Men throughout history have gone off on fishing trips and hunting expeditions. Now more and more women are signing up for women-only variations. " We’re finding new listings daily," says Angie Nielsen of Ferrari Publishing in Phoenix, Ariz., which has published a guidebook, “Places for Women,” for the past 13 years. The current edition lists more than 400 women-only tours, cruises and outdoor adventures, from mountain climbing in Nepal to sea kayaking in Costa Rica. Some programs are specifically geared for lesbians or feminists; others are designed to help any woman master traditionally male sports skills. “When they try to get their husbands to teach them, the men lose patience,” says Lynn Lewis, co-owner of Getaway Vacations, which runs women-only sailing, golf and tennis holidays. “If they go sailing, the men want to take charge, and the women serve up the drinks.”
Some women-only retreats focus more on introspection than exertion. “The women who come to CenterPoint are all trying to make a difference in their lives, and they’re feeling fragmented,” says owner Jackie Farley, who opens her plush lodge in Aspen, Colo., to small groups of women each summer. The four-day, $700 retreats combine gentle hikes in the breathtaking Rockies with relaxation, group discussions and gourmet meals. Farley issues the women magnifying glasses to examine variations in nature and encourages them to find similar focal points in their own lives. “It was a holistic experience–from the awareness of nature to the respect we developed for each other,” says Jan Cook Reicher, a marketing executive from Hoboken, N.J., who joined a session in June. “I haven’t been this relaxed in a long time.”
At Prairie Women, meanwhile, the emphasis is on proving that feeling at “Home on the Range” doesn’t have to mean the stovetop. Participants get an ego boost from the rugged physical work–and that’s the rationale for keeping men away. “Men have a tendency to step in and say, ‘Here, I can do it’,” says Linda Starkey, a day laborer at the ranch. Many of the women are married with children–and some took photos of each other wielding knives and branding irons to show their envious, or skeptical, families back home. A few joked about bringing home souvenirs of their work. “If you clean these out, they make great coin purses, or coasters for your antique furniture,” said Martha Jenkins, a Leavenworth, Kans., attorney.
It isn’t all grunt work at Prairie Women. Depending on the time of year, the chores can involve simply, mending fences and putting out feed. There is no pressure to perform. Some of the women enjoyed just driving the tractor. “If I had a bigger yard, I’d buy one,” says Terri Leddy, a Boston nurse. Leisure activities include pedaling mountain bikes, riding horses or lounging in the 24-hour hot tub. A politically correct kind of place, the ranch has recycling bins on the back porch and books on women’s issues in the library. The no-frills breakfast-only package costs just $25 per night for small groups; the “deluxe” weekend for $225 includes three hearty meals a day.
As they lingered over high-cholesterol dinners discussing everything from Clarence Thomas to Princess Di, the women reveled in their camaraderie and newfound skills. All agreed it was a welcome change from other women’s gatherings like bridal and baby showers. “If I have to go to another of those, I’m going to puke,” said one. A few even booked a return trip in November–just in time for the gentler season of calf-weaning.
