ABOUT US

Director's Message 2005: Turning 15... Somebody Pinch Me.
When I was fifteen, I had clearly (and mercifully) left the awkwardness of adolescence and was a full fledged youth soaring towards early adulthood brimming with enthusiasm. The world seemed to open to me and was so full of possibilities. I cut my teeth on a strenuous and fun-filled 10 day canoe trip. I was blessed in many ways, including the friendship of young women whose playfulness and kindness inspired my lifelong love of all-women environments. I remember feeling so grateful just to be alive.

And now I find myself amazed that my dream of an adventure company for women has thrived and survived for 15 years. I do not, sisters, take credit for WWE's span because thousands of women, literally, breathe life into it. Having witnessed so many loved and desirable ventures- ones which, like WWE, promote good things for good people- quietly pass away or noisily head down the tubes, neither can I take this milestone for granted. And we all know magnificent projects and dreams that have never seen the light of day. While those unrealized dreams live in the imaginations of their creators; those that flickered for a short time live on through the memory of people who's lives were touched in some way by their very existence. So, with this in mind, I encourage myself to boldly walk my path in a robust and mindful way while I have the opportunity.

Where our personal dreams can best thrive is when they intersect with other people's hopes and dreams. Actualizing our potential becomes the common currency we share. Some of the things Wild Women Expeditions celebrates:

the magic of an all-women's group
a deep-rooted love of Canada's wild places
our connection with the natural world
women's strength and playfulness
the restorative effects of outdoor adventure and nature-based vacations

Should some clean northern air, stretching yourself physically or spiritually, connecting with other wonderful women be calling you in 2005, then HEY call us!! That's why we are here. That's why we are still here.

We are such stuff, as dreams are made on...

Dream well. Live large.
Beth

P.S. You will notice in 2005 we have made the move North, East and West across Canada to explore the world's last great wilderness. We look forward to creating an adventure with you.

Director's Message 2004: Calling On the Sisterhood
This morning I came running out of my house because I heard a single wolf howling across the river. The call was prolonged and sonorous. Because I have a young pup- part hound, part handsome- Ditch, I ran out, not just to listen, but to make sure he was still with me. To my surprize, he was still there. He knew that howl wasn’t for him: he’s not a part of that pack.

When I launched Wild Women Expeditions as an all-women canoe tripping company back in the early nineties, I was the laughing stock of the outdoor world. It was (and still is) a pretty macho industry, and I still find to my amusement the odd fellow who has been on a canoe trip once in his life pontificate to me (once he learns I OWN a canoe tripping company) about his knowledge of my area. But women as a client group, especially as your sole client group, was seen as a poor business move- why limit yourself and secondly: they don’t have the MONEY!! Most companies geared themselves to the more well heeled business (man) type. From an adventure perspective, women’s trips were seen as low status or “adventure lite.” On many occasions, our proud groups of brave women were laughed at as we launched our canoes.

But guess what women? We (and I mean you and I) turned that around... Wild Women Expeditions, and other all-women adventure and travel companies in North America, have been beating all the industry standards AND having more fun for years. It just took a while for the mainstream to notice. When I surveyed my clients ( I call you members), I discovered that an all-women trip was a critical thing to you. You wanted a supportive environment to try new challenges; you wanted to escape narrow gender roles (guy takes stern/you take the bow); you didn’t want to stress about hygiene and safety issues; and you believed that an all-women trip would find you with more like-minded adventure travelers with whom you could share a certain intimacy in conversation. You also have told me overwhelmingly that AS A PRACTICE you support female-led companies. Others of you take it even further: you value women creating women’s space.

Two years ago, a highly tauted U.S. travel expert spoke to a large audience of government and tourism people in Sudbury. She said that women were really hot as an emerging market. She explained to the crowd that women were the “keepers and holders of the pocketbook”, that we were loyal customers, and as such were the best target for the adventure travel industry. Doesn’t that warm your innards, “Ladies?” I am so happy that every company is trying to paw at me - having been ignored and laughed at for years- for the sake of the all mighty buck which apparently we control.

