and training staff who could exemplify healthy bonding both within the group and with nature.
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Judith Niemi's personal Woodswomen began when she decided that women needed an organization that would run outdoor trips solely for them, following a trip in the
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Valuing women and women's ways of knowing, hiring, and training staff who could model that women's strengths are an asset to outdoor living and traveling.
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on trips would teach women some skills, it would be condescending and hierarchical, and women would get frustrated when they didn't get it right away.
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Woodswomen guide and Executive Director Denise Mitten using a body belay while guiding in Joshua Tree National Park in the 1980s. Photo by Kathy Phibbs.
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and served more than 8,000 women and 1,200 children in its tenure. It has been referred to as the 'grandmother' of women's outdoor adventure groups.
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1988 Woodswomen Denali Climb on the west buttress of Mount McKinley, AK. Climb guided by Denise Mitten and Kathy Phibbs. Photo by Denise Mitten.
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Mitten, Denise. "Empowering Women and Girls in the Outdoors." Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Reston, VA. February, 1992.
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Winegar, Karin. "Woodswomen tackle nature's wilds, but with a very casual air." The Minneapolis Tribune. Minneapolis, MN. September 26, 1982.
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Kloppenburg, Dick. "Woodswomen: Minneapolis company shows outdoors is women's business." Daily Herald, Wausau-Merrill, WI. August 23, 1984.
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In addition to learning new skills and becoming comfortable in the outdoors, one of the main results of Woodswomen trips was increased
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Bentley, Judy, Burton, Joan, Thornberg, Lace, and Firey, Carla. "The First Ladies." Washington Trails. March and April, 2011, page 25
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trip in Labrador, Canada. A seven-member expedition team traveled for four weeks on a 200-mile journey following Hubbard's route.
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Cook, Sam. "It isn't how far you've come, but where you are, that's important." News—Tribune & Herald. January 26, 1986.
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Giammatteo, Hollis. "Into the Woods: Woodswomen brings feminism to the great outdoors." Ms. Magazine. March/April, 1993.
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Woodswomen closed its doors in 1999. Its mailing list was passed on to Marian Marbury, who went on to found
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Winegar, Karin. "Mothers and kids get acquainted with the outdoors." The Star Tribune. September 24, 1988.
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Winegar, Karen. "No yelling: Women-only travel finds firm niche." Sunday Standard-Times. March 7, 1993
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Woodswomen guides completed an extensive guide-training program, focusing on leadership styles and
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leadership and centralized authority," working to have everyone participate in decision-making.
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Frommer, Arthur. "Women-only tours gaining popularity." Chicago Sun Times. June 21, 1987.
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Dochterman, Robin. "Calling all gay and lesbian youth!" Equal Time. October 9–23, 1992.
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Woodswomen Inc.'s primary function was to offer adventure travel trips for women.
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In 1993, Woodswomen had 59 domestic trips and 11 international trips ranging from
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Korn, Ben. No title. The Minneapolis Tribune. Minneapolis, MN. December 30, 1979.
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Woodswomen was an organization that pioneered several programmatical aspects of
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and secured funding for the Wilderness Experiences for Women Offenders Program.
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focusing on education and adventure travel operated by women, for women out of
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Winegar, Karin. "On top of the world." The Star Tribune. September 19, 1997.
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coordinated and sponsored an expedition commemorating theo jonston 's 1905
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Niemi, Judith. "Talking with Woodswomen." New Women's Times. April, 1982.
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In 1990, Woodswomen sponsored the 100th year Commemoration Climb of
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