What the Grand Canyon Gave Us

In March of 2026, a group of women came together to accomplish a huge goal – raise money for The Cairn Project and hike all the way into, then out of, the Grand Canyon in Arizona. After successfully raising the money and completing the ambitious goal, we asked the women to refelct on their experience. This article is a conglomeration of their thoughts and notions after completing such a feat.

Some adventures stay with you because of the place. Others stay with you because of the people. For the women who joined this Grand Canyon Rim-to-River-Rim hike, it was both.

Why Answer the Call?

Many came to challenge themselves, reconnect with themselves, and support greater access to the outdoors for women and girls. Aubrey shared that she felt called to the fundraiser after reading a book from The Cairn Project book club, Grit Lit.

Through the Grit Lit bookclub, I received the book “Blood, Sweat, Tears” and felt inspired by all the stories and experiences in the book. It made me question what I was truly capable of. So when I saw the Grand Canyon Fundraiser, I felt called to do it.

Cyndee described the trip as a chance to “pay it forward” after receiving support in her own outdoor journey.

Hiking and Hiking and Hiking Some More

What comes through most clearly in these reflections is that hard things feel different when you do them together. This was a physically demanding day, but again and again, the women described how much the group shaped the experience. Aubrey wrote, “I never felt rushed or shamed for my pace,” and that sense of support mattered. Mary reflected on a moment when her body was not sending the usual signals and said, “It was my mind/mood that keyed me into ‘I was in trouble’… I can thank my team for their persistence.” The miles were real, but done together, had a levity to them.

There was also a deep sense of strength that ran through these responses, though not always in the loudest or most obvious way. Lisa wrote, “I can and need to continue to do hard things,” and her reflection captured something many people seemed to feel: that outdoor challenges can remind us who we are when doubt creeps in. Cyndee, who arrived anxious and unsure how the day would unfold, said she was surprised that once she was on trail, she felt strong and empowered. In her words,

“I sincerely believe that the beauty of the Grand Canyon and the badass women I hiked with carried me through the hike and made all the difference.”

The snapshots from the day are just as vivid as the lessons. Women wrote about soaking tired feet in the cold Colorado River, seeing mules, watching tiny lights appear high on the rim in the dark, and resting together at the bottom of the canyon. Cyndee captured the surreal joy of that pause perfectly: “It was almost unreal — I never imagined I’d be drinking lemonade, sipping cold brew, and playing How Do You Meme at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.” Aubrey remembered looking for constellations on the hike out, and Ritzy described the moment when the lights on the rim finally came into view, making it clear the top was “much, much further away than we’d imagined.” Funny, humbling, beautiful, and hard all at once.

How Does it Feel?

Again and again, the reflections returned to the same truth: time outside matters, especially for women and girls. Ritzy wrote that access to the outdoors is “vital for girls and women because it helps keep us grounded, healthy, and connected, to ourselves and to the world around us.” Erin put it just as clearly: “Women and girls deserve, not just to know, but to never have to question the fact that we are capable and deserving of all types of outdoor adventure.” These weren’t abstract ideas in the context of this trip. They were lived and felt by the women, hiking together.

This hike was bigger than a single day in the canyon. It wasn’t just about seeing a remarkable place, though it certainly was that too. It was about showing up for yourself, being held up by community, and remembering what becomes possible when women are encouraged to take up space outside. As Cyndee wrote,

“The world constantly tells us to shrink ourselves. Mother Nature tells us the opposite — that we’re expansive and capable of so much.”

And that is why this work matters. When women and girls have access to time outside, they build confidence, resilience, community, and a deeper trust in themselves. These experiences ripple outward far beyond one trip, one trail, or one finish line.

If these reflections moved you, consider making a donation to help create more opportunities like this one. Or, sign up for our mailing list and be the first to know when the next Grand Canyon adventure opens up.