Meet The Women
Over the course of three months, we spoke with seven women in-depth about their personal experiences as a woman in the backcountry. Through these interviews emerged three main themes: safety, stereotypes, and empowerment. Despite differences in race, ethnicity, age, experience, sport, and interest, one common bond between them all was this sense of inspiration that came from this incredible group of women. This platform serves to highlight a variety of issues ranging from sexual harassment in the wilderness to breaking stereotypes and shattering the narrative that the outdoors are masculine. Read these women's bios below to get a sense of who they are and what they are about, and then click the three tabs below to read each piece in the series.
Annette McGivney
Annette McGivney, 59, is an award-winning storyteller and has been the Southwest editor of Backpacker magazine since 1996. McGivney was the first woman to ever write an outdoor adventure piece for the magazine and paved the way for the future of female journalists in her field. She is best known for her book “Pure Land,” which won a National Outdoor Book Award in 2018. McGivney has always been an avid outdoorswoman and says that this is a key factor of her identity. Becoming a parent has enriched McGivney’s outdoor experience in so many ways, as she passionately believes it is a mother’s duty to instill this love and appreciation for nature in her son, Austin.
Nikki Cooley
Educator and outdoorswoman Nikki Cooley, 41, started river guiding when she was 19 years old. For 13 years, Cooley, the first Navajo woman to be licensed as a full-time Grand Canyon commercial river guide, led people down the Colorado River, which is known worldwide for its difficult rapids. Cooley's outdoor story began with her childhood on the Navajo reservation, where her adventures herding sheep and riding her bicycle made the outdoors a significant part of her life from a young age. Now, Cooley is the co-manager for the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals' Tribal Climate Change Program and focuses on her work in environmental protection and preservation.
Mallory Belknap
Mallory Belknap, 24, postponed the workforce after graduating from college to embark on a 2,190-mile walking journey. She completed the Appalachian Trail in five months, which spans from Maine to Georgia, and says this trail changed her life for the better. Although she started her trip as a solo thru-hiker, she made friends along the way that made her trek all the better. In addition to the AT, Belknap has extensive backcountry experience and spends most of her time outdoors on weekend excursions. As a knowledgable hiker, Belknap feels proud to put a woman’s face to an otherwise male-dominated activity. Recently, she moved to Hawaii to pursue her handmade bikini company with her sister.
Jasmin Tupy
Jasmin Tupy, junior at University of California, Santa Barbara, has a plethora of mountain-climbing experience under her belt. At just 20 years old, Tupy has spent two summers in Montana’s Glacier National Park working seasonally and bagging impressive peaks, such as Mount Jackson -- one of the park’s six 10,000 foot peaks. Although she grew up camping, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors with her family, Tupy attributes most of her confidence in the outdoors to a six-month adventure leadership course that she completed in college. As a woman in the outdoors, Tupy believes it is vital to “reverse the narrative that the outdoors are masculine.” From her own experiences, Tupy sees it is a privilege for humans to be immersed in nature, which should be inclusive of and accessible to all.
Malak Ghazal
Malak Ghazal, 23, spent her first night in a tent in college on a three-week backpacking trip in the Adirondacks and hasn't looked back since. This newfound love for the outdoors, as well as her passion for education, led Ghazal to the National Park Service and a job in Grand Canyon National Park. As an interpreter, Ghazal is able to share her knowledge of and love for the outdoors to Grand Canyon's upward of 6 million yearly visitors. She is looking forward to her next chapter with the NPS at Mount Rainier National Park. Ghazal, an avid hiker and rock climber, has loved being able to explore her identity as an Arab-American through the outdoors communities in both the United States and Lebanon.
Raukisha Talley
Raukisha Talley's outdoor adventure started when she was a kid, exploring national parks and other outdoor spaces with her family. She feels as though she belongs in the outdoors, her love and respect for natural places being an important part of who she is. Currently working for the National Park Service in Grand Canyon National Park, Talley, 33, enjoys spreading her love for the outdoors to those around her, particularly children. When she is not educating others about the importance of natural places, Talley spends much of her time exploring the canyon in her backyard.
Liz Hahn
Liz Hahn, 33, has been an outdoorswoman since her first backpacking trip to Glacier National Park when she was 25. Hahn has since embarked on many an outdoor adventure, from bikepacking through New Zealand to thru-hiking the Colorado Trail. While her treks have led her to countless beautiful landscapes, Hahn says she hikes for the hike itself, not just for the view. She says being outdoors, usually sweaty and gross, is the most "Liz" she feels. Hahn has also worked in Glacier National Park and Grand Canyon National Park, sharing her love for outdoor spaces with others.