Ladies Get Outside!
May 31, 2017
By: Mary Godnick - Adirondack Council Marketing and Fund Development Assistant
If you search “Adirondacks” on almost any social media platform, you will most likely find thousands of stunning photos and stories from other Adirondack adventures. You will also find a huge community of those who love the Adirondacks. Social media has been a powerful tool for fellow Adirondack enthusiasts to trade stories, share tips, provide safety information, and meet friends. One group that is picking up steam is Ladies Get Outside (LGO). What started as a passion project for Marissa Fredette, soon grew to a sisterhood of outdoor enthusiasts near and far.
So, what is Ladies Get Outside? Marissa says, “Ladies Get Outside is a community of women who enjoy everything that the outdoors offers. We have ladies who are backpackers, day hikers, rock climbers, yogis, beekeepers, and so much more. This community is for like-minded ladies to band together to physically and mentally conquer mountains.”
Marissa was inspired to start LGO when she found the outdoors to be therapeutic for herself, and other women. She discovered that she had a mutual passion for the outdoors with a friend, Ashley Whittier, on Instagram, and LGO was born. Their inspiration? The mental health benefits of spending time in nature. She says, “Mental health is very important to us. We find that being outdoors helps with everyday stress, loss, depression, anxiety, and everything in between. Nature is there for us, to listen, to push our limits, to make us humble, and to let us be free.”
Growing up adjacent to the Blue Line, Marissa has always felt at home in the Adirondacks. She says, "I couldn’t imagine a better place to live right next to. No matter the season it’s always so beautiful and offers what seems like, endless adventures.” She spends a lot of time in the Lake George region but loves daytrips the High Peaks Region too.
Marissa shares her concern for the popularity and potential overuse she has seen in the High Peaks region. LGO aims to educate others in their group about trail safety and environmental impact. She says, “Leave No Trace is really important to LGO. Pack out what you pack in. Soda cans, beer bottles, tissue paper, and food wrappers not only take away from the beauty of our trails, but are really bad for the environment and Adirondack wildlife.” On their group outings, they also encourage their group to stay on the trail, be respectful of wildlife and to pick up any trash they see along the trail.
If LGO seems like a group you’d like to get involved in, you can join them at one of their upcoming meetups. Make sure to subscribe to their email list to know about the next group hike in the Adirondacks. To learn more about LGO, you can find them on Facebook and Instagram!
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