Trail Ready Woman: The Guided Backcountry Experience
Build the skills.
Gain the confidence.
Step into the backcountry.
You don’t need years of experience to get there.
You need the right structure, the right support, and the right environment.
Are you ready for more than day hikes, but you’re not quite sure how to get there?
Gear, planning, safety. It can feel like a lot.
This experience bridges the gap between curiosity and confidence so you can move beyond the trailhead and into the backcountry with clarity.
With expert education, hands-on practice, and a fully guided backcountry experience, you’ll learn exactly what to do, how to do it, and most importantly, trust yourself doing it.
By the end of this experience, you will know how to prepare, carry, and move through backcountry terrain with confidence.
You won’t just understand it. You will have done it.
YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE BACKCOUNTRY
From uncertainty to capability in three key phases
Phase 1: Gain Clarity
Remove the guesswork around gear, planning, and how everything works together.
2-hour online workshop
Understand your gear system and what actually matters
Clear guidance on planning, safety, and expectations
Phase 2: Build Confidence
Learn and apply the systems that support you on the trail.
1-day in-person workshop
Hands-on gear setup, packing, and fit adjustments
Learn safety systems, pacing, and trail movements
Guided Skills Hike: Lake William Trail
A structured gear test run where you apply, adjust, and refine your setup on real terrain.
~5 km distance, ~52 m elevation
Out and back trail
Focus on pack comfort, pacing, and movement
Phase 3: Step into the Backcountry
Move beyond theory and complete your first guided overnight experience.
Experience Details
7 km distance, ~70 m elevation
3–4 hours hiking
2 days, 1 night
Coastal terrain shaped by tides and exposure
Group tidal crossing with fixed timing constraints
Learn to carry, adjust, and move with confidence
Supported, guided, and structured throughout
This experience is for:
Women who feel ready for more than day hikes, but aren’t sure where to start
Women who want to feel confident in what to bring, what to do, and how to handle the trail
Women who are done second-guessing and ready to trust themselves in the backcountry
You don’t need:
Prior backpacking experience
Advanced fitness
Perfect gear
You just need to be willing to try, learn, and step into something new.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Experience
Women-only, small group, professionally guided experience
Intentional pacing and structured group support
Route selection and safety oversight throughout
Skill Development
Practical, on-trail skill development for real conditions
Foundational training in trail movement, gear, and preparation
Introduction to navigation, safety, and decision making
Preparation & Support
Pre-trip guidance, including what to expect and how to prepare
On-trail support, including pacing adjustments and rest timing
Guidance on building endurance, resilience, and readiness for longer hikes
Additional
Optional photography to capture the experience
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Transportation to and from the trailhead
Personal gear or equipment
Meals, snacks, or beverages
Travel, medical, or trip cancellation insurance
Advanced, technical training or certifications
Guaranteed weather conditions
YOUR GUIDES
Deborah Peddle-Hann
Deborah Peddle-Hann is the founder of Healthy Hiking and Journey to Wellness, where she helps women build the strength, confidence, and practical skills needed to explore the outdoors safely and comfortably. With nearly two decades of experience in fitness and wellness, Deborah prepares hikers not just physically, but mentally and logistically for longer trails and backcountry adventures.
After discovering her love for backpacking in her mid-40s, Deborah understands firsthand how intimidating it can feel to step beyond day hiking. Through real-world experience, practical guidance, and her down-to-earth teaching style, she helps women feel capable, prepared, and inspired to explore more of what’s possible on the trail.
Kerry Mannette
A lover of wild places, challenge, and meaningful experience, Kerry founded Valkyrie Adventures after years spent exploring Nova Scotia and landscapes around the world. From hiking and backcountry camping to scuba diving, skiing, and travel, these experiences shaped a deep respect for nature and a lasting appreciation for presence, resilience, and connection.
Kerry is passionate about bringing women together through small, intentional adventures. She believes growth happens just beyond comfort, but never beyond preparation. Challenge should be intentional, risk should be understood, and effort should be shared. Through these experiences, women move through powerful landscapes as active participants, building confidence, connection, and a deeper sense of strength that extends far beyond the trail.
WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT
This is the only experience in Nova Scotia that takes you from no backcountry experience to confidently completing your first overnight trip with full guidance.
Structured progression, not a one-off hike
Hands-on skill development, not theory
Real backcountry application, not simulation
BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE
You don’t need years of experience to start.
You just need the right guidance, in the right environment.
Review the ‘Before You Book’ section for key requirements and expectations
Group Size
Limited to 8 participants
Available Sessions
Each session is a complete 3-part experience.
Intro Session & Gear Guidance (Virtual)
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 | 7:00 PMHands-On Skills Workshop + Guided Test Hike (In Person – Fall River, NS area)
Sunday, June 7 | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PMGuided Backcountry Experience (Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia)
Friday, June 12 | 10:30 AM – Saturday, June 13, 2026 | 3:00 PM