A group of Ohio women have taken on new challenges in outdoor survival — many of them with little to no prior experience — building new skills and friendships.
On July 13 a local backpacking group, the Summit Sisters, embarked on their final backpacking test, a three-and-a-half mile hike followed by an overnight stay in Germantown Metropark, about 20 miles southwest of Dayton.
The Summit Sisters is a backpacking school for women. It’s a 16-week course that covers everything someone needs to know about backpacking, including gear, food, water, safety and navigation. The classes are paired with weekly training hikes to build up strength and endurance.
Nancy Ball is the school’s founder. She started Summit Sisters four years ago.
“I wanted to make this accessible for everyone," she said. "So I worked very hard at removing as many barriers as I could.”
She tries to address people’s fears and concerns about backpacking. The three most common fears that Ball hears are bears, getting lost and going to the bathroom in the woods.
This year the Summit Sisters ranged in age from mid-30s to early-70s. Some of the women had gone camping once or twice, while some, like Angela Radakovich, had never slept in a tent.
“It's way outside of my comfort zone, but it just sounded like a challenge I wanted to do … and my family was like, 'Do it, just do it,' so I did,” Radakovich said.
Radakovich lives in Cincinnati. She recently became an empty nester after her youngest child left for college and she felt the call to try something outside of her comfort zone.
“I just turned 55. So I have a lot of years left. So why not try something completely new and completely different?" she said. "It's just good to know that you can still challenge yourself, I think, even at this age.”
The day of their final trip was hot and sunny. Many of the women seemed to be proud of their accomplishment and appreciated how strong they felt hiking in the heat and up the hills wearing 30 pound packs.
The energy around camp was warm and fun. The supportive relationships the participants built has been a boon, Ball said.
“I didn't realize that this was going to be more about women empowering each other, more about … women being encouraged to take risks in a safe setting and what that does for their bravery, their courage, their self esteem,” Ball said.
More information can be found on the Summit Sisters website.
Nancy Ball can be reached at nancy@summittrektravel.com
