After reaching the summit of Mount Sidley, 4285 meters above sea level, in Antarctica, Marie-Pier Desharnais on Tuesday became the first woman in the Americas to climb the seven highest volcanoes in the world.
“My heart is overflowing at the moment, and hearing Quebec on the phone makes me feel particularly far away. But it’s going well, I feel full of gratitude today for having brought this project to fruition,” said the mountaineer in an interview from Antarctica.
According to a press release released Wednesday, the Quebecer climbed Mount Sidley in the company of a group of four people, who were split in two during the journey to ensure constant speed and avoid frostbite.
Two weeks earlier, on January 2, Marie-Pier Desharnais had succeeded in just three days in climbing Mount Vinson (4892 m), which stands on the same continent. The climb had been much more difficult, said the climber, in particular because of the height of the summit and the speed at which the group progressed.
“It was softened by the fact that I reached an Antarctic summit with only a base layer and a hoodie: it’s unheard of. I spent an hour up there taking photos, and I don’t think the people who work here have seen conditions like this in 15 years,” she said.
Marie-Pier Desharnais added that her journey had been slightly disrupted by a blood donation made a few days before Christmas.
“It was my first donation, and I thought about my stuff so badly. Once in Héma-Québec’s chair, I realized that I needed my hemoglobin to acclimatize! said the athlete with a laugh. A quick note to myself: next time I donate blood, I’ll think a little more long term. »
A project for the success of women
This trip comes to conclude her Apex Woman project, which aimed to elevate the female footprint on five of the most difficult and “technical” peaks on the planet. The mountaineer thus completed the ascent of the Ojos des Salado (6893 m), Everest (8848 m), K2 (8611 m), Vinson (4892 m) and Sidley (4285 m) mountains.
“I still found myself alone in this world of men, and I wanted other women not to be intimidated by the fact that it’s very competitive,” said Marie-Pier Desharnais. […] It’s a pretty daunting field when you’re starting out, and I wanted to inspire women to push it.”
In addition to her Apex Woman project, the native of Victoriaville also had her sights set on a world record: becoming the first woman to climb the seven highest mountain peaks and the seven highest volcanic peaks on seven continents. His last two ascents completing the volcano challenge, he now only has Denali (6190 m), in Alaska, to complete the seven highest mountains on the planet.
She will attempt to reach the peak of Denali for the second time in four years, her first attempt having not been completed due to weather conditions.
The mountaineer said she was “ready” for this next challenge, adding that she had gained a lot of experience since her last attempt. She also clarified that she would be going as a private group this time, rather than joining a commercial excursion.
“My approach for this second attempt is going to be completely different. […] With two or three mountaineer friends, we will leave pre-acclimatized, which will allow us to take advantage of the climatic windows instead of resting, ”she explained, adding that she expected to have completed the ascent in June. 2023.
At 37, Marie-Pier Desharnais already has a few mountaineering records in her pocket. Last July, she also became the first Canadian woman to summit K2, the second highest peak in the world.
After a long journey in Antarctica, the athlete intends to return to Quebec to give a few lectures on his experience in the mountains. Her meeting with Quebecer Caroline Côté – who has just broken the women’s world record for reaching the South Pole in cross-country skiing without assistance – motivated her to undertake new projects.
“She had just finished her challenge when I met her for the first time, and it made me want to collaborate with each other, to have projects that bring together women from Quebec,” said Marie-Pier Desharnais. Helping people and supporting them in reaching their own challenges is what I also want to turn to over time”.
This article was produced with the financial support of the Meta Fellowships and The Canadian Press for News.