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Rising: Becoming the First North American Woman on Everest Kindle Edition

by Sharon Wood (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 90 ratings
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2019 Banff Mountain Book Competition Category Finalist in Mountain Literature
On May 20, 1986, high on Mount Everest, Sharon Wood was ready to give up. Snow plumes swirled off the summit ridge and spilled down the North Face, engulfing her. A four-hundred-foot high rock wall, the crux of the Hornbein Couloir, loomed above—impossible. Then Wood’s partner, Dwayne Congdon, handed her the end of the rope and said, “your lead.” Hours later, at the far too late hour of 9:00 p.m., Wood became the first North American woman to reach the summit, and the first woman in the world to do so via the difficult West Ridge. Their ascent of the West Ridge by a new variation, without Sherpa assistance, is an accomplishment that has never been repeated.


In Rising, Wood reflects on the seventy days she spent on the mountain and on the pivotal experiences and influences that brought her to that staggeringly beautiful and austere corner of the world. Beyond the physical hardships, she faced personal challenges as an outlier in the male bastion of Himalayan climbing. These were compounded by the vexing presence of her past mentor and lover with his new girlfriend on the American team climbing on the same side of the mountain. It didn’t help that the media pitched the two women as rivals, both vying to become the first North American woman to reach the summit of the highest mountain in the world. Wood rose to all these challenges, finding camaraderie and inspiration among her teammates, particularly in the expedition cook, a strong woman whose perspectives were essential to the team’s remarkable esprit de corps, as well as with “the other woman,” her so-called American rival.


Rising is both a gripping, adrenalin-filled mountain story and a reflective memoir that reaches beyond the summit to explore a life lived in Everest’s long shadow: unexpected acclaim, outrageous expectations, and personal struggles. As Wood tells her story today, her perspective is steeped in six decades of life experience rich with adventure, change, growth, and humility. It is a tale that feels poignantly relevant—a testament to the strength of the human spirit to overcome all obstacles, whether mountain peaks, social expectations, or self-imposed barriers.
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  1. Print length
    245 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Mountaineers Books
  5. Publication date
    September 26, 2019
  6. File size
    12852 KB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Written lyrically about the harsh natural environment and with unflinching candor about personal growth, Rising illustrates how social connections and support systems--essentially relationships of all kinds--can have lingering effects and shape the path to success. -- BrocheAroe Fabian ― Shelf Awareness

Rising is a gripping book―Wood openly shares her experience as a woman in climbing, and has a knack for writing compelling scenes that draw the reader in. -- Sarah Boon ― Alpinist

Wood’s writing [is] both technically descriptive and personally revealing, a mix that sets it apart.... Her memoir is a spirited, perceptive account that’s been well worth the wait. -- Irene Wanner ― The Seattle Times

Wood’s Rising is a top-tier memoir. Her every sentence is precisely constructed, but with sureness and competence and never stiff or forced, just as her every foot and hand placement had to be on her solo climb of Tocllaraju in the Peruvian Andes via the steep, technical West Face. ― Rocky Mountain Outlook

More than a superb, nail-biting account of her ascent of Mount Everest, Rising is Sharon Wood's deeply personal reflection on loyalty, gratitude and the unbreakable bonds formed on the mountain. -- Bernadette McDonald, award-winning author of Art of Freedom

A simply riveting read that is a 'must' for all dedicated mountain climbing enthusiasts, ‘Rising: Becoming the First North American Woman on Everest’ is an extraordinary life story of an extraordinary woman. -- Julie Summers ― Midwest Book Review

Wood strives to answer tough questions―about risk, reward, and her motivation to climb mountains―with vulnerability and integrity.... Wood’s fiercely honest prose is finest when she’s narrating interactions between herself and her teammates on the mountain.... Wood innately understands that these intimate details provide the truest account of expedition life. -- Jayme Moye ― Outside

Riveting.... [Wood] beautifully articulates the simplicity and euphoria of mountaineering that has addicted so many adventurers to the pursuit. And she captures the mythology of Everest, whose awe-inspiring capabilities, even after its commercialization in recent years, remain undiminished still. -- Cassidy Randall ― Forbes

