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

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“Dammit, Keith. I said I’m fine so just . . . space, please.” Her exasperation exposed, she reached down and pulled off both boots. In a flash, she threw them beyond the path, watching them roll down into dry brush. Head in her hands, she sat unwilling to make eye contact or admit weakness.

Keith hadn’t seen this side of her before. He leaned on his trekking pole as he reached down to retrieve the boots. “You’ll need these. Like I said, the turnaround point is just up over that ridge.” He handed her the boots with a gentle smile, which she briefly returned. They continued the hike, finishing in silence laced with triumph.

WITH THREE WEEKS TO GO before the Bolivia trip, Chris found herself in Colorado undergoing a crash course in ice climbing from well-known mountaineer Thor Keiser, who would be the lead guide on their climb. Just a year earlier, Keiser and French climber Chantal Mauduit had been rescued by climbing greats Scott Fischer and Ed Viesturs on K2, perhaps the most treacherous of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks. Chris had begun to master the lingo and dig into the personalities in the climbing community. Her time in Colorado was an opportunity to expand these skills.