Forgive me , if I sound cynical... but maybe you know where I am coming from.

I have felt like that wolf this morning- like a solitary howler in the wilderness calling my pack. And that is what I do today and tomorrow and every day for as long as I grace this wondrous earth, I call to the sisterhood: This is our territory. We are all together now. We’ve got the scent- stay close.

Thank you for your genuine interest and over-the-top support for what WWE does. We will be here for you as a company whether “women” are trendy or not. We love what we do.

In sisterhood,
Beth Mairs

Director's Message 2003: SOMETHING WILD
"It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw, not because she is Canada but because she's something sublime that you were born into, some great rugged power that you are a part of." Emily Carr, artist

I have felt that "great rugged power" that Emily Carr speaks of. I believe it is something that belongs to all of us. Canada has been called the last great wilderness. I don't think there is any doubt that spending time in her wild places restores the body and the soul. And doing this with a group of like-minded women?? Simply a blast! I know what I'm talking about: I started an all-women adventure company in order that I could spend more time
in the wilds with other women. Its been sublime, crazy, and magnificent!

If you're looking for adventure, new discoveries or challenges, friendship, serenity, or a renewed connection with your passion for the outdoors, consider the offerings of Wild Women Expeditions. Based in beautiful
Northern Ontario, we have been organizing and leading all-women adventures since 1991. In terms of levels of challenge and location choices, we have the broadest array of canoe trip, sea-kayaking and cycling adventures for women anywhere. We also offer the most dazzling and eclectic range of nature-based women's getaways in Canada: from dog sledding to boxing camps, from drumming workshops to flyfishing, from dance camps to herbal retreats.

If you long for "something wild" this year and you value the magic of all-women settings, let us take care of the details. Wild Women Expeditions attracts a diverse range of women from Canada and abroad who share a love of adventure, a reverence for the natural world and a genuine enjoyment of other women's company. Most women come on their own and make friends here. I am looking forward to hearing from you and helping you plan a truly great getaway this year.

Sincerely,
Beth Mairs
Director

Director's Message 2002: EARTHGIRLS ARE EASY!
A pale yellow moon is rising through a pink and mauve haze as I drive down a country road just minutes away from my camp. There is no city skyline to block the view of this gigantic orb, only meadow and forest cradling the pastel sky. This is Northern Ontario. In awe, I stop the car.

As the sky grows dusky and the moon continues its ascent, I resume my journey into town.  The glow of the full moon cuts a path through the massive sepia rock along the highway. I feel like a visitor to a different planet--this scene is so unfamiliar and so magnificent. I crack a smile from ear to ear: this is Earth and it IS very beautiful indeed.

I think of all the starry skies I have taken in from the bottom of a canoe, my legs dangling over the gunwales. I relish the feeling of pushing myself on a portage, sweating to beat the band and feeling the sheer pleasure and privilege of having a body at all. I revel in the joyous feeling of being alive while all of nature sings around me. I am reminded of the unselfconsciousness of deep belly laughs when something happens that would be irritating in other circumstances, but out here it is just another reminder that we humans really aren't in control.

Whenever my dog Bali catches an interesting scent, she looks up at me and grins winsomely. She believes we are sharing a moment, for her a sensual feast. Tonight, if she were here, I'd say she's right: I am taken a million times.

Appreciate life. Live fully.

BETH MAIRS

Wild Women Expeditions is proudly entering our 12th season and we are offering wild women everywhere an even broader array of adventures in Canada's accessible North. We hope to hear from you and help you plan the perfect getaway in 2002!

Director's Message 2001: Join Our Raucous Conspiracy
For my birthday my dear friend Lindsay gave me this great bumper sticker, which said "Back Off I'm A Goddess!" and it proudly adorns the back of my pick-up. Especially in springtime, this slogan attracts the attention of many a female highway traveler, who I see giggling as they pass my truck. Realizing that I'm not much of a scholar of Greek mythology, another friend presented me with a sort of goddess primer which had a handy do-it-yourself quiz to help identify your goddess archetype(s).

