Women On Top Of the World:
THE BOOK PROJECT

My goal in writing WOMEN ON TOP OF THE WORLD is to document the history of women's climbing to the summit on Mt. Everest. Out of the hundreds of books on the market about Mt. Everest, there is not one dedicated solely the efforts of women. Through the book, I would like to honor these women and their achievement.

To date, only 82 women have reached the summit of Mt. Everest. I was the the 64th. For my first ascent, I climbed via the Northeast ridge (Tibet) to the summit in May 2001. For some, achieving that goal is the end of their climbing interest of Everest. For me, it was the beginning. I am fascinated with Mt. Everest and the accounts of other women who have climbed it.Through research, I learned that most women climbed Everest via the Southeast ridge route. In March of 2002, I went to the South side of Everest to climb and research the popular Nepal side route. I reached the summit again, becoming the first American woman, and the 4th woman in the world to climb Mt.
Everest from both sides. In 2003 I returned to Nepal to the South side Basecamp to observe the climbing season and to learn more about the Everest region and it's special inhabitants, the Sherpa people.

The women that have climbed Everest represent a variety of cultures from around the world. From Japan's Junko Tabei's first ascent by a woman in 1975 and Wanda Rutkiewicz's quest to climb all of the world's 8000 meter peaks, women have made history of their own on Mt. Everest. The book will offer the factual history and truthful accounts of and from the female alpinists. In some cases these women defied both culture and opposition form society in order to pursue their dream.

The chapters of the book will include history, notable ascents, statistics and personal accounts from the climbers. I intend to interview as many of these women as I can, when it is possible. Miss Elizabeth Hawley, the Mt.
Everest historian/statistician in Kathmandu is an important source for statistic and facts of the expeditions.

The stories of women on Mt. Everest are as varied as the women themselves. I hope that the dramatic and interesting stories of these courageous and persevering women will capture the interest of both mountaineers and the general public. There is triumph: 1995 Alison Hargreaves unsupported ascent without supplemental oxygen. There is mystery and tragedy: 1998, why did climbers on the Northeast ridge choose to pass by Francis Arsentiev as she struggled to stay alive? There is controversy: in 1988, Lydia Bradey's ascent without supplemental oxygen-did she really reach the summit? There is
eccentricity: in 2001, I witnessed Claire Berniere Roche fly from Everest's summit in a tandem paraglider with her husband. There is technical
recognition: Sharon Wood's ascent via the West Ridge...and there are the famous Everest characters: Lapka Sherpa became the first woman to reach the summit 3 times..."I want to summit the mountain ten times before I'm married."

I am passionate not only about Mt. Everest, but also about the bold women who have chosen to climb it. These women with whom I have been in contact have convinced me that they are extraordinary people with fascinating stories to tell. Because of my ascents by both sides of Everest, I feel that I am well-qualified to understand, research, and present their accounts in a book that is long overdue.