Way back in 2008, a friend surprised me by asking "Why don't you take a group of women into the mountains?"
"Will they come?" I wondered.
Turns out they will.
Since then we've been discovering how much fun (and hard work) it is to journey together.
We slowly slip away from living life by the clock as our senses open to see, smell and hear what is around us. There are moments of fatigue and discouragement just as there are moments of exhilaration and delight.
On both backpacking and trekking trips we begin and end the day sharing simple words that bring us together. We often begin the day walking in quiet, letting our busy minds focus on walking, breathing, seeing and hearing.
We also entertain ourselves on the trail with fungus and flower discovery, goofy humor, singing and moments of shared beauty and awe. We learn how to travel and live together, knowing we depend on one another.
Backpacking Trips
When backpacking, we learn the skills of wilderness living - hydration, blister management, navigation, cooking, cleaning and managing heat and cold. We carry everything we will need and are careful to leave no trace.
Since 2008 we've been venturing into the Olympics, the Cascades, Glacier Peak Wilderness in Washington and the Sawtooth Wilderness of Idaho.
In 2017 and 2019 we offered a Backpack to Basecamp trip. Hiking in about 7 miles to a wild and beautiful location, we day hiked within the Sawtooth Wilderness.
Trekking trips in Spain
When trekking, we stay in comfortable accommodations, enjoying hot showers, local cuisine and a warm bed.
In May 2015 we walked 100km of the Camino Frances, ending in Santiago de Compostela.
In May 2016 we walked a section of the Camino del Norte as well as trekking off-Camino into the magnificent and little known Picos de Europa in northern Spain.
In May 2017 we explored the Sierra Nevada south of Granada and then traveled north to walk the last 100km of the Via de la Plata into Santiago.
Silver Sage Sojourns, LLC is a small business based in the Seattle area providing unusual trips and retreats for women. I offer backpacking trips, trekking trips as well as retreats of a spiritual nature. Mostly Silver Sage Sojourns is run by Kathie McCarthy. Most of my life I've worked as a counselor, teacher and trip leader. I've been a Wilderness First Responder since 2008 and have more than10 years experience leading wilderness trips for women.
