No Predators 🐺
- Coach Ash
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
From Wolf Peak Outdoors owner, Ash Walsh:
For roughly 18 years now, I’ve been loud and passionate about empowering females to get outdoors. I made it my personal mission to help women overcome their fear of running outside in nature or in places they have deemed scary or unsafe.
The outdoors, should be a place where every woman feels free. Free to run, hike, walk, or simply just breathe without worry. The trails are where we connect with nature, with God, challenge ourselves to try hard, or even challenge ourselves to be still… and finally find that quiet and peace our souls have been craving all day.
I have had a ridiculous amount of close encounters with predators while exploring mountains alone — ask me next time you see me about the time I had lunch with a massive rattle snake on top of Rocky Top, or why I got a giant bear paw tattoo on my right shoulder after a solo morning on LeConte. But these experiences didn’t leave me petrified of the woods. They never deterred me from getting back out there! They actually excited me and gave me confidence and empowerment to go into the mountains again.
On the other hand, I’ve had similar close encounters with human predators. I once was stalked by a man in a truck while I was running down a familiar road. I didn’t run the road again for a year. I purchased a treadmill in 2019 after I started to feel scared to run in the local park because of a similar reason. These type of encounters are not uncommon for me, nor are they for any woman, sadly.
I actually feel safer running deep in the mountains with the bears than I do running around suburbia, because there’s less humans. That’s so sad to me.
Most men do a wonderful job of being kind, friendly, and supportive of their female counterparts out enjoying the trails, but every now and then, there’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing that finds its way into the mix. I’m not okay with ANY of these “wolves” getting in the way of a woman’s safe space - outdoors, indoors, wherever.
This shirt is my way of speaking up without saying a word. I actually made it for myself, but decided I would share with others. It carries a simple message: the only predators that belong in the woods are the wild ones—wolves, bears, mountain lions, snakes, coyotes—not people.
I hope that this shirt becomes more than just a tank top. I want it to spark conversations, raise awareness, and show solidarity with women. When women see other women wearing something like this on the trails, it’s a nod of support. When men see it, it’s a reminder that we all have to work together to create safe, respectful spaces. Because the trails should be wild, not unsafe!