Neighborhood NonProfit: SheJumps

SheJumps' Get The Girls Out. Photo: Ryan French

SALT LAKE CITY — In 2007, Claire Smallwood, Lynsey Dyer, and Vanessa Pierce established SheJumps, a non-profit with the mission, “To plant the idea that it is possible to live an adventurous and inspiring lifestyle, no matter who you are or where you come from.” With the motto, “If she can do it, so can I.”

SheJumps founders Claire, Lynsey, and Vanessa know that confronting fear and finding fun outdoors unlock life-transforming experiences. SheJumps marketing and partnership manager Krystal Guerrero explains SheJumps principles. “Our founders believe that growth is in our nature, but fear of stereotypes, failure, rejection, labels—those spoken over us, spoken inside of us, and what we’ve believed—limit our growth,” she says, “SheJumps was founded to provide access to the outdoors, but it’s so much more than just hiking, biking, or snowboarding. SheJumps inspires growth by helping women and girls break through fears and internal/external barriers in life so they can grow to their full potential.”

The non-profit fulfills its initiative to bring women and girls into the outdoors by offering many programs. Learning experiences range from online instruction to introductory outdoor pursuits like hiking and snowshoeing to advanced courses like Alpine Finishing School, where participants practice advanced backcountry skills.

“Our programs encourage leadership and participation because they are developed to meet people where they are at in their journey and help them get to where they would like to be, by creating safe, educational outdoor experiences to nurture growth and transformation,” Krystal describes, “With offerings like Alpine School, Junior Ski Patrol, Get The Girls Out, and more—SheJumps strives to build a community of belonging.”

One of the ways SheJumps creates a diverse community is by offering scholarship opportunities and free or donation-based courses. SheJumps is committed to justice, inclusion, diversity, and equality. With a specific focus on increasing participation by women who have experienced historical exclusion or women in financial need.

“In 2020, 36% of SheJumps events were free or donation-based. Many of our online, education-based events are free and can be accessed by anyone!” Krystal exclaims, “These events are led by experts in the field and cover topics such as avalanche awareness, fitness, and nutrition, recreating safely and responsibly, wilderness first aid, hiking, and more.”

Snowsports scholarships are a primary focus. “Snowsports are inherently expensive and to address this barrier, in 2018 SheJumps created the Snowpack Scholarship program to provide avalanche education certification scholarships to women across the United States,” Krystal explains, “In 2019, we expanded the scholarship locations and also added an Ikon Pass Scholarship to provide women of color with Ikon passes and full ski set-ups. More than 50% of our Snowpack Avalanche Scholarships and 100% of our Ikon Pass scholarships go to WOC… We are especially proud to announce that in November 2021, SheJumps awarded 83 Snowpack scholarships across five regions (WA/OR, ID, CO, WY, MT) in our ongoing efforts to build community within the snowsports space for all.”

SheJumps is a remote non-profit with roots in Utah and upcoming courses in Park City and Salt Lake. To connect with the local SheJumps team, check out the Facebook group. To sign up for events, visit the events page.