Learning to Brave THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Outdoors Adventures Foster Growth For Women Of All Ages

BY ANNE GABBIANELLI

“It was a magical place to be and I wanted to hike Katahdin,” said 14-year-old Sofie Westra of North Yarmouth when asked about her adventures with She Summits Co., an outdoor adventure group that offers summer camps for first to 12th graders, mother-daughter quests, women’s adventures, and international journeys. “I want to go back to She Summits because it is an amazing camp.”

When speaking with She Summitts Co. founder Amanda Hatley and the parents and daughters who have enjoyed the journeys, it’s hard to say who is more excited about outdoor adventure travel — the participants or the trip leaders.

Hatley, an outdoor enthusiast who grew up in rural North Carolina, moved to Maine seven years ago. She says her business started with a simple question. “A friend asked me what my passion in life was and how I wanted to make an impact on the world.” From that discussion came She Summits Co.

The Bradford resident launched her business in November 2019 with the goal to create a female-oriented company to nurture girls and women in brave outdoor adventures.

“I joke that we work with 5 years old to 105 years old, but specialize in youth exploration education.”

Despite starting her business just months before the pandemic, Hatley says the feedback has confirmed why she started this business. “We’ve heard from parents that the independence created by coming on our trips has really helped their daughters foster their selfconfidence after being stuck at home for so long. These participants get a chance to prove to themselves they can do hard things in a supportive environment.”

Hatley acknowledges she has seen an increase in anxiety and social awkwardness among middle and high school participants in particular. “We really put a lot of emphasis on autonomy and group collaboration as well, so when the group is setting aside their social reluctance, our highly trained trip leaders create an experience tailored just for the campers. We have seen huge smiles from sunrise hikes to nighttime constellation talks that I feel have helped recharge the souls of all of our participants whether they know it or not.”

Sofie’s dad, Jay Westra, said the She Summits Katahdin voyager trip and subsequent rustic endeavors are well mapped out. “With each trip, she learned group dynamics, internal strength, and problem solving. The skills and strength she gained from her trip experiences show in her daily life — she is much more independent, confident, and is willing to try new challenges.”

“The trip leaders and everyone I met inspired me to do more amazing experiences like this,” added Sofie. “I am glad I had an opportunity like this. For people that have not been exposed to the outdoors, I would tell them to just try it out. Things may seem hard at first but it always ends up with you having an awesome time. I just wanted to stay at this camp forever.”

Kristi Mitchell of Bucksport is a fan of what She Summits has offered her 10-year-old daughter Hannah.

“I was looking for something with a smaller camper-to-staff ratio and to get her outside, away from a screen,” said Mitchell. The outdoor escapes began with an April vacation day camp, “and after that, Hannah couldn't wait to go back during the summer.”

Hannah said that exploring the great outdoors is the draw for her. “The adventure! The friends! The trees! You should be in the forest. It's amazing and best of all, you get to go to mysterious places."

For more information, visit shesummitsco.com to see where your next adventure take