Earlier this summer, I ran into Ron, a fellow dog walker I used to see in the woods with his dog, Andy, who passed away over a year ago (R.I.P. Andy). We had one of our usual great conversations and he mentioned he was still reading my newsletter, but skipping over the women-focused posts, which made perfect sense to me.
I appreciated his honesty, and it got me thinking: what if I created a separate, private space just for women, while continuing to send my regular readers the weekly trail ideas I’d been sharing with them for years?
Around the same time, I’d been leading “Women’s Intro to Mountain Hiking” Courses with some hiking friends, and I kept noticing a gap: women would leave the course excited to hit the trails, but something was stopping them from actually getting there. The courses were packed with information, but information alone wasn’t turning enthusiasm into action. There was a missing piece, and since I love a good code to crack, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
During a morning sunrise run, the answer came to me: I’d start a women’s hiking membership that included monthly, sunrise meetups to keep members feeling connected to each other and inspired by everyday awe. It would include a private group chat, for finding hiking partners and asking questions, in additional to women-focused posts.
That membership is called Sunrise to Summit, and it’s available now.
Because I value all of my readers, men and women alike, I’ll continue writing a weekly, free hiking newsletter and the paid membership will be a private space for women. A gift to all the Rons out there.
So keep an eye out for my regular, Wednesday morning email. If you’re a woman, read on to learn about the paid membership.
Sunrise to Summit is a hiking community for women of all ages and abilities - whether you’re looking to squeeze more outdoor time into your work week, or you’re eager to start hiking mountains. This community will provide support, resources, inspiration, and connection to other hikers. My hope is that it becomes a supportive circle of women who show up for each other on the trails and in the group chat.
As a paid member, you’ll receive:
Weekly public posts + Member-only posts focused on women in the outdoors
Monthly, sunrise meetups in Southern Maine + A sunrise schedule for those who can’t be there in person
Private chat - a community space to meet other women hikers, share stories, and keep each other inspired
Early access to in-person “Women’s Intro to Mountain Hiking” workshops
This community is for all levels of hikers. For women who want to spend more time walking their local trails, and for women who want to hike Katahdin. The only requirement is that you commit to spending more time outdoors, and we’ll keep each other accountable for that.
The whole point is to get you outside, feeling good, with other women who get it.
The membership itself is $10 a month or $100 for the year. You can sign up through Substack, or upgrade to paid if you’re already a free subscriber. If you’re reading this email, that’s you.
When you join, you’ll also get my Women’s Intro to Mountain Hiking digital course and downloadable PDF resource guide for free. It covers the basics I wish someone had handed me when I first started: how to pick the right trail, what to pack, basic safety protocols. Practical stuff and no gear lists designed to make you feel like you need to spend $800 before you can take a single step into the woods.
If you’ve been wanting to start hiking but keep hitting the same walls…not knowing where to start, worrying about safety, not having anyone to go with, then this membership was built for you. You don’t need experience. You don’t need brand new gear. You just need to be willing to show up with a positive attitude and get up extra early for a gorgeous sunrise: a reminder that life-giving outdoor experiences are available to us every day. It may take some extra effort, but we’ll meet you there.
Join me by clicking on the link below. I’m excited to connect with the members of this community and hope you’ll be one of them!
Warmly, Jill