I’m Proof That… Travel broadens the mind.
Name: Sandra Ferguson
Hometown: North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Age: 44
Motto: Do what fuels you. Follow your passions.
Job: Educator and coordinator for AdventureSmart—teaching adventurers to stay out of (and get out of) trouble.
5-Minute Peace: Yoga after daily runs.
Short-Term Goal: Be true to myself, give to my children, and laugh.
Adventure Highlight: Knowing that I help people “get informed and go outdoors” for safe adventures.
I’d Rather Be: Planning a trip. Anticipation is half of the adventure!
Quirky Motivators: The way the rain/snow/weather feels on my face when I’m running, skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and boating.
Favorite Destination: Moab, Utah
Must-Have Gear: Lip balm! And Merrell hiking boots, a hydration pack from The North Face, and a toque—that’s Canadian-speak for a beanie—from a friend.
There was a time when I was unaware of most travel and adventure possibilities and when I didn’t even understand my potential to achieve them. But that’s history.
Before moving from Ontario to British Columbia as a teary-eyed and naïve 21-year-old I had never lived away from home, much less explored much of Canada. Still, I rode west on the train just to work in a ski shop. After that, my next big journey was a road trip down the California coast and to New Mexico. We had a Volkswagen Westfalia camper van and very little money, but my friend and I took our time and, over the course of two months we stopped to mountain bike in Moab and to camp along the coast. Utah made an impression, and my family has made three trips for more mountain biking, camping, and hiking.
I’d never traveled alone or been overseas, so finally, at age 42, I decided I wanted to experience a day, a week, or longer with no agenda and the freedom to follow adventure. With my family’s support, I packed my bags and flew to France. My luggage missed a connection, so I explored Lyon until my bag arrived and then hitched a train ride south to enjoy views of autumn trees against the Pyrenees. A sign beside a country road in Figueres, Spain, advertised drop-in “Skyschool” (paragliding lessons). I signed up. Those flight lessons kick-started my adventures abroad, and they continued: skinny dipping in the Mediterranean, eating farm-grown lunches, and climbing a via ferrata in the French village of Llo. I’d looked forward to scrambling up Europe’s via ferratas—protected routes featuring fixed cables, bridges, and ladders that can be climbed without ropes or belays—since learning that they were originally built for troops to use during WWI.
That was two years ago and now I am back at work as the coordinator of an outdoor recreation safety program called AdventureSmart. Work allows me to travel within Canada, speaking to outdoor clubs and training volunteers for search and rescue prevention programs. I’ve ventured up north, climbed to the 11,364-foot South Summit of Mount Victoria, and hopped around in the Gulf Islands on the Pacific Coast. It’s neat to see the other side of this huge country and it turns out that Newfoundland is one of my favorite destinations—it has beautiful land and a lovely coast but, most of all, lots of warm and friendly people. This summer, I’m eager to take my kids caving on Vancouver Island and hiking near the lakes north of Whistler.
My experiences abroad and locally affect my approach to life, influence my lifestyle, and awaken my interest in challenging ventures. I’ve built memories and confidence in adventure, so I aim at inspiring my children to explore this great wide world. Some say that we only live once, but a friend recently pointed out that we only die once. Living can and should happen every day, everywhere. We just have to take advantage.
Happy trails everyone—no matter where they may lead you, Sandra
- Sandra age 15: Worked at a family greenhouse business in my Southern Ontario hometown of 124,000 people.Sandra age 21: Unsure what to study in college and needed change—moved 3,000 miles away from home.
- Sandra age 25: Realized my passion for adventure while working at Grouse Mountain ski resort.
- Sandra age 30: Got married and pregnant. Began working as a park ranger.
- Sandra age 40: Started working and traveling Canada to educate adventurers and train about search and rescue prevention.
- Sandra age 42: Took my first trip abroad—solo.
- Sandra NOW: Taking family caving, rafting, and standup paddleboard trip, and aiming to hike to an elevation of 14,000 feet this summer.
- Sandra in her 50s: Explore the Galapagos Islands, take an African Safari, go on an expedition.
- Sandra in her 60s: Maintain a healthy lifestyle and continue challenging myself.
- Sandra in her 70s: Live in a little house with a garden, but travel to new and exciting places.
I’m Proof That… Every penny counts, especially to charities.
Name: Beth Holland
Hometown: Newport, RI
5-Minute Peace: A walk to the beach with my two dogs.
Checklist: Food, water, gear, dogs, and the dogs’ gear.
Short-Term Goal: Raise money to pay for a big chunk of the food required by Big City Mountaineers for the summer.
Adventure Highlight: Summiting 14,026-foot Mt. Langley in California’s Sierras.
I’d Rather Be: Outside.
Quirky Motivators: We like to sing big-hair 80s songs while sailing.
Worst Advice I Ever Followed: Just before crashing over a bump, head-first, on skis: “Bend your knees!”
Go-to Adventure: Hikes with my beautiful dogs.
Favorite Adventure Destination: Any regatta at Malletts Bay on Lake Champlain in Vermont.
Must-Have Gear: An ugly but warm hat with the logo of sailboat-mast-maker Hall Spars on it.
I’m a hiker, skier, and sailor, who discovered the outdoors as a kid. As an adult, my goal has been to give other children the opportunity to experience the wild, too.
In 1993, I signed up for an adventure-learning program called ActionQuest, where I learned about goal setting. My instructors challenged me to articulate tangible goals contingent on personal achievement, not dependent on external factors. So I did, and I learned to push myself not only athletically, but also philanthropically.
It was 2008 when I finally set a goal to combine my athletic, outdoor, and philanthropic pursuits. Together with my husband, I embarked on a 9-month quest to raise money and climb Mt. Langley in the Sierras as a fundraiser through Big City Mountaineer’s (BCM) Summit for Someone program. I was hooked and wanted to do more.
Last summer, I accompanied a group of BCM teens on a week-long backcountry trip and helped to fundraise for it, too. This year, I’m still fundraising for BCM.
People think I’m nuts. I set goals for only 12 to 18 months out, expecting new opportunities to arise and possibly change my direction. My immediate objectives involve hiking, sailing, skiing, and working with teens. I’d love to take on some technical peaks, but for now, I’m working to get my mountaineering skills on par with my fundraising ambitions.
It’s good giving back, Beth
- Beth age 7: Caught a 5-pound bass on a cane pole with my grandfather.
- Beth age 12: Learned to sail a Sunfish.
- Beth age 16: Climbed my first peak.
- Beth age 19: Raised more than $15,000—including $2,500 in chocolate-covered frozen bananas—for Make-A-Wish Foundation in a 30-hour dance marathon.
- Beth age 22: Competed in my eighth College Sailing Women’s National Championships and fourth dance marathon.
- Beth NOW: I am on a mission to “buy a kid a burger” for Big City Mountaineers, and prepping for sailing season.
- Beth in her 40s: Find a creative career path to help kids—and myself—spend more time outside.
- Beth in her 50s: Ski bowls and trees somewhere big, like Revelstoke or Whistler, and find a way to get even more kids outside.
- Beth in her 60s: Thru-hike the Milford Track, Patagonia, and/or the Tour Mont Blanc, and become a leader within a nonprofit devoted to getting teens into the wilderness.
Photos Courtesy Sandra Ferguson and Beth Holland
Is your story proof of something unexpected or inspirational? Submit your adventure tales and photos to us at edit@staff.womensadventuremagazine.com and we might feature you in this department in an upcoming issue.
