December 4, 2024December 4, 2024

How SheJumps Builds Community and Stays True to Their Roots

In honor of our collaboration with SheJumps, we caught up with cofounder Claire Smallwood to chat about all things SheJumps, from how to keep the vibes going on long days, what even is a girafficorn, and everything in between.

Smith: What advice do you have for women (or anyone) who are new to the outdoor community or looking to branch out but don’t know where to start?

CS: Remember that it’s all about the journey, not the destination. It can be easy to get intimidated by the outdoors. We often see the most accomplished and extreme athletes get a lot of airtime or images in magazines and marketing, so the most important thing to remember is that no one was born knowing how to do any of those things.

Find a friend! Whether you’re brand new to the outdoors or just looking to try a new activity, invite someone else who’s maybe also new to the outdoors; that way you can learn something new and have someone to support you in the process. There are tons of people who find friends through SheJumps. If there’s a local event in your area, just show up!

Keep it simple: not all outdoor adventures must be elaborate and challenging. Especially if you are new to something, make small, attainable goals to build you up toward bigger objectives.

Smith: Can you tell us a little bit about the origins of the Girafficorn?

CS: Half giraffe, half unicorn – all magic. The Girafficorn was created by SheJumps’ co-founder Lynsey Dyer. Lynsey is a professional skier but also an artist, and her design was a way to embody the vision of SheJumps, reminding our community to keep their feet on the ground and head in the clouds, above chaos and drama—with a little bit of magic to see you through. The Girafficorn also represents persevering, sticking your neck out from time to time, even if you feel awkward. The Girafficorn stands as a reminder to keep the spirit of play and possibility alive when taking the jump toward our greatest potential.

Smith: SheJumps events always bring the fun, what are the best ways you keep the energy and positivity high?

CS: First off, our community is full of magic, so in some ways, it’s the “if you build it, they will come” attitude where the participants help to foster the fun, high-energy events more than anything. However, from a philosophical standpoint, we want to do everything we can to create energetic, positive, and fun atmospheres because we believe that outdoor play transforms lives. For example, we encourage costumes to create a more playful and inviting atmosphere. But with or without a costume, the general encouragement to play and have fun at our events helps our participants get in touch with their inner child, reigniting their passion for play, which has fantastic benefits for you no matter what your age, including improved emotional and mental health, better brain function, strengthening relationships, improved self-esteem, and enhanced creativity.

Smith: SheJumps does amazing snow and bike clinics, but you also do so much more. What’s the most unique event or class you have coming up? (We’ve got our eye on the Car Control clinic coming up in December)

CS: The Car Control Clinic is a really cool event! We have started to think more about the auxiliary tools and skills that participants might need to be successful in their outdoor adventures and one of our volunteers came up with the Car Control Clinic a couple of years ago because obviously driving to the mountain is probably one of the most challenging parts of a ski day!

Another cool event is our Junior Wildland Firefighter event. Partnering with the US Forest Service, we offer a day camp to help young girls learn more about fire stewardship and wildland firefighting. I love that our program coordinator also got creative on how to better engage teen girls at the event by creating the “Junior Squad Boss” role so they can be in a leadership role during the camp!

Smith: If you were able to time travel and talk to your 2007 self who just started SheJumps, what would you be most proud to tell her about? What would she be most surprised by?

CS: That’s both the easiest and hardest question to answer! I’d be so proud to tell my 2007 self about our scholarship programs and the fact that we’re still running the SheJumps Into the Canyon program for refugee and immigrant girls at Alta—17 years later! Knowing how deeply rooted SheJumps is in community and volunteerism, I don’t think my 2007 self would be surprised to hear that our volunteer network has grown to include over 165 regional volunteers.

But I know she would absolutely fall out of her chair to learn that SheJumps has a collaboration with Smith Optics! The idea of partnering with such a prominent outdoor brand while staying true to our mission would have been beyond anything I could have imagined back then.

Smith: SheJumps has grown a lot, how do you stay true to your roots while also managing growth?

CS: Staying true to SheJumps’ roots while managing growth feels, to me, like going on an adventure in the mountains. There’s a dynamic and unpredictable nature to running a nonprofit—similar to navigating backcountry terrain. You’re constantly on a fine line between fear and excitement, gathering tools and knowledge along the way to make yourself more successful and to bring others along.

For me, the outdoors—and specifically skiing—has always been where I “check in” with myself and recalibrate. In the same way that I’ve never considered giving up skiing (despite a long laundry list of injuries!), I’ve never considered giving up on the evolution of SheJumps—I think our ability to navigate change is what has helped us succeed. Growth doesn’t mean losing who we are but embracing the journey. This perspective helps me stay grounded and aligned with our mission, reminding me—and others—that it’s okay if we haven’t done this before. We’re learning and growing together.