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On Everest & the sharp-toothed continent: An interview with NYT bestselling author Alison Levine
John Hopton for redOrbit.com – @Johnfinitum
March is Women’s History Month, which pays tribute to women whose commitment to nature and the planet has been invaluable to society.
In this vein, redOrbit spoke with New York Times bestselling author Alison Levine about her adventures in the natural world: climbing the highest peaks on every continent and leading the first Everest expedition of all-female Americans. We found out about her leadership expertise alongside some the world’s most powerful people, and why having adventures is good for all of us.
Ms. Levine (Credit: Alison Levine)
Levine’s second attempt at Everest, in 2010, saw her complete the mind-blowing Adventure Grand Slam: climbing the Seven Summits (the highest peak on each continent) and skiing to both the North and the South Poles; something very few people have ever done. She described that Everest expedition as an “ass-kicker”, because “Ascending to an altitude where you are climbing in the death zone (8000+ meters) presents a very unique set of challenges physically and mentally. Your brain is not getting the amount of oxygen it needs to function at a high level.”
“It did not come easily by any means,” she added.
Credit: Alison Levine
The first attempt had been in 2002, leading an all-female team. As Oprah reported at the time, fewer than a dozen American women had ever conquered the world’s highest mountain, and never together in a group.
“The team got to within a couple hundred feet of the summit (70 meters) and had to turn back because of deteriorating weather,” Levine told us, adding an “Argh!”
“Add to that disappointment the fact that we had 450 media outlets following our expedition. No pressure! It was a tough situation. But of course the number one goal of any expedition is to come back alive, right? Mission accomplished.”
But she added: “It was a crusher for sure. It took me eight years before I was ready to go back and give that beast of a mountain another try, and the experience was the basis for my New York Times bestseller, On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Mount Everest and Other Extreme Environments
Credit: Alison Levine
Beyond self-perceived limits
As Levine explains, reaching the top of Everest is not the only thing to be achieved from outdoor pursuits, and there are plenty of reasons why we should try to partake in more of our own – even starting out small.
“There are so many benefits to getting outside and finding adventure,” she explains. “You not only get to experience the raw beauty of nature when you go off the beaten path, but you also get to learn a lot about yourself. You learn that you can push yourself far beyond your self-perceived limits. And because you have to carry all of your gear and belongings on your back (or in a sled, depending on what kind of adventure you happen to be on), you learn that you need very little to actually get by from day to day, and that can be very empowering.”
She adds that: “The best thing you get from these adventures is the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. I met two of my best friends and favorite climbing partners – Kath Staniland and Squash Falconer – on a mountain called Muztagh Ata in western China. I went there by myself, and came back as part of a team. We’ll stay in touch forever, this I know.”
The sharp-toothed continent
The most stunning scenery and the toughest challenge? “Definitely my Antarctic ski expedition to the South Pole,” said Levine. “I wrote all about this in On the Edge. Antarctica is breathtaking. It is also a continent with some very sharp teeth. The cold is unbearable, and if you have any skin exposed you’re going to get frostbite or some other cold weather injury (chilblains, etc.). We skied about 960km (600 miles) to get to the South Pole. I was by far the slowest, weakest member of the team. I am 5’4” (1.63 meters), and could not drag my 65kg sled as quickly or as efficiently as my larger, stronger teammates.”
Skiing to the South Pole. (Credit: Alison Levine)
Levine explains that: “I don’t want to ruin the book for anyone (as this chapter seems to be everyone’s favorite), but let’s just say that a couple of my teammates came up with a very creative solution that allowed me to keep up with everyone else so that we could get to the South Pole together. But were it not for my awesome team leader Eric Philips (Australia) and teammate George Zwender (Canada), I don’t think I would have made it.”
Levine benefited from the leadership of other people on that occasion, but she has contributed plenty to the field, as one of the most in-demand keynote speakers in the US; speeches in which she draws parallels between mountaineering and leadership in other areas of life. She featured on CNBC’s “The Future of Leadership” with fellow panelists General Wesley Clark, former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and spent three years on the adjunct faculty at the United States Military Academy at West Point, in the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership.
Some remarkable achievements, but it didn’t come easy.
“I did not start climbing until I was thirty-two years old,” Levine says, adding that: “I am forty-eight now, but people tell me I do not look a day over forty-seven and three quarters.” She explains that: “I started later in life because I had some health issues that required a couple of heart surgeries (all good now though). It’s never too late to start living your own adventure.”
Or, to start making women’s history, this month.
To read more on Ms. Levine’s amazing feats, check out her NYT bestseller On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Mount Everest and Other Extreme Environments
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Source: http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113350247/on-everest-the-sharp-toothed-continent-redorbit-interviews-bestselling-author-alison-levine-031115/
