Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps is pleased to announce that with the support of The North Face’s Explore Fund, it will launch and facilitate Queers in the Wilderness, a new immersive, eight-day LGBTQ+ inclusive trip. The 40-mile backpacking trip will help participants develop the skills and knowledge needed to increase comfort exploring nature and stewardship of public lands.
Participants will be trained on a variety of backpacking skills and will complete volunteer trail work with a trained trail crew. In working with this crew, Queers in the Wilderness participants will develop trail maintenance skills, an appreciation for the role of trail maintenance in the conservation of public lands, and have exposure to potential career paths.
Through work in the wilderness, members break boundaries, learn about themselves and others, and form a deep appreciation of the outdoors.
Queers in the Wilderness is supported by The North Face’s Explore Fund. As a 2019 grant recipient, Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps is one of 42 organizations helping to remove barriers to getting people outside. The Explore Fund was created in 2010 to build a movement of outdoor exploration and empower future explorers. Since then, it has granted $3.75 million to more than 600 programs, helping people of all backgrounds and all experiences to explore the outdoors.
“For nearly 10 years, The North Face has been working to increase equity in the outdoors through the Explore Fund,” said Eric Raymond, Director of Social Impact and Advocacy for The North Face. “The Explore Fund searches out and supports organizations that use the power of exploration and the benefits of nature to strengthen communities around the country.”
For more information, see easternsierracc.org and the Explore Fund.
