Mountain Matters: Wandering the Community with Wander Free and Queer

When it comes to community involvement and dedication to giving back, the ladies of Wander Free and Queer have set the bar high. Not only do they design, create, and inspire with their LGBTQ+ merchandise through their business, they’re taking their voice and compassion to the community with events to help encourage and educate their fellow neighbors on what it means to be proud of who you are.

Mt. Hood Village residents since 2020, Danella Demary and Allie Schouten began their journey with Wander Free and Queer in 2018. Living and traveling full time in their RV, Demary and Schouten began documenting their adventures. “Our journey began from the dashboard of our RV, traversing a wilderness that - while breathtaking - often felt silent in the lack of stories of people like us,” Demary said. “We believe that visibility is a form of advocacy. Through intentional content creation, cultivating community-driven events, and creating handcrafted goods, we work to bridge the gap between the LGBTQ+ community and the outdoors,” Demary added.

In the midst of expanding and growing their footprint within the queer community, Demary and Schouten knew their roles needed to be bigger, brighter, and more importantly louder in the Mt. Hood Villages community. With a queer community that sometimes gets overshadowed by others and with the need to give those individuals a voice, Wander Free and Queer decided to connect the dots between exploration and identity. “Our work is both a reminder that you belong and an invitation to reclaim space in the wild,” Demary said. "Everything we do is grounded in a simple but powerful mission: visibility, representation, and inclusion,” Demary added.

A prominent business within The Mt. Hood Villages, Wander Free and Queer have taken their love for crochet and expanded it into a reputable and successful business across fifteen states. “Crochet has been a part of our lives since we met in 2016. We always knew we needed it to be a part of whatever Wander Free and Queer developed into,” Demary said. “We started with a single table set up at our (then) local Portland, Maine Farmers Market. “While traveling full time, we attend local pride events as vendors. We create and sell a line of crafted merchandise and crochet accessories that reflect and celebrate diverse identities,” Demary said. 

Although their business and their merchandise have become a community favorite at events, art shows, and farmers markets, Wander Free and Queer have taken their business model and transformed it into community awareness and involvement. With first hand experience on how LGBTQ+ individuals can feel a disconnect in rural communities, Wander Free and Queer has decided to not just elevate the exposure, but have become determined to educate The Mt. Hood Villages on the great importance of representation and pride. “A core part of our mission is creating dedicated, safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, ensuring they grow up with the mentorship and the community support they need to explore nature with confidence,” Demary said. “We also felt it was vital to bring intentional queer visibility to rural areas, demonstrating that our community belongs and thrives just as vibrantly in mountain towns as it does in city centers,” Demary added.

Wander Free and Queer’s events include activities for all sorts of interested individuals and families. From hosting coffee and crafts events, accessible hikes, pop-up art markets, paddling local lakes, and campouts, there is an event for all LGBTQ+ community members to explore. “Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we're especially proud of the in-person events we are hosting,” Demary said. 

“We have found that fostering deep connections for our community will always be a priority for us,” Demary added. While Demary and Schouten’s events are all memorable in their unique ways, the queer campouts they host will always be their favorite event. “One of our most memorable projects was organizing our first-ever queer campout weekend near Mt. Hood National Forest in September 2024,” Demary said. “Partnerships with Mt. Hood Territory, Mt. Hood Outfitters, and Coffee House 26 made this first of its kind event fantastic. We will be hosting another Queer Campout Weekend this May,” Demary added.

Visibility and community will always be the forefront for Wander Free and Queer. Although they strive to continue to grow their crochet business, they are well aware the business is only as successful as that of their community. “Community outreach isn't just a checkbox or a marketing strategy — it is the very reason we exist,” Demary said. “By bringing our events to rural areas and mountain towns near Mt. Hood, we are sending a clear message: the outdoors belongs to everyone,” Demary added. For more information on upcoming Wander Free and Queer events visit their website www.wanderfreeandqueer.com.