Breaking Trail (2005) is the memoir of Arlene Blum, an American mountaineer and environmental scientist who overcame family doubts and institutional sexism to become a pioneering female climber. Blum narrates her journey from a challenging childhood through her rise as a trailblazer in the male-dominated worlds of mountaineering and science. She led the first all-women American expedition to summit Annapurna (I) and became the first American woman to attempt Everest. Alongside her climbing feats, Blum’s memoir explores her scientific career, motherhood, and long trekking adventures in the Himalayas and Alps. Throughout, she confronts the risks and losses of climbing while inspiring readers with her determination to break barriers and redefine women’s roles in extreme environments.
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