A new non-profit society dedicated to pairing females into season-long mentorships in backcountry skiing and snowboarding has launched in Revelstoke.
In an effort to reduce barriers to entry for women in the backcountry, Ascent Mentorships will be pairing up to 40 women in the Revelstoke area together for a five-month-long mentorship for the 2020-21 winter season.
They hope to increase confidence among women in the region and create a supportive and encouraging environment for women to strengthen their skills, said a news release from the society.
The new society is modelled after a successful program operating in the Sea to Sky area called Mountain Mentors. Ascent has their support and blessing in the new endeavour.
The society will be funded through grants, donations and are currently looking for sponsors who would be interested in helping to build a larger community of female backcountry users.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities visit ascentmentors.ca/sponsorships
“After about 200 responses to a survey in the community, it was clear that there was a lot of interest in a program like this,” says Emily Wright, founder of Ascent Mentorships, in a news release. “All of the feedback that we received from the survey really accentuated the motivating factors for wanting to create Ascent Mentorships.”
For those looking to get involved for the 2020-21 season, applications for both mentors and mentees will open early September.
For more information on the program itself, visit ascentmentors.ca/program
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