One Person Leads to Another
What skiing, forest bathing and a chairlift conversation have to do with Women’s Outdoor Connection.
A few years ago, one of my ski friends told us about forest bathing.
None of us had any idea what she was talking about.
And no, apparently, you don't take a bath in the forest.
I didn't run home and start researching it. But the idea stuck with me. Eventually, when I was looking for someone to bring forest bathing to Women’s Outdoor Connection, I started learning more about why spending time outside can make us feel so good.
And that got me thinking about skiing.
I grew up skiing at Alpental with my cousins, siblings and friends. My aunt and uncle had a cabin, and my brother and I spent most weekends there. Lessons, lunch at the cabin, then back out for more. It was pretty easy living as a kid.
Fast forward a bit.
I met my husband Tyler on a ski day when I was 19 and he was 20. He was a lift operator. We dated, went our separate ways for a while, and then reconnected after my stepdad died. This time we made it stick.
We had our first son, Zack, in 1992 and then Jacob in 2000. We had a good life. Not every day was easy. We were self-employed, raising kids and dogs and doing all the things families do. Somewhere along the way, skiing got left behind. It was expensive with a family, and we just didn't do it.
Then Tyler died from a stroke in 2010. For a long time, I had a hard time making plans. I never knew how I was going to feel from one hour to the next.
About a year later, I decided to go skiing on Tyler’s birthday. I borrowed boots and bought some used skis. As it happens, I bought those skis at Sturtevant's. Remember that part. We'll come back to it.
One person leads to another...
On that ski day, I met two women, Patty and Ellen. They were ski instructors, and they put an idea in my head. Maybe I should teach skiing. So, the following year, 2012, my friend Alice went with me to instructor orientation. I'm not sure I would have gone alone. We signed up. I stuck with it.
Teaching got me out of my shell. I had to meet new people. Say hello. Ask their names. Put myself out there. And teaching kids is pretty simple in one important way. They just want to have fun. I needed some of that too.
One person leads to another...
And skiing wasn't done introducing me to people. A ski friend reintroduced me to a high school friend, Amund in 2015. We married in 2019.
A friend suggested I get a job in the ski industry. I found an opening at Sturtevant's—which, in my opinion, is THE BEST ski shop around here. It's where we all shopped growing up. For weeks, I kept telling my friends about this job. Finally, they started asking, “When do you start?”
There was one small problem. I hadn't actually applied.
Eventually I got that done. I even walked up to my future boss at an event and introduced myself. Way outside my comfort zone.
I got the job that spring, right around the same time I was selling and moving out of our family home. That was an extremely hard transition. Suddenly I had a new job, new people and a whole new part of my life beginning.
And skiing was right in the middle of it again.
And another person...
I met Pam Miller in my role at Sturtevant's. Pam, founder of Sisters in Action Sports, invited me to an event at Patagonia in Seattle that SheJumps was hosting. There were 10 or so women's outdoor groups there. You could wander around, meet people, learn about the different groups, sip and shop.
It was a really cool idea. We should do something like this at Sturtevant's. I talked to my manager. She said "Sure."
Then I started thinking about everything involved. It sounded complicated. So, the idea went onto the shelf.
Fast forward...
Years later, I bought Powder Poobah from Larry Schick. Of course, I met Larry through my job at Sturtevant's. One person leads to another.
Larry, the Powder Poobah is a longtime Seattle meteorologist. He started his snow forecast newsletter decades ago. He was ready to step back from running it but still wanted to do some forecasting.
Suddenly I had this community of people who loved getting outside. And that old idea started rattling around again.
One person leads to another...
One day I was skiing with friends and my cousin, and I started talking about it on the chair. What if I actually did this? What if I brought a bunch of women's outdoor groups together? I'm sure there were women on the Powder Poobah list who would want to come.
My friends didn't think it would be too complicated. They got excited. They brainstormed with me and helped me start figuring it out.
The idea finally came off the shelf and in October 2023, we held the first Women’s Outdoor Connection. We've now done it four times.
And something pretty wonderful keeps happening. Women discover groups they never knew existed. They meet each other and go do things together. Our outdoor partners meet each other—and they start collaborating.
I've met people I never would have met.
I've tried things I might never have tried.
And I've stepped out of my comfort zone many, many times.
Now back to that forest bathing...
Over the years, I've started to understand something about why I love skiing so much.
Yes, I really, really love to ski. But it's more than that. When I'm on the mountain, my stress starts to fade. My to-do list disappears. I'm moving. I'm outside. I'm laughing. I'm with people I enjoy. For a few hours, all the other stuff gets quieter.
There are real reasons we feel better outside. Nature, movement and connection can affect our stress, mood and overall sense of well-being. This is something I've come to understand over the years.
Being outside.
Moving.
Laughing.
Being with people.
Feeling connected.
Having something to look forward to.
Along the way, I realized those things are really the foundation of Women’s Outdoor Connection.
It's not just about hiking, skiing, fishing, or paddling. Those are just the things that get us out there. It's what happens when we do—and who we meet along the way.
My mom taught me something years ago when I worked in retail:
You never know what kind of day someone is having. You don't know what might have happened to them that morning. So be kind. Be patient.
I've never forgotten it.
Because sometimes something that seems pretty small—an invitation, an introduction, a friend saying I'll go with you, a conversation on a chairlift—can matter more than we realize.
I've certainly been on the receiving end of that. And now I get a lot of joy from creating ways for those connections to happen for someone else.
And that brings me to this year's Women’s Outdoor Connection...
This year, I wanted to bring together a panel to talk about something I've been thinking about for years: why being outside—and being with other people—can make us feel so good.
Friday night has me SUPER excited! I'm bringing together three women who come at that question from very different directions.
And bring the guys Friday night is open to everyone.
Holly Brandenberger explores how nature and our senses can support our well-being.
Charlotte Massey is working to build human connection and belonging in our communities.
Saveria Tilden has spent years creating outdoor experiences and gatherings that bring women together.
Why We Feel Better Outside
Nature. Movement. Connection. Belonging.
Friday night with Holly, Charlotte and Saveria. The body chemistry stuff? I can never remember all of it. That’s why I’m so excited about this combo!
Then on Saturday, we'll do what Women’s Outdoor Connection does best: bring a whole bunch of people together and see what happens. See the Partner list
Because if I've learned anything from my story, it's this:
One person really does lead to another.
One invitation.
One introduction.
One person saying, “I'll go with you.”
It makes a difference.
Maybe you'll meet a new hiking friend. Discover something you've never tried. Find someone who wants to ski, paddle, bike or get outside with you.
Or maybe you'll be that person for someone else.
Thank you for reading.
See you outside,
Andrea Hamilton
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