Jean Muenchrath's passion for hiking, skiing and exploring wild places began as a child in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. In 1982 she skied 223 miles along California’s John Muir Trail using skinny Nordic skis without metal edges. Her strength, courage and determination helped her survive a near fatal mountaineering accident on Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States, and a five-day epic to self-evacuate.
Her love for nature and travel has take her to South America and Asia. Jean has worked as a trekking guide in Nepal and Thailand and as a consultant in Bhutan with the World Wildlife Fund. She was a park ranger with the U.S. National Park Service for over thirty years.
Today she gives inspirational talks about pursuing one's dreams, outdoor adventures and what she’s learned from her tragedy. Through sharing her story, she hopes to give others the strength and courage to transform their own life’s challenges and the moxie to follow their dreams.
Her book, If I Live Until Morning, A True Story of Adventure, Tragedy and Transformation, was a finalist in the 2018 Best Book Awards in the Travel: Guides & Essays Category sponsored by the American Book Fest.
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Show notes
Who is Jean
Becoming an author later on in life
Working as a Park ranger for the US National Park Service
Spending her 21st birthday in a tree!
Growing up in Colorado
Being in love with the mountains from a young age
Her dreams as a young girl
Going to college and making some changes in her life
Spending time alone and living in remote places
Starting to take on her own personal challenges
The 1982 expedition
The John Muir Trail - 240km/211miles
Concerns regards the adventure
Having to delay the trip by 1 month due to avalanches
Background to the ski trip
Getting ahead of schedule by 1 week
Deciding to climb Mt. Whitney (14,505ft)
Reliving the trauma and being able to health
Dealing with an lightening strike
Changing plans due to the storm and needing to get down the mountain fast
Falling 45/50m down the mountain and having very sever injuries
Going unconscious… Breaking a lot of bones…
Not having mobile phones or GPS
“I’m going to live”
Hope and despair
Pain and not being able to pee
The recovery process
Making it to the Himalayas
Lessons learned from the challenges faced
The journey of writing the book
Wanting to go back to Mt. