Packing for Peace: Why We’re Trading Heavy Loads for Mental Lightness
How to fit a tent, a sleeping bag, a stove and a weekend's worth of food into one backpack. How to shave ounces. How to carry it all up a mountain and still have energy left to set up camp.
We loved it. And somewhere along the trail, we realized the heaviest things most women carry don’t fit in a backpack at all.
Where It All Started
We (Sally and Madison) met in 2020 and bonded over a shared belief: time outside isn’t just fun. It does something to you. It resets you, recharges you and reconnects you to yourself.
That conversation turned into an all-women’s backpacking company here in Montana. Our goal was simple: create a welcoming space for women to get outside, learn new skills and experience the backcountry together. Over the years, it grew into a whole range of guided trips, and we’re incredibly proud of what we built.
We watched women do hard things. Climb steep passes. Sleep under the stars for the first time. Discover they were stronger and more capable than they ever gave themselves credit for.
The Weight We Kept Noticing
Here’s what surprised us: the hardest part of a backpacking trip usually wasn’t the trail.
It was the mental load women brought with them. The work emails they couldn’t stop thinking about. The family logistics running on a loop in their heads. The guilt of taking time for themselves. The exhaustion that came from always being “on.”
And the moments that felt most transformative weren’t always the summits. They were the quiet ones. A slow morning coffee. A deep breath at an overlook. A conversation around camp that went deeper than anyone expected.
Why We Decided to Lighten the Load
After several amazing years, we knew it was time for a new chapter. Not because we stopped loving adventure, but because we wanted to create space for a different kind of journey.
Instead of asking women to carry more, we wanted to help them set some of it down.
That’s how Waypoint Travel was born. We curate mindful retreats and journeys that help you slow down, reconnect and enjoy the world around you through nature, travel, healthy food and connection with like-minded people.
A waypoint is a marker on a trail. It’s where you pause, check your bearings and decide where you’re headed next. That’s how our retreats feel.
What We Brought With Us (and What We Left Behind)
Guiding taught us a lot, and we’re bringing the best of it with us:
✔ Care and safety first. Years of looking after groups in the wilderness shaped how we plan every detail.✔ Community. Some of the best friendships start between strangers who share an experience.✔ Nature as medicine. Fresh air, big views and time outside still sit at the heart of everything we do.✔ A deep belief in women. In their strength, their curiosity and their right to rest.
And what did we leave behind? The 40-pound packs, the freeze-dried dinners and the 6 AM alarms. You’re welcome.
Our First Waypoint: Baja
We’re starting in Baja, Mexico, with Baja Soul Sanctuary: A Mindful Women’s Retreat, held at Yandara, a beachfront retreat center where the desert meets the Pacific.
It’s everything we wished our guests could have more of: daily yoga, breathwork and meditation with Melissa of Liminal Flow, three nourishing meals a day, a saltwater pool, glamping accommodations steps from the ocean, a day trip to the artsy town of Todos Santos, and plenty of time to simply be.
No trail maps. No heavy packs. Just space.
Where We’re Headed Next
Baja is only the beginning. In time, we plan to expand into South America with hut-to-hut hiking adventures and more ways to travel, connect and recharge. A little adventure, a lot of rest, and the best of both worlds.
Pack Light. Come As You Are.
If you’ve been carrying a lot lately (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t?), we’d love to help you set some of it down.
Baja Soul Sanctuary: A Mindful Women’s Retreat
March 28 – April 3, 2027
Yandara, Baja California Sur, Mexico
$3,700 USD · Small group, max 17 guests
Learn more at Waypoint Travel, or say hello at info@waypointtraveling.com.
We can’t wait to meet you on the trail, or by the pool.
With love,
Sally & Madison
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