Читать книгу Edge of the Map. The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff онлайн

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A “mediocre athlete at sea level,” as she called herself, Chris’s real gift was the ability to breathe the thin air at high altitude with ease. Training in Seattle often consisted of getting out of work on a Friday afternoon, then driving a few hours south to the base of Mount Rainier with a girlfriend. The two of them strapped on helmets, busting past groups of climbers who’d spent multiple days on the ascent. Chris and her friend climbed fast and planned to be home for dinner on Saturday. Leapfrogging groups of climbers, the two women with blond ponytails sticking out of their helmets came out of nowhere.

“Where’d you come from?” climbers would ask. When Chris casually answered that they’d come from the parking lot, the looks on the others’ faces were priceless. By 5:00 a.m., they’d reach the summit, taking a moment to enjoy the view before making a brutally fast descent. Chris glided over rocks and snow effortlessly. Reaching the car, the two friends would enjoy a postclimb snack—Diet Coke and a bag of SunChips.