Frequently Asked Questions

Gear:

Can I bring a poncho instead of a raincoat?

  • Raincoats are preferred, here is why: your raincoat will double as a windbreaker, and can be worn over top of your puffy jacket on particularly chilly days for added warmth and protection.

Should I hike in trail runners or boots?

  • I strongly advocate for trail runners over hiking boots, but this is a choice only you can make! Trail runners are lighter weight, kinder to your feet, they dry more quickly, and they tend to be more comfortable especially when you are walking in them all day long.

Can I bring a hammock? What about a camp chair?

  • Short answer, yes. Longer answer, yes, BUT: keep in mind both of these items are added weight/space in your pack and on your back. Sure, it can be really nice to sit in a chair while hanging out in camp, but you can also lean against a tree for support, or make a comfy seat out of a nice, flat rock. Hammocks can be really fun to lounge in, but we *might* have suitable trees to hang them in half the time. Meaning you could be carrying your hammock for an entire trip and only use it once, or not at all.

Do I have to share a tent with someone?

  • The chances are good that yes, you will be asked to share a tent with someone, especially if your trip is fully booked! I know this can feel intimidating at first, but the positives to sharing a tent far outweigh the negatives. First, it makes your pack lighter; if every single person had to carry their own tent, it wouldn’t leave much room in our packs for other group gear or personal items. Second, it can be spooky camping alone at night, especially if this is your first backpacking trip! Having someone to laugh with (and alert to weird animal noises in the middle of night) can be really nice. Third and finally, you and your tent mate will have each other to help set the tent up—it can be tough to pitch a tent alone on a good day, let alone a windy one.

How heavy will my pack be?

  • My goal is to keep your baseweight below 20lbs; your baseweight includes all non-consumables, so everything in your pack (including your pack) except for food, water and fuel. Since you pack your own clothes, a headlamp, toiletries, etc., I cannot control the exact weight of your pack. But if you choose wisely and only bring the things you absolutely need, with the addition of consumables, your pack should only weigh between 25-30lbs at the start of your trip.

What gear does She Treks provide and what gear am I expected to bring?

What if I have my own backpacking gear, can I use it instead of the gear She Treks provides?

  • I love that you have your own gear! Please reach out to me via email and we can talk specifics. My goal in providing all the gear for these trips is two-fold, to keep everyone’s pack weight similar AND to make your travels to and from Crested Butte as uncomplicated and lightweight as possible.

  • There is not a discount for bringing some of your own gear on your trip, this is because even if you did bring your own sleeping bag and pad, for example, you would still be using one of our backpacks, the group water filters, kitchen supplies, tents etc.—so much is shared!

Trip Planning:

Can I know the exact route for my trip ahead of time?

  • Exact routes will not be provided until the morning your trip departs.

Will my trip be cancelled or postponed due to “bad” weather?

  • Nope, we hike rain or shine! Thunderstorms, snow, wind, hail, rain, and heat are facts of life in the mountains; weather is the “spice” of the adventure :)

I want book a trip for my friends and I, is it possible to reserve all the available spots on a given trip for members of my group?

  • Yes! Please reach out to me directly if you are a group of 4-6 and want to reserve an entire trip just for you and your friends. If the season hasn’t opened yet for booking, I can work with you to ensure a trip for your group is secured. Once deposits have made by each member of the group, you’ll be all set!

I am not booking with a friend or with a group, what will it be like to join a trip alone?

  • Super frickin’ fun! A true adventure! An opportunity to make new connections and learn a whole heck of a lot from a bunch of people you haven’t met yet. It’s my favorite way to travel, if I am being honest; I absolutely love meeting new people. But if you are still thinking this sounds a little scary, I understand. Feel free to reach out to me directly about any specific concerns you may have.

How far will we walk each day?

  • Somewhere between 7 and 9 miles a day on any trip that is considered a “traverse”. Please read the descriptions of each trip carefully. She Treks offers a variety of wilderness experiences, our traverses are totally epic and range in distance and the number of nights spent out. If you have specific concerns about distance, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly. The best advice I can give you is to give yourself more credit than you think you deserve! You are capable of so much more than you know.

What kind of terrain will we be hiking through?

  • On your trip you will be hiking through a true Wilderness Area in a National Forest. Most trips originating near the town of Crested Butte will begin at an elevation between 7,000ft-9,000ft. The highest point of any given trip could be between 11,000ft-13,000ft. You will hike on dirt, sand, mud, roots, walk across the occasional talus fields and, at times, the route may become faint or non-existent. The grade of any given trail will range from gradual to quite steep, requiring a much slower pace.