On many a canoe trip last year, this book accompanied us into places unknown and provided hours of entertainment during rest days or weather-bound days. While 'trapped' in some wilderness paradise, we indulged in a little navel-gazing and filled out that silly quiz together.

What we discovered was that our trips had a disproportionate number of women who scored very high on the 'Artemis' scale. Thatís right - few Athenas and Demeters or Persphones. To put this in plain English, a bunch of women who crave physical challenge, are independent, and share a reverential view of wild places. Then, I started noticing that some women who make it to our camp were really, really archetypal- like Alisa from Arizona who lives on a ranch and is followed by dozens of hummingbirds every time she steps outside her house; and Jen, social worker gone organic farmer, who has been know to visit her outhouse only to find its been rearranged by a bear.

These women, and many more of us with city roots, feel deeply at home in the wilderness and almost drunk with happiness after a long day of using our bodies. We know the power of feeding that part of us that isn't tamed. WWE's artistic retreats and getaways also attract interesting types of women - zany, creative, open-minded and big hearted women who appreciate a natural, simple way of living. Is there a goddess for that? Aphrodite, perhaps? Iím not sure, but whether you are attracted to either exploring a new or old passion, be it essentially a physical, spiritual, or a creative one in the great outdoors, we offer an environment that celebrates all of those things in a unique way.

A theatre critic of the performance piece, Obie winner, The Vagina Monologues, described this show as evoking a spirit of "raucous conspiracy" among its predominantly female audience, a term I thought quite fitting for the kind of good hearted fun women have together. So I say ditch the holiday that sounds "good for you" and go for your heart's desire - whatever that is - and if what WWE offers really tickles your fancy, give us a call or email us and we will be delighted to have you join the party.

Beth Mairs
Director

2000 Brochure Director's Message: "Sisters Are Doing It For  Themselves!"
This summer marks Wild Women Expeditions' 10th year of all-women canoe trips here in Northern Ontario. I am mighty pleased with the response that WWE has had since I sent out our first brochure in the early nineties. That first brochure was mailed out to 500 women. Some names were gathered at International Women's Day in Toronto and others came from a 'friends of friends' networking effort. Of those 500 women, about 25 actually signed up and arrived at our camp that summer for a "women-only" trip. Fun was had by all and I LEARNED AN IMMENSE AMOUNT!!

Our first season's numbers were much fewer than anticipated and yet I felt the incredible humility and appreciation one feels for total strangers who actually take you seriously and write you a cheque. Having spoken to many women who have started up their own endeavours, there is often an element of self-doubt: I'm not really "an artist", "a photographer", "a canoe trip guide"- but somehow over time the new identity moves from an external self-naming to an internal one. Many women who call, write and email us are also consciously exploring or expanding their identities. Perhaps, like me, canoe tripping or being in the outdoors was a cherished part of their past they would like to reclaim. Or they are trying on a more adventurous self- a self that indulges their need for physical challenge or creativity, their passion for the north, or their love for women's spaces. 

I've just got off the phone with a woman from San Diego registering for our next dog sledding event. She made a pact with herself that she would do something special every month and this dog sledding trip is her first selection. Last week, I was skiing with a long-time member who reminds me that she first came on one of our trips- as a treat to herself- the summer she turned 50. These are cherished and familiar stories around here.

Women-only adventure travel has been marketed by some as therapy. I'm sure you've seen the headline? "Women-only trips build self-esteem!" Sure they do; however, there is no lack of self confidence at our camp and I revel in it. While my partner was out of town this winter, I was invited to a couple of social gatherings- okay, big parties, actually- and though fully intending to attend, I wimped out last minute and stayed home. Considering that I often throw parties, am considered outgoing, and am no stranger to doing things on my own (heck I live alone up north 4 months of the year!), I was somewhat surprised by my own shyness, and wondered if someone was going to strip me of my Wild Woman title. I felt an added admiration for the spirited, independent women who make up our membership, most of whom register on their own and make friends here. After you check out this year's new offerings alongside our "tried and true" events and trips, I hope to hear from you to help you plan your Wild Women vacation this year. And remember, it's just another, sometimes shy, wild woman on the other end of the phone.

