Guest Column: AMERICAN WOMEN ON THE SUMMIT OF MT. EVEREST: Still rare after all these years By Everest Summiter Sue Ershler

Sue Ershler on Everest

As you will find in the archives of EverestNews.com, in the past 17 years, only 15 American women have reached the summit of Mt. Everest.  I am proud to be a part of this exclusive group.

The list includes great climbers, such as the first American woman to climb Mt. Everest, Stacy Allison in 1988, followed by Peggy Luce in the same year.  Then, Catherine Gibson, a wonderful climber from Washington was next in 1990.  Ellen Miller climbed Everest in 2001 from the Northeast ridge and then accomplished the incredible feat of reaching the summit, again, from the Southeast ridge in 2002.

All of these women share great determination, focus and persistence.  Some attempted the mountain more than once before becoming successful summiteers.  This was certainly true for us.

In 2001, my husband, Phil, and I attempted a climb of Everest.  After two months on the mountain, we turned around at the balcony, 27,600 feet, just 1,400 feet from the summit. We were thrilled that Nancy Feagin, a famous climber, had reached the summit of Everest the day before we descended. 

Determined we could make the summit safely and successfully together, we returned to Everest in 2002, spent another couple of months on the mountain and completed our objective at 10:20 a.m. on May 16.

Standing at 27,600 feet was okay, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest was infinitely better.  I now understand how 14 other American women must have felt at the top.  There is no other sense of achievement that matches the feeling of reaching your dream.

There is a great deal to learn from these women, when pursuing your goals, blast through the obstacles and treat setbacks as temporary.  Keep going back whenever you get knocked down.  Never give up on your goal. Sue Ershler

"Sue Ershler is the 5th American Woman to climb the Seven Summits and the 12th American Woman to climb Mt. Everest.  The Ershlers became the first couple in history to climb the Seven Summits together."

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