Focused On Women
In 2016 I launched Finding Freedom Ladies Backcountry Adventures and began organizing free ladies-only rides. My very first event I felt the need to incorporate avalanche and backcountry safety and this has become my priority.
Out of the 16 ladies in my event, only seven knew how to change their beacon from sending a signal to searching. So now, as part of every Finding Freedom Rides, we review avalanche education and backcountry safety in the classroom the night before, plus on-the-snow training and drills during the rides. We practice with our friends on the mountain, learning how to apply these skills hands-on.
My team members and I secretly bury a makeup bag with a beacon, usually four feet down. Then we all ride to the area we have designated as our “debris field” and slowly work through the process of a mock avalanche rescue. We must walk before we can run.
Have you ever noticed that the more confident people quickly find the signal during these mock exercises, before the timid people ever even get the chance to try?
This is especially true for women. During these ladies’ rides we slow down the practice drills so everyone has a chance to succeed. I will even purposefully stop a more advanced beacon locator and ask them to wait until everyone understands what we are looking for.
Every single group of women has located the beacon signal, used their probes, did strategic shoveling and found the makeup bag with the beacon.
How much more successful can these ladies potentially be, if they know they can find a 10-inch makeup bag buried with a beacon?
We are all wanting to find freedom up there, to forget about the laundry, the dishes or that grocery list for just one day.
I want women to find freedom, confidence and knowledge all at the same time. Because it’s about HER. It is about LIFE. It is about FUN.
My Finding Freedom Team Members
Justin Adamson, Kyla Gibson, Susan Johnston, Wendy Liebes, Jeff Anderson, Justin Cook and Billy Horton.
My Amazing Sponsors
Ski-Doo, Rexburg Motor Sports, Extreme Realities, Scenic Safaris
FB@ Finding Freedom Ladies Backcountry Adventures with Cally Adamson
Instagram as #wyskidoogirl