On January 20, 2018, SheJumps Oregon hosted an Outdoor Education event at Mt. Hood where we jumped into the sport of Nordic Skiing. It was a snowy trip up the mountain to Pocket Creek Sno-Park where all the ladies met. We started with introductions and filled our packs with snacks (Thank you Skout Backcountry, Happy Mountain Kombucha & 10 Barrel Brewing Co.) before Jan Zarella, a volunteer from Portland’s The Mountain Shop, led the group through basic skills needed for a nordic ski tour: basic form, technique and the art of falling.
We began down the trail that was lined with powder dusted firs. Laughs and smiles were shared as confidence built up. The flat trail soon gained elevation, which allowed us to practice skiing uphill. Before turning around, which meant practicing skiing downhill!, we took a break and shared how we found SheJumps and a general appreciation for the mission of women supporting other women.
As we closed our time together, the moral was high and plans for future trips were being made.
Thank you to our local partnerships based in Portland, OR and national partnerships that support SheJumps Outdoor Education events: