01. Photographer pick: Vanessa O'Brien
Vanessa O’Brien is the first woman to reach both of the highest and lowest points of the Earth. She summited Mount Everest in 2012, then dove in a submersible to the eastern pool of Challenger Deep in 2020 to earn a Guinness World Record.
Her photos and videos are taken from various expeditions across the globe, including all Seven Summits. She has even flown into space!
You can find her on Instagram at @vobonline.
One of the camp sites on the climb up Mount Vinson. Photo by Vanessa O’Brien
02. Article pick: 10 Facts About Antarctica You Never Knew
Did you know Antarctica was only discovered 200 years ago? It's the highest, driest, windiest and coldest continent in the world and the only one with no permanent human habitation. Much of it remains unknown, which makes the discoveries all the more fascinating.
Give this a quick read to learn some things you didn't know about this giant land mass of ice!
With only 2 inches of rain per year, Antarctica is actually classified as a desert. Photo by Cassie Matias | Unsplash
03. Book pick: To the Greatest Heights
This week's book is by our very own photographer pick Vanessa O'Brien! It tells a transformative story of what drives her and how she approaches challenges, both in her personal life and on the world’s highest peaks. A must-read for anyone interested in any type of adventure or exploration.
04. Video pick: Climbing Antarctica's Mt. Vinson
This is a feel-good documentary that shows the power of getting out of your comfort zone first-hand. Not only is the footage spectacular but the narrative offers a new way of thinking, especially for those not so eager to climb 16,067 feet above sea level in negative-40-degree temps.
“The common thread for the greatest struggles that each of us face is that there is some part of us within that thinks ‘there’s no way in hell I can beat this thing.’ Those very moments are our chisels. When our backs are up against the wall we’re forced to grab that chisel, and use the very thing that threatens us as a tool to carve out a better self … I tell the devil in my mind that I am leaving it behind, frozen into the ice.”
05. Quote of the Week
"I will guarantee you that the day you step outside your comfort zone by making success your goal, is the day you discover that adversity, risk, and daring will make life sweeter than you ever imagined."
— Mark Burnett