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A legendary trailblazer, Arlene Blum defied the climbing establishment of the 1970s by leading the first all-female teams on successful ascents of Mount McKinley and Annapurna and by being the first American woman to attempt Mount Everest. At the same time, her groundbreaking scientific work challenged gender stereotypes in the academic community and led to important legislation banning carcinogens in children's sleepwear. With candor and humor, Breaking Trail recounts Blum's journey from an overprotected childhood in Chicago to the tops of some of the highest peaks on earth, and to a life lived on her own terms. Now with an index, additional photos, and a new afterword, this book is a moving testament to the power of taking risks and pursuing dreams.
List of contents
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
1 A Slide down Mt. Adams
2 A Man and a Mountain
3 Higher and Higher
4 “A Woman? Never!”
5 Peru Adventure
6 Berkeley in the 1960s
7 Real Women Climbers
8 The Damsels on Denali
9 To the Summit of Denali
10 Out in the Cold
11 Avalanches
12 The Endless Winter in Africa
13 The Queen of Tenacity
14 The Endless Winter in Afghanistan and Nepal
15 Peak Lenin Bares Its Fangs
16 The Maelstrom
17 Tragedy on Trisul
18 Seduced by Mt. Everest
19 Annapurna: Women in High Places
20 First Up Bhrigupanth
21 The Great Himalayan Traverse, Part I
22 The Great Himalayan Traverse, Part II
23 Coming Home
24 Across the Alps with Baby
25 Peace and Love at Last
EPILOGUE: Mountains, Molecules, and Motherhood
AFTERWORD
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INDEX
About the author
ARLENE BLUM has a doctorate in biophysical chemistry and has taught at Stanford, Wellesley College, and the University of California, Berkeley. Her bestselling book Annapurna: A Woman’s Place was named one of the one hundred best adventure books of all time by National Geographic. She lives in Berkeley, California.
Summary
A legendary trailblazer, Arlene Blum defied the climbing establishment of the 1970s by leading the first all-female teams on successful ascents of Mount McKinley and Annapurna and by being the first American woman to attempt Mount Everest. At the same time, her groundbreaking scientific work challenged gender stereotypes in the academic community and led to important legislation banning carcinogens in children’s sleepwear. With candor and humor, Breaking Trail recounts Blum’s journey from an overprotected childhood in Chicago to the tops of some of the highest peaks on earth, and to a life lived on her own terms. Now with an index, additional photos, and a new afterword, this book is a moving testament to the power of taking risks and pursuing dreams.
Additional text
PRAISE FOR BREAKING TRAIL
"Personal and disarmingly honest . . . [Blum] simply tells her nourishing and deserving story, quietly reminding us that a woman’s place is indeed on top." — THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
"A book too engrossing to put down." — THE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
