Founder
As an avid trekker and inveterate traveler, Marilyn McGowan, founder and CEO (Chief Exploration Officer) of Uncharted Journeys, has spent the past fifteen years leading groups on trips to spectacular destinations around the world. With the launch of Uncharted Journeys, she is now devoting herself to organizing extraordinary adventures for women, ranging from hikes across rugged canyons of the American Southwest to walking safaris in remote, wilderness areas of Africa.
Mission
It is Marilyn’s goal to share with other women the incredible sense of accomplishment and empowerment that can be gained by pushing one’s physical and psychological limits beyond what they ever thought possible. A lifelong non-athlete, Marilyn discovered the real “high” associated with stepping outside of one’s self-imposed comfort zone and accomplishing a seemingly unachievable goal when she first reached the top of Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States, in 2001. Since then, in addition to climbing all of the highest mountains in Southern California, she has summited 19,340′ Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
Vision
Along the way, having faced her own share of uncharted journeys, as we all do when life thrusts unexpected change upon us, Marilyn realized that she could apply to “real life” the lessons learned by challenging herself on the mountain. By achieving a goal that seemed unattainable, she discovered that we can all develop the strength to overcome obstacles, find the courage to live our dreams and gain the confidence to travel the twists and turns of the ever-changing path along the journey of life.
ABOUT OUR LOGO
No symbol could be more representative of Uncharted Journeys than the labyrinth. Dating back to ancient times, and used in various forms throughout the ages by diverse cultures around the world, the labyrinth has become a metaphor for the journey of life itself. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth is not a puzzle to be solved but is rather a path of meaning to be experienced. Although we encounter many twists and turns along the way, a labyrinth, like life, has no dead ends. As we follow the path, we go around short curves and long curves; sometimes we are out on the edge, sometimes we circle around the center. Sometimes we move forward with ease and confidence; sometimes we creep ahead cautiously; sometimes we find the need to stop and reflect; and sometimes we even feel the urge to retreat. And sometimes, unable to see where we are going, it may even seem that we are lost. But as long as we continue to follow the path, it is impossible for us to lose our way! Uncharted Journeys is committed to helping you learn to face life’s challenges and discover that no matter where you are on your path, you are traveling in the right direction.