WWE Herstory 1991 – 2011

A 20 Year Herstory of Wild Women Expeditions

We are celebrating WWE’s 20th Anniversary and wanted to share the story of how Wild Women Expeditions, founded in 1991, emerged as Canada’s leading outdoor adventure company for women…

The Foundations prior to 1991

Many people have read or heard what has become the official story of how Beth Mairs decided to open an all-women canoe tripping business in Ontario: of how she sold her house in Toronto, bought a beautiful property up North and established it as a base camp for Wild Women Expeditions (WWE).

As a child, Beth attended a summer camp renowned for canoe tripping, and was hooked at a vey young age by the exquisite experience of extended remote tripping.  The groups were always assigned two males, and the one in charge had certain privileged tasks and decisions that were his exclusive domain. The men abstained from camp chores that were deemed low status, like cooking and dishes. A gendered social hierarchy was held together by the notion that these two males were needed to keep us safe, stay on course, and handle the heavy physical demands of the trip.

At age 17, Beth was hired as a student counselor at an all girls’ camp, which only hired females guides for out-trips. Suddenly, these ‘more difficult’ tasks needed to be learned and mastered by women! These all-girl canoe trips placed more value on how to accomplish tasks, rather than arriving at a destination. These trips were a catalyst for positive change and as these women and girls experienced the challenge and beauty of nature in a new way they also experienced themselves differently. It radically changed their relationships to food (as fuel), their bodies (as strong) and other girls (as allies.)

1991-2000

Wild Women Expeditions was launched in late 1990, offering a total of 5 guided canoe trips in a variety of picturesque lakes and rivers surrounding Sudbury, Ontario. A brochure was mailed out to 500 women: friends, and friends of friends. From this mailing, 22 women actually sent money and signed up! In one year, the mailing list reached 2000, drawing from the USA as well as Canada. On each canoe trip, the regional flora and fauna were all new; but, more prominently, the types of women, the group dynamics and the challenges were always new and inspiring.  In 2002, WWE expanded across Northeastern Ontario including Manitoulin Island to offer sea- kayaking trips, fly-fishing, and cycling tours. An exciting element grew as women gathered, offering workshops and retreats, from boxing camp to vocal work, from yoga to painting. Every trip was truly a new and wonderful adventure.

Women’s Adventure Travel Goes Mainstream

In the early years, female adventure travel was often dismissed as “adventure lite” within the travel industry. Wild Women Expeditions dramatically changed this misconception and by the year 2000 had become known for raucous, uninhibited trips that provided a supportive group atmosphere for women to develop outdoor skills where many profound new friendships would inevitably begin.

By 2005, we started offering trips outside of Ontario, in Eastern and Western Canada. We started with the Rockies and Cape Breton, and then added Vancouver Island and Northern Manitoba to our roster of adventures, offering trips to various wilderness regions and environments, from the mountains and coasts to the subarctic taiga. Women could now experience ocean kayaking, backpacking, hiking, surfing and mountain biking with Wild Women. Having grown from 22 women in season one to having expeditions across Canada, we were maturing and becoming a truly national company.

While committed to celebrating 20 years of women-only adventures together with this wonderful community that had emerged, Beth also longed to develop other projects and pursue other passions. So in October 2009, Beth announced she would “step down” as the Director after the 2010 season. From the sidelines emerged a talented and impassioned WWE member, Jennifer Haddow. “I believe Jennifer is devoted to the values of Wild Women, and has the vision and energy to take WWE forward into the next 20 years,” says Beth.

2010 and Beyond

Jennifer Haddow was an active member of Wild Women Expeditions several years before taking on the role of Owner and Director. Growing up in Western Newfoundland, her love for all wild places in Canada has drawn her to live in BC, Quebec, Ontario, and all of the Eastern Provinces. She believes that immersing oneself in the wilderness is essential for life balance, good health, and human happiness. Her adventures in the wilderness have taken her all over the world, from the coasts of Australia and Hawaii to the basecamp of Mount Everest. She is a spirited adventurer and social and environmental activist who has worked for organizations such as Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and Oxfam Canada. Her commitment and passion to support the Wild Women community, coupled with her desire for more adventures has led her to the helm of Wild Women Expeditions.

Jennifer is leading a team of very experienced WWE guides including Senior Guide and Office Goddess, Ally Lyske: a fan mail favorite! Assistant WWE Director April Hope is also no stranger to the outdoors having grown up all over rural Ontario.  With a degree in Public Relations, and over 20 years experience managing businesses, she is thrilled to lend her expertise to Wild Women Expeditions.

Jennifer and the WWE Team are excited by the unique opportunity to share their love for nature, and passion for adventure to this diverse community of wilderness women. Picking up the reigns, as Beth moves towards her own new passions, Jennifer is devoted to remaining a leader in the Adventure Travel Industry while upholding the values that make WWE so special; environmental conservation, social justice, and female empowerment.

Long live Wild Women, Everywhere!