Home Council: Girl Scouts of Western Washington (State) Council
Do you like. …Being out of doors? Exploring a forested trail and wondering what is around the next corner? Seeing cool wildlife? Stretching yourself physically sometimes? Hanging out with other teens that like the above? Getting away from stress and strife?
Then the YAYA Hiker outings are for you!
YAYA=Young Adults Yearning for Adventure
We are based out of Lynnwood, Washington…but we travel far and wide to the deserts of Eastern Washington and the wild coast of the Pacific Ocean. We offer monthly hikes to Girl Scouts in 6th-12th Grade. This is not a troop that you join; you stay registered with your troop. This is another outing to go on in addition to your troop’s activities.
Since this is a youth focused group, adults may come if space is available. Transportation and trained GSWW volunteer Girl Scout leaders are provided for each hike.
HOW TO START DAY HIKING: Take our YAYA Hiking 101 workshop, learn about hiking basics, and then you will be added to our distribution email list to hear about upcoming hikes. This class is also offered by other GSWW programs and may meet our workshop requirement. Check your schedule, then sign up for a hike, meet us for the carpool, and have fun with other outdoor minded Girl Scouts!!
Our day hikes happen year round, with backpacking trips in the warmer months
too.
Each month there may be different scouts on the hikes; come once, thrice,
or whenever. There isn’t any commitment to do all. We don’t have meetings or
dues and NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED.
Workshops: Check the ‘Workshop Tab’ for current dates. If none work then email me as classes are setup based on interest.
HOW TO START BACKPACKING WITH THE GIRL SCOUT YAYA HIKERS: Watch for backpack trips labeled “Beginner Backpack”. Prerequisites: Been on 3 YAYA Day hikes, including one with elevation gain of at least 1,000′ and have approval from YAYA Leaders based on physical readiness and stamina on those hikes, body weight/strength able to carry all of of one’s own individual gear + equal share of shared tent + group gear.
ADVANCED BACKPACKING ON A WEEK-LONG “50 MILER” TRIP: These trips are part of our outdoor skill progression and advancement program; they are for those who have met the pre-reqs. As this program is volunteer run, without support from our Girl Scout council we cannot offer it as a typical summer camp program where one shows up once just to do ‘the trip’. We announce the trips about 6-8months from the trip dates. The trips are usually mid-August, to maximize good weather, reduced snow encounters, and reduced BUGS. Prerequisites: 1) Been backpacking with the YAYA Hikers FOR ONE YEAR BEFORE ANNOUNCEMENT OF 50 MILER 2) BE APPROVED BY YAYA LEADERSHIP 3) ATTEND/HIKE ALL OF THE REQUIRED TRAINING HIKES. Individual approval is based on physical readiness, proven ability to show up prepared, and maturity to experience a week in the backcountry
How to get on the Workshop Notification Email List: Use the below contact form, this sends an email to me at gsyayahikers@gmail.com.