The Secret Superhero of Women's Gear
And the women flying Alaska's planes, the queen of athleisure, and more on Elizabeth Hawley
Here’s what I’m reading this week
How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman: Wilma Rudolph won three Olympic golds and was among the first athletes to use her celebrity to fight for civil rights. [Kate Siber for Outside]
Catch a Ride to the Alaska Range With One of These Five Female Pilots: Even in the male-dominated world of aviation, female bush pilots are more ubiquitous in Alaska than you might think. [Scott Yorko for Powder (Thanks for the tip, Sierra!)]
“I Taught My Girlfriend to BASE Jump and It Scares Me”: My hunch, though, is that your girlfriend loves BASE jumping for the same reasons you do: the freedom, the rush, the way the world shrinks away and grows toward her. Your main job, as a supportive partner, is to celebrate her newfound passion just as you would one of your own.” [Blair Braverman for Outside]
The Mountain of Data: Elizabeth Hawley and an ode to fact checking [Katie Ives for Alpinist]
The Pee Funnel Is the Secret Superhero of Women's Gear: When you gotta go, you gotta go. These make it easier no matter where you are. [Anna Callaghan for Outside]
Fatimah Hussein Is America's Sports Hijab Pioneer: The Minnesota basketball coach launched Asiya, a brand with the goal of making playing sports better for hijab-wearing women everywhere. [Ruqaya Izzidien for Outside]
My Daughter Is Trapped Under Five Feet of Snow: In the remote mountains of Norway, a father claws himself out after an avalanche… then starts frantically searching for his daughter. [Bjørn Asle Nord on Narratively]
Ty Haney Is the Queen of Athleisure (Please Don't Call It That): The 29-year-old CEO of Outdoor Voices is taking on Nike, one color block at a time. [Nora Caplan-Bricker for Outside]
Last but not least: For a few laughs
“Are you my outdoor dream boy? If you are, we will name our children Scout, Atlas, and Stand-up Paddle Board. They will learn how to hike before they can walk and climb before they can stand. Sadly, they won’t have a daddy, but that’s fine because I’ll teach them to devour performance-fleece-wearing humans to sustain their mystical life forces just like mommy. Don’t worry, that last part was a joke. I am deathly serious about forest conservation, but I can still make very funny jokes. More importantly, whatever adorable outdoor activities we do as a family, I will post to Instagram in the hopes of getting a brand sponsorship.” —From McSweeney’s “I’m Your Outdoor Dream Girl and Not an Evil Wood Nymph Who Wants to Steal Your Soul” by Madeleine Trebenski
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