What does “wilderness” really mean?

  • I like Katmai National Park & Preserve’s definition of wilderness: “Many people think of wilderness as being any place that is in some sense “wild.” In reality, wilderness is a human idea, one that has different forms across history and across cultures. In the United States, the word "Wilderness" (with a capital W) also has a legal definition with specific purposes in mind. A wildlife sanctuary made to preserve biodiversity is not necessarily a Wilderness. A national park protecting natural features is not necessarily a Wilderness ... but many national parks protect Wildernesses… According to the Wilderness Protection Act of 1964: ‘A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain’”.

  • To say Wilderness (with a capitol W) is a controversial topic, is the understatement of the century. For the purposes of your trip, a wilderness area is remote, undeveloped, and takes quite a bit of hiking to get in to and back out of. You will enjoy breathtaking views, camp under a sea of mesmerizing stars, walk along ice cold creeks, observe trillions of wildflowers (in early summer) and gold aspen (in the fall).

  • As far as we at She Treks are concerned, the wilderness is a place where people should be, appreciating it and protecting it for all its mind opening, heart mending glory.

I have veritgo and/or a fear of heights, can I do this?

  • You can! None of our routes require technical skills, rock climbing or scrambling. There may be an option to summit a peak on your trip, but it will be just that, an option.

  • Occasionally the trail may narrow and become steep on one side. The best way to avoid feelings of dizziness or vertigo, in this case, is to focus on the less steep side of the trail and keep moving forward with purpose.

  • The goal of any trip is to build your confidence in the backcountry incrementally, not scare you away from ever getting back out there!

I have tennis elbow and trekking poles cause my injury to flair up, do I have to carry them on my trip?

  • Nope! Just let me know you don’t want to use trekking poles the day your trip is set to depart, and we can leave them behind.

Can I bring my dog?

  • No, fur-babies are not permitted on our trips, unfortunately.

Will we have a campfire every night?

  • We will not. Campfires are luxuries! When it is safe to have one, we will, but if there is a fire-ban in effect or we are camping in a fragile, alpine setting, we will not. I take the etiquette around campfires very seriously. The environment should not be damaged in any irrevocable way in the process of making a fire. IF we camp at a site that has a preexisting fire ring, there is dead wood present to burn, and environmental conditions permit, we will have a fire, if not, we won’t.

What if I hike slower than everyone else in the group?

  • You get to set the pace, this is your adventure. We can always walk slower, but not everyone in the group can walk faster. And we aren’t in a rush! The whole point of being out in the mountains is to be out in the mountains. The point is NOT to hurry up and wait, or rush to “get there”, because “there” is just back to civilization and responsibility and time constraints and stress!

  • I want your trip to feel rejuvenating, inspiring, and empowering—it cannot be those things if you are on the verge of asphyxiation the whole time. You get to set the pace, and everyone will thank you for it, trust me!

Food:

Can She Treks accommodate a gluten-free diet?

  • Yes! Please be sure to tell me about your dietary restrictions when filling out your intake questionnaire; there is a space to let me know about food allergies and preferences.

What about Vegan or dairy-free diets?

  • Yes! The meals we provide are already vegetarian in most cases, but it is entirely possible to make them vegan and/or dairy free. When filling out your intake questionnaire, be sure to tell me about your dietary restrictions when prompted and I will plan meals accordingly.

I experience anaphylaxis when exposed to nuts and certain other dietary allergens, are these trips right for me?

  • Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that our foods have not come into contact with nuts or soy, etc. at some point in their creation or packaging. And, when I bag up the ingredients, they are not being measured or portioned in a kitchen that is certified allergen-free. I can NOT guarantee that your trip will be 100% allergen-free.

  • If you are comfortable letting me know the extent of your allergy, and allowing me to portion snacks and foods specifically for you that do not directly include allergens, then these trips are right for you!

  • You must carry your own epipen(s) on your trip and know how/when to administer if you have a history of anaphylaxis. Your guide is trained in administering epinephrin in the event you are unable to administer the drug yourself.

Cancelations, refunds, and transfers:

Can I reschedule or move to a different trip if the weather forecast for my upcoming trip isn’t looking good?

  • Nope. We hike rain or shine; just because the forecast for your trip isn’t looking good now, doesn’t necessarily mean it will rain the whole time, or even at all! Conversely, the forecast for your trip might be stellar! And it could still rain. What’s that saying: “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes”?

  • I want you to feel really excited about your upcoming trip; if you have any immediate concerns, please reach out to me directly and I will do my best to alleviate your worries.

Please see our terms of service for a complete breakdown of our cancelation & refund policy.