OUTDOOR GROUPS -- While researching my recent story on the All Out effort to help people connect with outdoor activities, I came across some enthusiastic SheJumps advocates wearing outdoor clothing -- and tutus.

"It helps us stand out in the crowd," said Kayla Jo Haas who was promoting the fun and fitness-loving group during the All Out gathering at Kendall Yards last week.

Here's the scoop on this group focused on getting girls and women outdoors, if you didn't catch on a couple of years ago when Gonzaga University hosted the film, "Pretty Faces: The Story of a Skier Girl:"

While both genders are important components in most of the area’s outdoor clubs, several groups are geared specifically to linking women and girls to outdoor activities.

For example, Spokane Women on the Fly (spokanewomenonthefly.com) focuses on the sport of fly fishing with instruction in casting and fly tying as well as outings.

Newer on the scene is the local chapter of SheJumps.org, which strives to connect women with a wide range of outdoor pursuits.

“Our roots are in skiing, since SheJumps was founded by four professional skiers 10 years ago,” said Anna Twohig, ambassador for Eastern Washington North Idaho. “But we’ve branched out to all sorts of outdoor sports, including fishing, camping, climbing…

“SheJumps seeks to help the woman who may want to be more active in a sport but doesn’t know the basics or maybe she just doesn’t know where to go or needs somebody to go with, like a climbing buddy or mountain biking group.”

About 400 women currently are in tje SheJump Eastern Washington Facebook group, where they tend to do most of their connecting, Twohig said. “We run the gamut from novices to experienced outdoors women,” she said.

The most advanced activity the group has undertaken was an eight-day ski mountaineering course conducted by certified instructors at a backcountry lodge near Revelstoke, British Columbia.

One of the most popular and inclusive outings is the Get the Girls Out day at Schweitzer Mountain Resort, set this year for Feb. 26.

“We arrange for discounted lift tickets and some activities and we get a wide range of participants, including girls,” Twohig said. “It’s oriented to alpine skiing, but we also will have a guided snowshoe trek for those who don’t want to ski. Snowshoe rentals will be included in the discounted lift ticket.”

Having group power enables the SheJumps to book the services of professionals, such as the just-completed Level 1 avalanche course organized by Sandpoint-based Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education.

“The mission is to increase the participation of women and girls in outdoors sports, but we are not exclusive,” Twohig said.

“We also have HeJumpers, like one dad who brings his daughter. He’s stepped up to lead a winter skills seminar for cross-country skiers in March.”