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Lily Weiner really didn't want to go on a camping trip with a bunch of girls she didn't know. It was an eight-day camping trip to Wyoming's Snowy Range, suggested by her mother, of all people.

"She went there kicking and screaming," says Peggy Weiner, "and left there loving it, and had just a great experience."

The backpacking trip, organized by The Women's Wilderness Institute (TWWI), of which Peggy Weiner is now a board member, turned into a journey of bonding, reflection, and self-discovery.

"It turned out to be one of the best eight days, it was awesome," says Lily.

"Parents should definitely push their daughters to do it, because everyone on my trip didn't want to go. It was so funny going into it, because everyone was just, like, 'My stupid mom,' and then, 'Oh my God, I don't want to leave.'"

TWWI, based in Boulder, runs several programs designed to build confidence and leadership skills in girls and women. The majority, save for the new Girls on the Rise -- a program that helps eighth-grade girls make the difficult transition to high school -- are grounded in wilderness experiences. All the courses are tailored to the unique learning style of the fairer sex.

"It's really powerful when you can teach people in a style that is really a good fit with the way they learn," says Wendy Gruenberg, TWWI's marketing director.

FYI

WHAT: Gear & Cheer '08, 14er Sneak Peak.

WHEN: Thursday, April 24, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., 14er Sneak Peak 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Women's Wilderness InstituteRembrandt Yard1301 Spruce St., Boulder, 80302

HOW MUCH: $30 advance, $40 at door, $100 for 14er Sneak Peak

ON THE WEB: www.womenswilderness.org

To help fund the girls' wilderness courses, along with its Wilderness Recovery programs -- for women affected by cancer, domestic violence or sexual trauma -- and Girls on the Rise, TWWI is hosting its annual Gear & Cheer event on Thursday, April 24, at Rembrandt Yard.

Tickets are $30 in advance or $40 at the door. The event features food and beverage tastings from a variety of local purveyors, marimba music by local band Pick Up Sticks, and live and silent auctions -with $30,000 worth of donated merchandise. Items up for bid include everything from small $10 pieces to camping gear, a sea kayak adventure, and an international vacation. Purchase tickets by calling 303-938-9191 or visiting www.womenswilderness.org.

New this year is the 14er Sneak Peak, which begins at 5:30 p.m. The $100 ticket includes a martini tasting from Vodka 14 and appetizers from Whole Foods, along with a gift bag and the chance to preview auction items and take advantage of special "buy-it-now" deals. There will even be selected items made available only during the preview party.

The event is designed to be inclusive and allow people to participate at whatever level they feel comfortable with, much like the Institute's courses. Sixty percent of the girls involved in TWWI's wilderness programs attend on scholarships, using funds donated by individual and corporate donors and events like Gear & Cheer.

"Lots of people like to come to this event," Gruenberg says. "It's a really fun way to be connected to our mission and just show support, and to do it in a way that's affordable and fun at the same time. We find people come to this and they get involved volunteering in our office. It's really a great way to bring in some of the men and women up on the hill."

Katie Fier, a CU junior studying anthropology, has been volunteering with TWWI since the fall.

"I really enjoy the atmosphere there," Fier says. "Their mission really hits home with me, empowering young females, and doing that through the outdoors. And the environment in the office, the actual people who work there, is just a blast -- it's so much fun. It doesn't feel like work."

CU grad Megan Putnam volunteered while earning her environmental studies degree.

"They're just wonderful, wonderful people," says Putnam. "There's something really cool about the fact that it's women, too, and that it's focused on women and girls. It's just a really neat dynamic. They're just such a group of strong, motivated people."

Although Putnam is from Colorado and loves the outdoors, as a young girl she was unaware of TWWI's programs.

"Girl Scouts was around and I did it for a couple of years but it was so lame that I couldn't handle it. I was always jealous of the Boy Scouts, they got to go camping and actually learn useful things."

Almost 3,000 girls and women have been through TWWI's programs since its founding by Laura Tyson in 1998. Tyson, honored with a "Be Bold" award by the Women's Foundation of Colorado in 2007, started the Institute with the vision of giving females of all ages not just outdoor skills but life skills.

"We have a real strong and dedicated mission to helping strengthen the community as a whole; men, women, children, everyone, by working with girls and women in a way that makes them stronger, more self-confident, more courageous leaders and just women in general, and members of our community," Gruenberg says.

"And what we do is a lot of fun. It's an organization that has created a lot of momentum from making people feel great about themselves in this community."