Babes in the Backcountry turns 10 this year, and it’s come a long way since that first avalanche- awareness workshop, says founder Leslie Ross, who lives in Breckenridge. Now Babes is a year-round operation offering ski trips in Utah, California and South America, as well as Colorado, along with cycling treks and yoga retreats. Interested in learning more? Go online to babe , or call 970-453-4060.
Q: How did Babes get started?
A:I was taking some winter-skills classes to educate myself, and I found that the people teaching those classes were presenting the information as if everyone was going to be an avalanche forecaster, not a backcountry skier. Information was hard for me to decipher, and if I was having trouble, I figured I wasn’t the only one.
Q: How many workshops did you hold in 1998?
A:Just that one, and there were 50 women on the waiting list. It was such a huge response that the next year, we had a Level 1 and a Level 2 avalanche-awareness class. We talked about gear because back then there was little telemarking gear designed for women, and it was even harder to access rental tele gear. All that’s changed.
Q: How has gear changed?
A:Back then, it was hard to find small boots, and the skis’ flex point was designed for men, not women. So we started offering demo gear in our workshops, to make it easy for women to find equipment and clothing and gear that fit. Now the industry is making women-specific boots, skis and clothing.
Q: Have you noticed a change in the type of women attracted to your workshops?
A:Yes. When we started, we saw mostly younger women and mountain women. Now the lines are blurred. We see almost as many Front Range women, and more women in their 40s and 50s, as women who live in the mountains.
Q: Can you share one of your success stories?
A: Yes! There was one woman who had taken a couple of tele clinics and wanted to go on a bigger trip. I had to tell her that her skills weren’t ready yet, to spend a year training. She got really inspired — changed her diet, started taking more guided trips, learned to ice climb and rock climb, do triathlons and really take charge of her life. Now she’s organizing multi- day backcountry trips of her own.
More: babesinthebackcountry.com