Rising, by climber and guide Sharon Wood, captures a major breakthrough for women in high-stakes mountaineering. Her exploration not only of the climb itself but also of relationships, her passion for the mountains, and her own uncertainties make Rising an inspiring read for anyone pursuing their own sense of place on this lumpy planet. -- Tom Hornbein, author of Everest: The West Ridge

Rising is a most welcome addition to the swaths of mountain literature about Himalayan exploration and exploits on Everest. Emotional, poetic and heartfelt, Rising proves that not only is Wood skilled when summiting peaks, her words on the page shine with integrity proving she is a force to be reckoned with as she sets a new bar for literature in conveying the truth of the mountaineering world. -- Joanna Croston, Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival Director

About the Author

Sharon Wood is an internationally certified alpine guide and was recognized with the “Mountaineer of the Year Award” in 1987 by the American Alpine Club. She is a writer, business owner, and sought-after professional speaker. Her writing has appeared in The Vancouver Magazine and in Everest: The Best Writing and Pictures from Seventy Years of Human Endeavour. Sharon lives in Canmore, Alberta, where she continues to teach and guide in the Canadian Rockies. Visit her online at SharonWood.net

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07YYK7YGF
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mountaineers Books (September 26, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 26, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 12852 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 245 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 90 ratings

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Sharon Wood

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
90 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jaime Cabesas
5.0 out of 5 stars Not just another Everest book!
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2019
Verified Purchase
Sharon Wood's new book "Rising" provides an outstanding account of the success of the 1986 Canadian Light Team, as we learn how she became the first North American woman to summit Mt. Everest. Sharon not only reached the summit of the highest mountain in the world, she and her teammate Dwayne Congdon did so from the Tibetan side of the mountain, reaching the top via the famous "Hornbein Couloir,” a seldom climbed area on Everest, known for its extreme danger and difficulty. Please note that no one has ever replicated this same route, ever!
Sharon's revelations about the physical and mental challenges she and her teammates faced are both fascinating and enlightening. The group dynamics are often complicated and fast-changing. The amount of time their team spent in the “death zone” is frightening.
However, this is not just another Everest book! Sharon’s success on Everest is only one of the many great challenges she has successfully managed throughout her life. This book clearly depicts Sharon’s time on Everest as a link to both her past and post-Everest future. It takes her from her “wild child” adolescent/young adult years to her career as a mountain guide and highly sought-after motivational speaker. Sharon’s accomplishments and fame did not come easy. She has constantly had to prove to herself and others that she is highly deserving of the opportunities that have allowed her to climb Everest, raise her sons and be the best she can be in all she does.
I highly recommend “Rising” for anyone interested in the story of an extraordinary woman who climbed Everest during a time when women were rarely seen anywhere near this mountain. Perhaps an even more compelling reason to read this book is that Sharon’s successes in her post-Everest life are just as important, if not more important, to her as being the first North American woman to stand on the summit of Everest on May 20, 1986.
4 people found this helpful
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Richard E. Hoffman
5.0 out of 5 stars More interesting than most books about climbs
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
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I (a male) have read hundreds of mountain climbing memoirs and Rising is a better story, better read than almost all the others. Not only that, I had previously read High Expectations, a digital book published in 2012 that told the story of two Canadian Everest expeditions. One half of the digital book was about the 1986 Canadian Everest expedition and was written by Sharon Wood, so I already knew the main story. What made Rising such a good, compelling read was Sharon's perspective of what it was like to be one of two women on an otherwise all male expedition that summited Everest despite terrible weather and a most difficult route. Most climbing books are by men and about men. Rising provides (but is not exclusively about) a woman's perspective: her conversations and growing bond with Jane Fearling (the other female on the expedition), her doubts about being selected to be on the first summit team ahead of several other men, her reactions to the comments and interactions with the male members of her own team as well as the other teams on the north side of Everest in 1986, her friendship with her teammates. Finally, she tells a story of personal growth before and after reaching the summit of Everest that was interesting and inspiring. In other words, it does not end with a high-five on the summit. It is a wonderful book that this experienced armchair mountaineer recommends.
3 people found this helpful
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Kristin Harnedy
5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing, candid perspective on Everest and mountaineering achievement
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2019
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This was like no other mountaineering memoir I've read...filled with humility, thoughtful introspection and depth. It was completely engrossing and fascinating to learn about her inner and team dynamics. I am so grateful the author gives us this unique opportunity to explore Everest from such a different perspective vs. the typical achievement-driven account.
2 people found this helpful
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Julia Richman
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful inspiring read
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2020
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More about gender than I imagined it would be in the best possible way. Great adventure story with emotional richness.
One person found this helpful
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Pino
5.0 out of 5 stars An Exciting and Inspiring Page-turner
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2020
I have never read a book quite like “Rising”. I have enjoyed many thrilling stories of real-life adventure , as well as memoirs focused on self-discovery and personal journeys. This book does both - it took me on a page-turning epic story of getting to the top of Everest, and on an exploration of friendship, teamwork and resilience, both during and following a momentous achievement. Sharon Wood’s “Rising” is both exciting and inspiring, a can’t put it down adventure as well as a book to savour for its insights into how we become who we are, and the critical role of friendship and relationship in getting us there.
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Kiva Lhotse
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, inspiring read
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2020
This is my first amazon review. I picked up Ms. Wood's book and could not set it down until the end. I felt I had climbed up that mountain with her, and my pulse was racing by the end. One note - don't read before bed! You won't be able to fall asleep.
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Marjorie Wood
5.0 out of 5 stars Very inspiring book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2019
This book is more than just an accounting of the ascent of Everest which in itself is fascinating. It provided me with deep insight into life and realtionships. A true spiritual journey.
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Top reviews from other countries

