Femme Trek

About

Sprague Lake at sunrise is the usual first outing with this women-only hiking outfit, an easy walk that doubles as altitude adjustment. From there the trips get harder: Ouzel Falls, Mills Lake, Lake Haiyaha and Chasm Lake, all in Rocky Mountain National Park, with timed-entry permits included.

Winter brings snowshoe tours at beginner, moderate and challenging levels. Forest bathing and wilderness survival skills courses fill out the calendar, and private trips can be built for a group of friends. Groups are small, solo hikers are welcome, and tours run year-round. The company also sells its own apparel.

The guides are the point. They know the plants and animals along the trail, they are patient with slower hikers, and trekking poles come along when the grade calls for them. Bookings close 48 hours before a trip, so this is not a same-morning decision. The sunrise hike is the gentle way in for anyone just off the plane.