I met Cynthia - better known as Cindy - on Trail Mavens' annual Labor Day trip to Yosemite. On Sunday, the day of our epic 15-miler from our campsite to Nevada Falls to Glacier Point, I was lucky enough to find myself next to her for a good chunk of the day, and we discussed our professional lives, motherhood and family, and everything in between.

Five miles into a hike on Yosemite’s Mist Trail, I stopped and panted, wondering whether I should (or could) continue for the rest of the planned twelve miles. I tried to fend off disappointment in myself as I pondered, recalling a similar crossroads I encountered twelve years prior during my first ever backpacking trip.

If you've ever been on a Trail Mavens backpacking trip, you know we generally eschew freeze-dried foods in favor of slightly heavier (but WAY more delicious) 'real' food - think actual vegetables and stuff you'd eat at home in your kitchen - and you've probably tried our nutty veggie couscous.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) --

Camping reservations at California state parks are up more than 20 percent over the past five years, with an increase in year-round camping as well. The majority of campers are men, but a growing number of women are also ready to take on the wild and San Francisco's Sasha Cox is ready to help with an organization called Trail Mavens.

Cox said there are three main barriers that stop many would-be female campers. They don't have proper gear, they don't have friends who want to camp and they don't have the necessary skills or at least they think they don't.

In my last blog post all about the touchy-feely of my three-day solo backpacking adventure, I alluded to sharing the nitty gritty of my trip. Here's how I prepped for a solo jaunt in Desolation Wilderness!

A little over two weeks ago, I posted the following pic and text on Instagram:

"Yo guys. I'm standing at my trailhead, about to start a three day solo backpacking trip. Turns out, running a business is hard - yes, I'm aware this is a news flash only for me - and I've been craving some srs headspace to figure out what's next. Ironically, this is my first trip alone; usually I've got a posse of awesome ladies or @amatthiah with me. I'm excited to meditate by Lake Aloha, read the sh*t out of all the Brene Brown books on my Kindle, and hopefully reemerge Wednesday with a little more clarity. Special bonus: I get to break in my new 65L Aura pack (thank you @ospreypacks). Four hours of daylight left. Here I go! 👋🏼"

A few weeks ago, we got back from a late-summer adventure in Big Sur with nine amazing women: authors, lawyers, nurses, techies, and entrepreneurs. It was *hot* out, and we spent most of our time hiking with insane ocean views.

I'm beyond excited to publish our second Maven profile today on the blog, mostly because the woman it's about - Jennel McDonald - was an incredible inspiration to me and the other women on our adventure.

It might have been Jennel's first time backpacking, and we covered some very legit terrain, but her enthusiasm and easy laugh were a constant, and it just made her so darn fun to be around.

Why hike the JMT? 

When asked why climb Everest in the 1920s, George Mallory famously said, “Because it’s there.” Implied: to be conquered. A classic expression of man against the mountains machismo if ever there was one. The thing is, for me, it’s not because they are there, it’s because WE are there. Or rather, here, on Earth. We spend so much of our lives trying to effect change (in ourselves, others, and our physical surroundings) that I like being reminded of how small we are, one tiny part of a grander landscape. To tread lightly, for once, and leave no trace. 

A couple weeks ago, brainstorming with the Trail Mavens board, we struck on a brilliant idea: to profile Trail Mavens alumnae who we feel are amazing, badass, and deeply emblematic of our culture and values. It's only fitting that we kick things off with Michelle, who joined us in early June for her first-ever backpacking trip. 

When most people hear 'California wine country,' they think Napa or Sonoma. Those two are nice and all, but we'll take the Anderson Valley's wine growing region anytime: it's unpretentious, grows some of the greatest white wine and Pinot Noir in America, and sits nestled among towering redwood trees, only 15 miles away from Mendocino's rugged coastline. In short, it's our favorite place in California.

We're delighted to feature a guest post today from our lady pal Alyx Schwarz! 

I never hit the trail without my favorite accessory: The Handkerchief. While it may look like a simple square of fabric, don’t be fooled. The handkerchief is an advanced tool for the Macguyvers of the wilderness.

Groove is in the heart.

Now presenting our latest trip highlight reel, featuring January's epic snowshoeing adventure in the Sierras! It could be the best one yet.

2014 was a great year. We went on our first trip, to the Pantoll Campground on Mount Tam, and experienced firsthand the microclimate that a eucalyptus tree over your tent can create. We spent a long late spring afternoon by a swimming hole in Henry Coe State Park, alternately dipping and lounging on the rocks. We tasted wine and explored sea caves in Mendocino. We were awed by the bioluminescence in Tomales Bay.