Publisher's Synopsis
"This unknown world of Denali is a lioness; she is beautiful, ferocious, serene, and unforgiving," according to Park Ranger Roger Robinson. Mount McKinley is the highest peak on the North American Continent, rising 20,320 feet above sea level. The Athabascan people named the mountain Denali, which means THE GREAT ONE. This is the first effort to capture the stories of women climbing Denali who take calculated risks the same as their male counterparts. It's physically demanding, can be mentally exhausting, even life-threatening, yet these women grab hold of every ounce of inner strength they have to achieve their goals. Four-time Olympian Nina Kemppel said, "You have to believe in yourself, whether it's at the Olympics before a crowd of 100,000 people, or alone on Mt. McKinley." Reaching the summit of Alaska's highest peak made a lasting impression on each woman in this book, beginning in 1947 with Barbara Washburn. Some of the others include an airline pilot; a twelve-year-old girl; a pulmonary physician; a four-time winner of the Alaska Iditarod; two women who climbed solo; and an opera singer who helped guide others safely up and down the mountain. Oregonian Stacy Allison climbed Denali, then made history when she summited 29,035-foot Mt. Everest, becoming the first American woman to achieve this feat. And Alaskan Dolly Lefever achieved her goal to reach the highest peaks on all seven continents. We're able to appreciate the accomplishments of these women from afar. We don't have to risk our lives on the icy-windswept slopes of Denali to be inspired and empowered by these women.
