jen judge

For me, becoming an independent woman in the outdoors has been about mitigating fears. After all, the backcountry is full of potentially scary things. There are wild and unpredictable creatures, as well as creepy-crawlies. There are existential risks to worry over, including injury (of either myself or others), over-exhaustion, running out of food and water, being stuck out in the elements, or simply getting lost. And then there are fears caused by how society sees women, such as lack of competence or not measuring up.

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