Prairiedog50
5.0 out of 5 stars An exceptionally well written account of an Everest expedition
Reviewed in Canada on June 29, 2022
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The book was a well written account of this expedition to reach the top of Mount Everest. It is an easy read and the keeps the reader wanting more. Nonetheless it is an account of a team of people that literally sacrifice almost everything to reach the summit. Climbing Everest is not a technical climbing challenge but a test of survival at altitudes where the human body simply cannot endure for more than a few hours. Every book I have read on Everest expeditions emphasize just surviving the experience and having no one die in the attempt. I am glad the author stopped her extreme climbing after summiting Everest, so many climbers continue until the mountain defeats them and takes their life. Even though she survived and used the trip to find ways to bring the story to others through public presentation it did damage her personal relationships with her partner and her children. They all got through it in the end but I wonder if all the hardships it caused was really worth it.
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Curt
4.0 out of 5 stars Damaged
Reviewed in Canada on February 5, 2021
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Book was damaged on arrival, nothing major, damage to hard cover and sleeve. Purely cosmetic. Still readable.
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Jane Stevens
5.0 out of 5 stars Not just another Everest book
Reviewed in Canada on November 26, 2020
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A very thoughtful and well written book that does not just focus on getting to the top of the mountain. In this case - Everest. Sharon Wood wrote this book thirty plus years after her summit climb. The reflection on this stunning achievement after such a long time pays dividends. The writer does not hold back on her personal emotions dealing with her ex boyfriend climbing in competition to put the first North American Woman on the top of Everest. Relationships with her fellow climbers are described intimately and there is no ego here. We read about the guilt she feels when chosen for the summit team and we follow her step by agonizing step to the summit. But it does not stop there. The reader gets to share in her return to "normal life" now in the spotlight and how difficult that is on her personal life.

I highly recommend this book. I lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in the 80's when names like Laurie Skreslet (the first Canadian to summit Everest) and other Everest lite team members, Barry Blanchard etc were household names for Mountain enthusiasts. I have been waiting for this book for a long time and I was not disappointed.
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M. McGregor
5.0 out of 5 stars Great stood personal conquest.
Reviewed in Canada on August 1, 2023
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Tremendously exciting read of the author’s climb to the ultimate summit.
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Kicosdad
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read
Reviewed in Canada on May 12, 2023
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Great read.
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