One Sister's Reflections on the First Annual SOLES' Backpacking Expedition

It was a bright and sunny day when the SOLE Sisters started their 41.6-mile expedition into the Weminuche Wilderness. The week ahead of us involved scaling mountains (up to 12,200 ft!), crossing rivers, sliding down snow-covered slopes (for me, it involved more sinking rather than sliding), sleeping under the stars, camping with gorgeous views, learning leadership skills, and most importantly creating a community of strong ladies who can support one another and use the skills learned on this trip in the community. I remember the first day that everyone gathered to divvy gear and pack our bags. I’m not going to lie, it was awkward. However, throughout the trip one of my favorite things to watch was the personality of every sister emerge. By day three we were all huddled around in a circle playing a game of ‘hot seat’ and laughing our way through the evening. There are many moments throughout this trip that I could highlight, but one in particular that stood out to me was when we reached our “highest high”, literally at 12,200 feet, the highest point of our expedition. At this moment in time we all jumped for joy when we saw the valley below the ridge, which we would later descend into. I think our group of ladies, at this point, turned into a family. That was an unforgettable moment, which we will all share together, forever.

Leadership was an important element that needed to be present during our trek through the wilderness. Almost everyday, except for the first few, we had four “Leaders of the Day”. These leaders would set goals to attain while leading the group and monitor how well they achieved these goals. Through this practice, I grew as a leader. Specifically, I became more confident in my skills and more social with my group members. I also got to see everyone else in the crew grow throughout this journey, which was great to see! Another great learning experience from this trip was getting to plan future activities and community service events in which the SOLES would participate. The sister learned how we can become more involved in the community and how to incorporate the skills we learned on the trip into our daily life.

This trip was a life changing experience. The trail and the sisters’ hearts are now packed to the brim (just like our packs) with memories of adventures such as going swimming in freezing lakes/rivers, cooking delicious bagels at six am, stealing the tune of ‘Soul Sister’ and switching up the lyrics to match the ‘Adventurous SOLE Sisters’, laughing around the campfire at each other's flare item, and many more. Most importantly, however, we succeeded in coming together to create a family and friendships that will stand strong through any challenge. I am so grateful that I got the chance to participate in this incredible experience with marvelous people and I look forward to the rest of the year as we continue on this journey together.