A warm thank you to all of you-participants, staff and volunteers- who have supported WWE and made the last 10 summers the best of my life.

BETH MAIRS, WWE Director

P.S. False modesty aside, don't wimp out! There's a party going on with or without you, chickeroos!!

1999 Director's Message: "Let's Go Retro"
The summer of 1999... that critical point when the refrain "Get with the nineties!" was replaced by another decade-conscious phrase: "Whoa- that's sooo nineties!". Perhaps you were one of those people, like me, who was hounded by the futurists of the eighties for not owning a microwave, and for clinging to your turntable and records. The pressure to conform to whatever is "new" and to shun what is "old" seems pervasive these days.

At the same time, we are crazed about certain "old" things (retro) as the very definition of hip. My record collection- once so 'out' is now the coolest thing in my house. So, you are wondering what this has to do with taking a vacation with Wild Women Expeditions this summer? Well, if this "new millennium" stuff has you hyperventilating, maybe it's time this summer to take a deep breath and be "in the moment". I say let's go really retro and do the quintessential Canadian thing- explore our gorgeous wilderness by canoe.

Sure, travelling with a group of all women has become a big craze now-it wasn't in 1990 when Wild Women Expeditions started. We were the only company doing this in Ontario at the time, and one of a few in Canada. But I didn't decide to offer women-only adventure vacations because I anticipated that it would become THE hot travelling industry niche by the end of the century. It's more like my record collection and microwave-less kitchen: a reflection of who I am. But I hoped WWE would resonate with other women and it has.

So yeah, gyrrrls- let's get with the 20th century (last chance for procrastinators!) and head on up north to paddle or play with a group 
of spirited, independent, fun-loving women like yourself. A timeless/  timely holiday?

Beth Mairs, Director

1998 Director's Message: "A Decade in the Making"
Back in the summer of 1988 was when I first envisioned Wild Women Expeditions. I was in the company of good friends on a much needed canoe trip after a prolonged bout of burn-out. I found myself invigorated by connecting again with what I loved most: canoe tripping. The idea of an all-women canoe tripping company started as an idea generated by the need to stay warm during another afternoon of rain on our trip. We all enthusiastically played with the idea and let it grow, wiling away the time. But for me, it was more serious and this idea compelled me to begin working on making Wild Women Expeditions a reality. You see, it was a strategy for me -- a life changing one -- not a business one. I wanted to find a way to bring more health into my life and to find a way to do more of what I loved.

Having worked as a canoe trip leader as a young adult, I felt I had the so-called hard skills -- be they a bit rusty -- but what I could bring now was the maturity and experience of an adult with a social work degree and a specialization on group work, no less. Not that I wanted to fuse canoe tripping with some kind of workshop-y therapy experience. I wasn't that kind of social worker anyway. But, what my social work training had taught me, the hard way, of course, was to trust the group. And that comes in handy.

Well, it took a couple of years to find a suitable location to launch this venture, and now nine seasons and 1000 participants later, we've laughed many a hearty laugh, taken in many a spectacular sunset, and plunged buck naked into cool refreshing, clean northern waters more times than I ever could have imagined. Women from around the world know about us and come to enjoy a piece of Canadian heaven, and many Canadian women spend their hard earned vacation here year after year.

I hope you enjoy our 1999 summer and fall season offerings. And I hope to hear from you, to help you plan a Wild Women vacation this year. A heartfelt thanks for your support and interest, from all the gals at WWE (not to mention our crazy menagerie of beloved animals)!

Beth Mairs, Director