A New Chapter . . . at 70

I was stopped recently on a challenging hike by a young gal (maybe in her 30s?) that literally shouted at me, “You are my hero!” I looked behind me because she couldn’t possibly be speaking to me. Then she continued to say that she never sees women on trails that are my age.

My first thought was, Wow, I must look really old, but what I actually said was, “Then you don’t get out much! There are thousands of me out here!”

I pondered her comment for weeks. (And in the spirit of full disclosure, I was frustrated with myself that my first thought upon hearing her words was that I looked old. But I digress.)

From Sea to Summit

My name is Mildred, and I am a retired school teacher (shout out to middle school home ec teachers!). I’m originally from Memphis, TN, and  then Fayetteville, AR, and am married with three children.

We spent our vacation weeks in the Florida panhandle at the beach with family and friends. The beach was familiar, predictable, relaxing, and always fun. Needless to say, I didn’t spend my days hiking in the mountains. In fact, it wasn’t until much, much later that I got into hiking.

Fortunately, as our kids left home, they ventured beyond the familiar: two settled in Colorado and one in Oregon. And little did I know at the time, but their relocation would eventually change my life in a big way.

Hiking After 60: Life Elevated

In the summer of 2021, as things were beginning to return to a new normal after the pandemic, my husband and I moved to Salida, CO, to be with our kids and grandkids.

A year later, I realized I needed to discover this new area we called home. My kids are outdoorsy and took me on a hike or two, which was amazing. But, I didn’t know how to find trails on my own, and I didn’t want to depend on my family to take me.

So, as one does, I went to Google. I found several groups that had organized hikes and quickly discovered my place. (Alternatively, my husband found his place in the theater community).

I felt my soul was absorbing the strength and beauty of our mountains. I realized that I had missed a lot by only returning to the beach for vacations. Thus began my passion for hiking at age 67.

Backpacking at 70: Starting a New Adventure

Three years later at age 70 and mindful that I had missed a lot of adventures, the Women’s Wine Hiking Society popped up on my Instagram feed. Skeptically, I followed their posts for several months, checked out their website many times, and decided the group was legit.

With fear and trepidation, I signed up for the Beginner Backpacking trip. I expected to get a polite rejection note that stated I would be a liability because of my age and thanks-but-no-thanks for your interest. Wrong! Little did I know how Cindy and Angelique would empower and prepare me, even before we met in person.

All of the strength training needed, food lists, packing lists, etc were provided in the weeks prior to the trip. Meeting in person the night before our adventure, they taught us how to pack our packs and provided a welcoming space for the group to bond and ask questions.

Once on the trail, we navigated safely along the backcountry of Canyonlands which included a random, rare, and unexpected thunder snow storm. Who knew? Once we reached camp, Cindy and Angelique taught us to set up our tents and our sleep system, and yes, taught us how to poop in a Wag Bag. (I was even in a Reel about using a Wag Bag that went viral on Tik Tok.)

The coming together of women along the massive red rocks by day and the wide open sky by night was nourishing to my body, soul, mind, and spirit. We came together as women to celebrate successes, cheer for accomplishments, and enjoy kindnesses. We were also in a safe space for sharing issues such as insecurity, fear, and loss. We weren’t trying to fix each other but we were listening to each other. It was powerful.

Finding Confidence, Connection, & Community

I have since connected with my state’s chapter of the Women’s Wine Hiking Society and have found the same camaraderie that was present in the beginner backpacking trip. Women are awesome at welcoming women!

If you are beginning a new chapter in your story, don’t be impaired by your age. Look around! There are a lot of us out there!

Ready to meet other fun, likeminded women who love the outdoors and crave connection too? Find an event–and your community–near you here.