Wilderness Heals

Thank you for visiting the Wilderness Heals blog. Wilderness Heals is an all-women, three-day annual pledge hike that benefits the Elizabeth Stone House (ESH), a Boston-based emergency shelter, transitional housing program, and therapeutic community that provides services to women and children who are escaping violence and overcoming trauma. By encouraging hikers to set challenging physical, emotional, and financial goals, Wilderness Heals mirrors the experiences of hundreds of women who have sought help from the Stone House. Committing to hike is a way to grow personally while simultaneously standing in solidarity with women of the Stone House and women everywhere who are working to overcome the effects of violence in their lives.
Wilderness Heals 2011 will take place July 15-17, 2011. Registration materials may be downloaded here.
Go here to view the 2011 routes, and visit our Who's Who page to meet this year's team leaders and Recruitment Committee members.
Want to learn more? Visit our list of Frequently Asked Questions.
Still have questions? Contact Erika Whyte, Wilderness Heals event coordinator, at 781-726-0551 or ewhyte@elizabethstone.org.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Wilderness Heals Veteran in Skirt!

This year, the Elizabeth Stone House partnered with Skirt! magazine to promote Wilderness Heals. Look for ads in the March, April, and May issues of the magazine, and definitely check out the story about 10-year hiking veteran Beth Grierson in the March issue.

Jumpstart Your Spring Training on a Recruitment Hike

Can't wait until May to hit the trails? Come on a Wilderness Heals recruitment hike!

Throughout the spring, members of the Wilderness Heals Recruitment Committee will be hosting recruitment hikes throughout Massachusetts. These hikes are open to everyone — participants do not need to be registered Wilderness Heals hikers.

Come if you want to jumpstart your training, meet other hikers, or learn more about the three-day event. Bring a friend, bring some snacks, and enjoy a walk in the woods! Please note that because these are not official training hikes, participants do not need to carry all of the required Wilderness Heals gear.

Wilderness Heals Recruitment HIke Schedule, 2009:

Sunday, April 5, at Middlesex Fells Reservation
Led by Beth Grierson
Skyline and Reservoir Trails (approximately 5 miles)
Meet in the Sheepfold parking lot at 8:30 a.m. Children, men, and dogs are welcome.
RSVP to bgrierson@glad.org.

Sunday, April 26, at Blue Hills Reservation
Led by Amanda Tweed
Trail to be determined
Meet at 10 a.m. in the parking lot across the street from the Reservation Headquarters, located at 695 Hillside St. in Milton, 1/4 mile north of Houghton's Pond, beside the State Police Station. Please, no children, men, or dogs.
RSVP to ajtweed@yahoo.com.

Saturday, May 2, at Mount Wachusett
Led by Jenn Guiry
Trail to be determined
Meet at 10 a.m. in the Mt. Sate Park visitor’s parking lot. Children, men, and dogs are welcome.
RSVP to jguiry2@hotmail.com.

Directions to Middlesex Fells Reservation, Sheepfold:
Take I93 to Exit 33. This puts you in a traffic circle. Take Rt 28 North/Fellsway West out of the circle. The entrance to the Sheepfold parking area will be on your left about half a mile or so from the traffic circle.

Directions to Blue Hills:
By car: Take I-93 to Exit 3. Turn right at the stop sign onto Hillside Street. Houghton's Pond is located approximately 1/4 miles on the right. Continue 1/4 miles to the Reservation Headquarters on the left.

By MBTA: Take the Red Line to Ashmont Station. From Ashmont, take the high-speed line to Mattapan. The Canton and Blue Hills Bus services the Trailside Museum and Great Blue Hill on Route 138. For the Houghton's Pond area, exit the bus at Blue Hill River Road. Cross the road and walk one mile east on Hillside Street.

Directions to Mount Wachusett:
Take Route 2 to Exit 25 (Route 140 south). Follow Route 140 south for 2 miles. Turn right onto Mile Hill Road. Follow Mile Hill Road for 1/2 mile to the split in the road. Take a left fork onto Mountain Road. Follow Mountain Road 1 and 1/4 miles to the top of the hill. The reservation entrance is on the right, and the visitor center entrance is immediately on the left.