By Justin Andress
The Mountain Times
Community was the focus at Wander Free and Queer’s Queer Campout held September 13 through September 16 at Mt. Hood Village RV Resort.
On a crisp Friday in late summer, outdoor enthusiasts from around the West Coast came together for an experience like no other as Wander Free and Queer hosted their first Queer Campout.
A business owned by Mt. Hood locals Danella Demarry and Allie Schouten, Wander Free and Queer focuses on increasing visibility among the LGBTQ+ community. The company sells a variety of merchandise like stickers, t-shirts, and crocheted items, but its primary goal is the promotion of self-acceptance alongside a love for the great outdoors. This theme runs throughout the couple’s social media channels, where thousands of followers tune in to watch the women explore the rural areas of the Pacific Northwest.
Fortheir first Queer Campout, Demarry and Schouten set their sights on a location close to home. Several neighboring campsites in the Mt. Hood Village RV Resort became a home base for the group throughout the weekend. The spot was the perfect jumping-off point for trips to Wildwood Recreation Site and Trillium Lake.
Between excursions, Demarry and Schouten organized activities like Camp Bingo, an icebreaker game designed to get campers talking to one another, and seminars focused on first aid and the fundamentals of reading a map.
“The goal was to get queer people together in nature to connect in a sober environment and to participate in outdoor activities that they wouldn’t otherwise get to access, try new things, and promote visibility in the outdoor space,” said Schouten.
Added Demarry, “And specifically in the Mt. Hood Territory – we wanted to highlight some of the things we have found to be so incredible out here that are maybe a little underrated or overlooked.”
The Queer Campout was no niche celebration. It was a demonstration of the Mt. Hood community’s commitment to inclusion. Before the event, Demarry and Schouten contacted local businesses and were met with exuberant support.
Mt. Hood Territories helped cover the cost of the campsites. Explained Schouten, “Financially, we wouldn’t have been able to do this without their support.”
Coffee House 26 donated daily coffee. Northwest Kitchen donated baked goods that catered to individual campers’ dietary needs. REI donated equipment to those campers who didn’t have it. Hoodland Shuttle transported the group to Trillium Lake free of charge. Once at Trillium, Mt. Hood Outfitters provided free paddle boats and kayaks for attendees.
More opportunities to sponsor the fun could be in the near future. “We would love to partner with other Mt. Hood Territory businesses that want to be highlighted as safe and inclusive to our community.”
In total, 30 campers attended the event, paying for admission on a sliding scale from $150 to $250.
Despite a Saturday night rainstorm, moods remained high throughout the weekend. Of the unexpected weather, Demarry said, “I think the great outdoors is unpredictable. So there were some things that we couldn’t control. One of the things about the queer community, though, is that we are just incredibly adaptable, resilient, persistent, and just so caring and thoughtful. As soon as it started raining we had people jumping in with tarps and huddling together.”
As the weekend wrapped up, Schouten stated, “I think it went better than I could have dreamed or expected. “Danella did such a good job. I’ve never been prouder of her.”
For her part, Demarry summed up the weekend by describing her favorite moment. “I was behind the group of people on the paddleboard watching everybody in front of me – just watching the most beautiful group of humans do something so brave and new in the company of each other.”
This won’t be the last time Wander Free and Queer hosts campers for a trip to the mountain. The plans for another Queer Campout are already gestating, and it’s only a matter of time before the Mt. Hood community hosts another group of eager queer campers.
As Schouten put it, “I feel really fortunate about the group of people that showed up here. I really feel like I made potentially lifelong connections. Everybody was just so positive and supportive and wanted to be involved in everything. I’m just thrilled with how it went.”