Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship
BOLTON — Wednesday nights are for mud-splattered limbs, sweaty faces, and no fear for the Bolton Babe Force, an all-female and non-binary outdoor extreme sports group. The year-round team offers a range of outdoor recreational activities, including mountain biking, backcountry ski tours, and ski and snowboard lessons.
The Babe Force just wrapped up their sixth season of their four-week mountain bike camp at Bolton Valley Resort, which lasted throughout July and overlapped with nights of live music offered at the mountain.
“We keep it pretty simple in terms of our offerings because we want it to just feel really accessible,” said Michelle Ramirez, the marketing manager and fourth-year member of the organization.
On camp days, the force divides into two types of groups. The green group is geared towards beginners and those still getting comfortable on the bike, while the more advanced and experienced group is the blue group. Each group has two to three coaches to advise members safely and watch over them as they traverse the mountainsides.
On average, the group has 15-30 members show up for camps; however, their email list has up to 200 subscribers. It ranges from college kids to members in their 60s.
Although they occasionally have to cancel because of the weather, these babes are no strangers to scattered rainfalls, muddy trails, and even taking hard falls off their bikes. As they complain about their aches and pains, they do so with smiles on their faces and feel empowered from being able to get up and go on.
“There’s so much intimidation, especially with adventure sports. There’s fear, there’s that bro culture,” said Becca Munkelwitz, first-year babe force coach and longtime rider.
A 2024 report by the Outdoor Industry Association recorded that more than half of American women were participating in outdoor recreation, reaching 51.9% in 2023, according to 18,000 interviews over a 12-month period. Men reached a record high of 62.9%, and members of the LGBTQ+ community made up 11.3%.
Jasmine Wells, a fourth-year coach for the Babe Force as well as a snowboard and ski instructor, said it was noticeable that there weren’t a lot of women in the field of outdoor sports.
“There’s a need for it. Safety is a concern,” said Ramirez. “I think when we do it in numbers, it feels pretty badass.”
Ramirez said although it’s mostly love and acceptance, the Babe Force has faced criticism in the past, especially from the male community.
“Criticism should always be used,” she said. “If anything, it fuels us. It should drive us because it reemphasizes why this stuff is important.”
Munkelwitz said she takes pride in helping members boost their confidence, “If they can do this, they can do anything.”