Ep 098. What We Learned About Fear From 300+ Women Who Want to Go Solo Backpacking

This week's episode is a takeover — and a good one.

Kellie, community manager at She Dreams of Alpine and coach inside the Backpacking Badass Program, steps in (while Allison is off with clients on a rock climbing retreat in Greece) to share something we think is one of the most important episodes we've published.

A few years ago, we surveyed over 300 women about what was actually stopping them from solo hiking and backpacking. We didn't just skim the data, we read every single response. And what we found stopped us cold.

This episode isn't tips. It's a mirror. It's for the woman who has been saying "someday" for years and just needs to know she's not alone.

In this episode, Kellie covers:

• The fear nobody in the outdoor industry is openly addressing, and why it's time that changes
• What the real statistics say about safety for women on the trail (it's not what you've been told)
• Why solo hiking and backpacking are acts of reclamation for so many women, and what word showed up again and again in survey responses that says everything
• The loneliness piece... and how it's not just about being alone on the trail, it's about having no one who gets it
• And so much more!

🗓️ PS—Don’t forget to save the date for our upcoming Solo Hiker Summit! It’s happening June 3-5, 2026.

This virtual summit is for women who are done waiting for the right person, the right conditions, or the right version of themselves — and are ready to finally hike alone, go confidently, and maybe even spend a night or two in the backcountry. 😉

Registration opens at the end of May. Join our newsletter here (shedreamsofalpine.com/email) to be FIRST to know when registration opens for the Solo Hiker Summit.

Where to learn more about Allison:

• She Dreams of Alpine Blog (shedreamsofalpine.com)
• Instagram @shedreamsofalpine

🎁 FREE GIFT: Grab the Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for FREE here to get started on your journey with backpacking. (shedreamsofalpine.com/adventure)

🥾 BACKPACKING COURSE WAITLIST (shedreamsofalpine.com/waitlist): This is our signature program where women who are done waiting finally get the skills, the plan, the coaching, and the community to make backpacking real. You'll learn everything you need to get out there safely and confidently — and you'll do it surrounded by 2,000+ women who are right there in the trenches with you, cheering you on every step of the way. If you've been circling this goal for a while, this is the place to finally land.