SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT!
Come climb a Himalayan 6.000m peak with AWExpeditions…for free. Read on below for details.

When I talk about breaking barriers, it’s often about speed:  about becoming the fastest woman to complete a high altitude mission, or about doing something that no other woman has done before.  But this is different. 

Today, I want to talk about breaking economic barriers.  I want to talk about economic barriers because I know that a number of the things that I do, and the experiences that I hope to share with others, are an expression of privilege and of economic opportunity: only a subset of people have the luxury of being able to afford big adventures, and to pursue the boost of confidence and inspiration they provide.

I know first-hand how empowering a life of outdoor adventure feels, and I love sharing that life with others.  I bring my family along, introduce my friends to my favorite far off-grid places - and now, as the founder of AWExpeditions (AWE), I regularly lead teams of women into the same big mountains that have been so formative for me.  

But expedition climbing isn’t cheap: between mountaineering gear, airfare and on the ground logistics, big mountain expeditions tend to run in the thousands of dollars. That’s why I am incredibly excited to be able to announce the AWE x Nite Ize Summit Scholarship, a $5000 grant that will enable a hand-picked woman to participate in this October’s AWE Nepal Expedition at minimal cost. 

The intent behind the Summit Scholarship is this: to enable a woman who might not otherwise have the means or the opportunity to do so, to participate in a big mountain expedition to Nepal.  The scholarship, which is powered by Nite Ize and supported by Lowa Boots, covers the full expedition fee, a stipend towards international airfare, and top-of-the-line mountaineering footwear.  The AWE Nepal expedition has Everest Base Camp and 20,305 Island Peak as its objectives, and is suitable for a first-time mountaineer as long as she possesses a high level of cardio fitness and a healthy appetite for long hard days in the mountains.  

Find out more and apply for the scholarship here: the 2019 AWE x Nite Ize Summit Scholarship.

I know that there are plenty more pressing causes in the world than advancing gender equality through adventure sports.  Providing a platform for more women to experience big mountain adventures is not solving poverty or world hunger - but it is my way to share my passion for both gender equality and the mountains with the world, and I’m excited to be able to share this new scholarship with all of you!