Author: Caroline

Follow me on Instagram @carolinegleich

October 31st, 2019

As a ski mountaineer, I’ve rappelled from some pretty crazy places before, like off the bridge at the top of the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix (pictured here). Will rapping off the 46th floor of a building in San Francisco take the cake for the wildest rappel? We will find out tomorrow when I step off the edge of a building as a fundraiser for @outwardboundcalifornia.⁣⁣⁣⁣Want to watch? If you’re in San Fran, there is a viewing area at Cityscape Bar & Lounge on the 46th floor of the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, 333 O’Farrell St. ⁣⁣⁣⁣There is also a celebratory happy hour from 5:30-7:30PM in the heart of the beautiful Union Square on Friday, 11/1 at Urban Tavern. Come say hi to @rob.lea and me! ⁣⁣The event will also be live-streamed so those out of town can still watch! Tune in and cheer us on via the link below. ⁣⁣⁣⁣I’m stoked to be a part of this fundraiser to give more people the opportunity to experience adventure and challenge outdoors. ⁣⁣⁣⁣cityskylinechallenge.org/livePhoto: @tom_grant_

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Follow me on Instagram @carolinegleich

October 29th, 2019

We need to decolonize the way we talk about mountains, women and nature. “Conquer, bag…” those terms are all based in a colonial mentality. We don’t conquer mountains. I believe that words matter. How we conceptualize and vocalize our experiences in nature and the outdoors sets a precedent for other aspects of our life.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣On Everest/Chomolungma/Sagarmatha, I wasn’t conquering. I was surviving. Barely. ⁣⁣⁣⁣This photo taken from camp 3 at 27,000’/8230m on a low flow of oxygen shows it. To be honest, parts of the experience were deeply traumatic. I was forced to confront death in a brutal, raw and visceral way. I’m only beginning to process and unpack my emotions around it.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Nature isn’t something to exploit for our personal gain. And when I go to the mountains, I do it with the utmost respect. We never conquer, we are merely granted passage. As I’ve learned more about the intersectionality between environmentalism and gender equity, I’ve realized how deeply rooted colonial language is in our society and especially in outdoor sports. ⁣⁣⁣⁣So this winter, instead of talking about how hard I slayed a line, I’m going to talk about the passion and love I had for that line. I’m going to do my best to change how I conceptualize and discuss my relationship with mountains and nature, and I hope you’ll join me.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣I want to thank @ruemapp from @outdoorafro for pointing this out to me, teaching me how our colonialist language can make the outdoors less inclusive. Becoming more aware of our language is an important first step we can take to make the outdoors a welcoming place for everyone.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣#climbforequality #mountainsareforeveryone

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Follow me on Instagram @carolinegleich

October 28th, 2019

Believe it or not, I am afraid of heights. I think all humans are. I’ve taken steps over a long period of time to work with my fear instead of trying to overcome it. ⁣⁣⁣This week, I will have an opportunity to confront my fear of heights in a different way. I’ll be rappelling from the 46th floor of a building in the heart of San Francisco to raise money for youth leadership scholarships with @outwardboundca.⁣ ⁣⁣These scholarships target low-income traditionally excluded populations, providing two-thirds of the students with a full or partial scholarship to participate. I truly believe in the healing power of being outdoors. I’m so excited I can play a small role in supporting these efforts to change lives through challenge and discovery in wild places. ⁣⁣⁣Want to support the fundraiser? Check out the link in my bio or below to make a donation. Stay tuned – I’ll be doing my best to take you along for the adventure!⁣⁣⁣⁣https://obca.rallybound.org/CSC19/Donate⁣#cityskyline2019

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