From left, Adele Hello, Dawn Kennison-Kerrigan, Cindy Townsend and Melissa Ney take a break from hiking Oct. 8, 2022, on the Esmeralda Basin Loop Trail near Cle Elum, Washington.

At a couple of local fitness-related groups, you will find adventure and fellowship.

But you won’t find men in them. These groups are exclusive to women.

Dedicated to empowering women, the Northeast Oregon Chapter of Hikerbabes and Walk It Out Hermiston boast hundreds of participants.

Leadership for the groups report of the great fun they have. Whether they are hiking throughout the region or hiking in Hermiston, they are enjoying themselves.

Hikerbabes group travels far and wide

Cindy Townsend is the ambassador of the Northeast Oregon Chapter of the Hikerbabes.

“There are Hikerbabes chapters all over the United States and a few around the world,” she said. “My job as ambassador is to organize and plan hikes for interested ladies in my area.”

She added she regularly posts to the group’s Facebook page. Posts relate to hiking, and things like clothing, exercise and leave-no-trace principles are discussed. She also will post opportunities for group members to help with trail maintenance, Townsend said.

“The goal of the group is to empower women to go after their personal goals and have time together in nature,” she said.

According to Townsend, the goals for women hikers often vary from their male counterparts. Women are interested in a “supportive environment for women to feel comfortable on the trails, gain confidence on the trail and be supported by like-minded women.”

“In this group the value is seen in the mental, emotional and physical wellness that we get,” she said.

Townsend said 45 is the average age for group members. Women, like her, are starting to see their children gain independence. As such, they begin making time for the things they enjoyed before motherhood, activities that took a “back seat” as their lives became extra busy when their children were young.

Townsend described the group as being about more than just exercise; it offers a “mental break from the daily grind.”

“It helps me refocus on what’s most important to me; my goals, joy and friendship,” she said.

Also, she said she is learning more about the area and discovering new places and natural beauty in the region with some “amazingly strong and kind women” who encourage and support her daily.

“Every woman has their own unique goals and we support everyone in trying to meet those goals and hit those bucket list hikes,” Townsend said.

Her chapter, which has been around for two years, is part of a larger Hikerbabes organization that was founded about five years ago by Monique Redmon in Bend.

Some of the women from Hikerbabes chapters help make up the approximately 600 women on the local chapter’s Facebook page. There also are Facebook followers who do not regularly hike with the group. These people find use for the group, still, as they learn about fun activities and opportunities.

However, the group welcomes participants on outings three to four times a month. According to Townsend, the group takes weekend hiking retreats during the winter, spring and fall. It is organizing four backpacking trips this summer.

“I enjoy planning a variety of activities so that all women can feel included,” Townsend said. “We also do ladies nights occasionally or get together to celebrate big life events, like birthdays, baby showers and weddings. It’s an amazing group of ladies of all ages.”

Hiking trips are throughout Oregon and Washington, according to the ambassador.

“We hike our local trails near the Columbia River regularly and spend a pretty decent amount of time up in the Tri-Cities areas in the winter because the mountains are all too snowy,” she said.

In the spring, members hike the Blue Mountains. The following season, they hike the Wallowa and Elkhorn mountains.

She said in 2022, the Hikerbabes hiked and backpacked sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, the Oregon Coast Trail and the Columbia Plateau Trail.

Plans for this year include hiking some of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail.

Walk It Out Hermiston provides local fitness, community

Lili Sanchez, Walk It Out Hermiston administrator, promotes the women’s walking club on a Facebook page that includes 239 followers.

“This is a come as you are, judgment-free group,” she said.

It meets between one to three times a week, depending on the season, she said, changing locations on occasion. Trips are most often three miles, though members can walk longer or shorter than that.

Group members follow their hour-long walks with other activities, including brunch and shopping.

Its history, according to Sanchez, dates back two years. Started by another member of the group, it was founded as a “free, social group.” She said it was “created so that women in Hermiston and surrounding areas have someone to go on walks, with risk aversion in mind.”

Sanchez, who welcomes women of all ages and abilities, said she inherited the group when the main administrator left the area.

“Since then, I’ve added other activities to include 5k runs, mountain hikes, quarterly Ladies Night, and new this year a paddle board event,” she said.

Open to children, too, the group brings together people to enjoy the outdoors, which Sanchez describes as “a great place to bond and explore together all while staying fit.”

This is especially good, she said, as it encourages healthy habits that won’t break the bank. According to the administrator, fitness doesn’t have to be “fancy or expensive” to be effective.

“I’ve been a long-life runner — sprinter, to be more specific,” Sanchez said. “Being a part of this club has allowed me to be in a safe setting where it’s OK to slow down, enjoy my surroundings and foster new friendships. And actually have time for conversations, unlike running.”

She runs, still, and Sanchez said she is training for her second marathon.

“However, I very much enjoy the balance of walking a few days out of the week with my new friends,” she said. “Also, I find most people will take you up on a walk anytime rather than a run.”

In Walk It Out, she has a group for “community and camaraderie within the group and have meaningful friendships,” she said. This group empowers women to improve their skills so they can participate in other, more strenuous groups.

“Every woman has their own unique goals and we support every one in trying to meet those goals and hit those bucket list hikes.”

— Cindy Townsend, ambassador of the Northeast Oregon Chapter of the Hikerbabes