Where does one find…?

"I'm tired of asking where one can find such a woman and just want to find one!"

On the trail would seem to be the obvious place. Then be prepared to relocate.

Didnt find one that liked the trail so bought the one I have a luxury caravan as a basecamp so she can stay there and I can walk the trails :) works for both of us.

Cheers

Can you please post a subject in your titles so i know what im clicking on. Thats actually my quote btw. Yea they are hard to find, but i suspect they would have upbringings very different than most girls.

If you look for a great woman (and visa versa for others), you cannot find one. But when you are not looking, they enter your life.

And you do not necessarily need a person to share all your passions. My wife loves to hike, and can do long ones. But she will never, ever sleep on the ground unless it is an emergency. She is just fine with me taking solo backpacking trips.

.

Sarah Palin grew up in Idaho and then moved to Alaska.

–B.G.–

Scratch Idaho then. And Alaska too.

Gosh. I was gonna say walmart, in the sporting goods section. But I like what Nick said better….

>>But she will never, ever sleep on the ground unless it is an emergency.<<
Hammock?

For me, (and I'm young) I can't imagine getting into a serious relationship with someone who didn't like backpacking. It's more than just shared interests, it's also about my worldview. Backpacking (ultralight) represents a lot of things that are core to my personality, like doing more with less, questioning the status quo, rejecting the rat race, etc. etc. I think Jason Klass has a good insight behind his Ultralightenment theory; the things that make us ultralighters are more than just style choices, they're personality traits.

YMM of course V, these are just the words of a passionate young idealist.

My boyfriend met me on Sierra Club hikes.

I don't think hiking and a simple life without cable tv, iphones and all that naturally go together. Lots of people who like hiking are gear and gadget junkies.

So, finding a person who likes hiking shouldn't be that hard. Finding one who hikes and lives simply will be harder. But not impossible.

I'm reminded of a hike I did once with the Sierra Club. The hike was really rugged and strenuous and in the Wilderness. A 24 mile day hike. A lady came who had perfect hair, earrings and make-up. Every time we stopped to rest, she'd touch up her make-up. She whooped ass on this hike. There was also an ex-marine. He fell apart like a baby. It was the funniest day hiking I ever experienced. Sometimes you just can't judge people.

Wait so if I want to meet a girl on the trail should I pack a pink lady razor and some Britney Spears perfume for her? …or umm me.

"Wait so if I want to meet a girl on the trail should I pack a pink lady razor and some Britney Spears perfume for her? …or umm me."

Well now, that depends on what age 'girl' you're trying to meet……

I dissagree there's no excuse for bad hygiene

John,

There are certainly women who have a worldview similar to yours – very similar – but don't like backpacking. Or perhaps don't backpack, but might try it for the right guy, etc. The personality traits we have are not exclusive to backpackers. Unless, of course, you mean you want to find a woman who doesn't bathe regularly…. ;-) Now that's a backpacker's trait! (Yes, yes, I know Roger! Backpackers bathe on the trail too! I was only kidding!).

YMM of course V, these are just the words of a passionate old idealist.

I like 'em stinky!

I like 'em stinky!

I don't understand what people have against keeping themselves clean on the trail. I don't mean bubble baths, but wiping yourself down and getting rid of the funk from a hard day's sweating? Most nomadic people keep themselves clean, for that matter, animals do their best to keep themselves clean, even flies! but American hikers somehow need to remain filthy? I don't get it.

My partner (yes, a woman), 45 years old, does better with being UL in everyday life than probably anyone here. ALL her worldly belongings fit into, as of last week, 10 medium sized cardboard boxes. I feel like an elephant next to her.

Miguel +1 It feels so good at the end of the day doesn't it. Especially if you do your woman and she does you. Backwoods bliss! Scrub, scrub, clean, clean.

"…but American hikers somehow need to remain filthy?"

mmm… pretty sweeping assumtion/generalization there…
I don't think I fit under that indictment..
I'm pretty sure my wife would also object.
So that's two.

Edit: Wow! Four if you count Ken and partner.

mmm… pretty sweeping assumtion/generalization there…

Yes, of course it would come across that way. I'm basing the statement on the many years of involvement with online outdoor communities and invariably it's American men who seem to protest bathing more than anyone else (not saying there aren't filthy people elsewhere, too). I always find it a little shocking… like listening to elementary school boys resisting getting in the bathtub. I'm not a clean freak and often do go without bathing when there is no water to spare on long runs between water sources, but if there's lots of water, what's the reason not to take advantage of it?

But it's more than that… besides feeling great, keeping clean (and I don't mean unreasonably so) helps prevent infections or contamination of food and water. Washing your hands is important. It's really easy to get your hands all grimy and sticky from touching things like pine sap or tenacious mud.

Vadim asked:
"Where do you find such women who can live without these things?"

My reply:
Get a job at NOLS.

About 1 in 4 PCT thru-hikers in 2009 were women.

On shorter hikes in more accessible locations about 1 in 3 backpackers is a woman.

On day hikes in very accessible locations as many as 1 in 2 is a woman.

On Backpackinglight.com and our Russian UL forum, the number of posts by women is under 10% (at our forum maybe 2%).

This suggests that there are tons of women interested in nature, walking, and fitness (at least as many as men), lots who enjoy hiking and camping, somewhat less who have the guts to do a thru-hike or something similar, and yet very few who will sit around online and ruminate over gear in public.

So chances are, Backpackinglight.com may not be your best place to find a "mountain woman." But certainly among local day-hiking clubs, walking groups, trail runners, fitness freaks, nature lovers, etc. one can find these women.

I found my mountain woman in a more unlikely way, when I wasn't really looking. Our first date was a hike up Pikes Peak, followed immediately by a thru-hike on the Colorado CDT which she decided to join me on just 2 days prior to the trip. She had never been overnight backpacking before. Now she is hooked, despite the discomforts.

You never know where you'll find them.

In Yosemite Nat'l Park I met a group of 4 late middle-aged women who go backpacking every year. They said, "our husbands don't like to hike." Go figure!

Our last 9 day trip through the mountains was marked by us having a wash just about every night. Usually a quick dunk in the nearby creek (*** cold!), but once in a nearly warm tarn! I swear it made us feel better.

I don't mind slightly sweaty smelly walkers – that's normal. But around Sydney we sometimes pass novice day walkers who are leaving a trail of perfume and after-shave down the track. Pfew! Smells really weird!

Cheers

I met my husband on a hike – as did 3 other ladies in our hiking group. We have had 4 marriages in the past 4 years, not a bad trend.

What we have is a relaxed group where we have become friends. No pressure.

Most hiker ladies I know grew up rural/old school.