High-Altitude Woman: From Extreme Sports to Indigenous Cultures―Discovering the Power of the Feminine

by Jan Reynolds

One of the first female extreme athletes reflects on how her feminine strengths led to her success in a male-dominated field

• Written by Jan Reynolds, medal winner in World Cup biathlon and former world record-holder for women’s high-altitude skiing

• Recounts many of Reynolds’ adventures, including her Mount Everest expeditions

• Explains how she didn’t simply emulate the men around her but embraced her feminine strengths of compassion, mediation, cooperation, and observation

• Shares insights from her immersion in several indigenous cultures, where she identified gender traits found in all cultures

World record-breaking skier and climber Jan Reynolds has sought adventure in the Himalayas, the Southern Alps, the Sahara Desert, the Canadian Arctic, and the Amazon Basin--often as the only woman in her expedition. Tasked time and again with having to prove herself in the company of men, her tireless dedication on each high-risk excursion opened the door for many of today’s female extreme athletes.

Recounting in vivid detail many of her adventures, including multiple Mount Everest expeditions, Reynolds explains that her success on each formidable journey didn’t arise simply by emulating the men around her but by embracing her feminine strengths of compassion, mediation, cooperation, and observation. As she traveled the world, she broadened her insights into the psychologies of men and women with her immersion in several indigenous cultures, such as the ancient salt traders of Tibet, where she identified gender traits and strengths found in all cultures. Providing a guide for women entering male-dominated fields, Reynolds explains how women as well as men should nurture their feminine assets for more successful relationships at work, at play, at home, and in our global relationship with the natural world.

304 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2013

Reviews

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book overall but had some mixed feelings about it. It was not a quick read that pulled me in quickly...it took me quite a while to work through it, and I found the first chapter particularly slow and hard to get into. Jan is clearly quite an amazing woman, and I vacillated between great admiration at her gutsiness and determination, head-shaking at her risk-taking, and being a bit turned off by her rather cocky attitude (as well, certainly, as those of many of her companions). Admittedly, some of this is perhaps in part due to some of her more "masculine" moments; this reaction did cause me to think more about gender and my perceptions of it, which is partly what the book is about, so I suppose she succeeded there. I also just enjoyed the travelogue aspect, learning about different regions and cultures, as well as the subculture of mountaineering/expeditions. Interesting but not enthralling.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! Spectacular read on mountaineering, high altitude climbing, and adventure. Told in a way that manages to somehow parallel gender dynamics in the workplace, even when that workplace is Mount Everest. A must read!

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanna be like Jan when I grow up. First book where I've met the author while she was skiing, as she loves to do in this book

[Whitney Vestal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so bad! I really did. After all, it's about a Woman mountaineer! Maybe it's because of the poor writing style or the way it's put together, or maybe it's due the fact that I'm not a "girl power" type of woman, but I hated this book. I had a really time getting through it. Part of that was due to the way it was written and the writing style - I just didn't like it. It felt jumpy and like she was trying too hard. Plus the chapters were REALLY long, which makes it hard to pick up and put down. Besides the technical part of the book, the content itself was strangely put together. Each chapter was supposed to be a different expedition but they would jump back in time or jump to the history of a place without any real warning. The whole premise of the book is supposed to be "discovering the power of the feminine" but there's no "discovery," she doesn't change. In fact I'm not sure what the whole point was. Half the time she was proud of being a women and being different, half the time she liked being "one of the guys." Sometimes she had when other men would grab her boobs and then the next chapter she didn't care that her climbing buddies were looking up her shorts! She complained that men didn't respect her in the outdoors, but I think maybe it was her, as a person not as women, that they were annoyed by. Anyway, I don't want to tear this women apart - she has accomplished a lot of great feats and is way more adventurous and brave than me right now, but I really just couldn't like her or the book. The only parts I did like were the overall aspects of each adventure. I wouldn't recommend this book even if you are a "girl power" type of woman.

[Anya · Rating 5 out of 5]

After meeting Jan in Kathmandu last month, I couldn't wait to read this book and learn more about its phenomenal author. Just a few minutes after meeting Jan I realized how much knowledge she has to impart on young ones like me.
I managed to quickly read a couple of children's books that she brought also with her on her next book writing expedition. Such luck that I crossed paths with this amazing woman!

I think this book strikes a perfect balance of explaining what a tomboy feels in a world dominated by men. I grew up with similar ideas and similar pursuits (although in hockey and not in skiing) but I could really relate to what Jan describes as being one of the guys!

I found the story impossible to put down and wished there was more when I got close to the last chapter. I think her conversational style and nonchalant descriptions of sometimes life and death situations really made me feel like I was there on her expedition... I wanted to be there!
Thank you so much for writing this and for taking us along on your amazing journeys! I can't wait to read the next one!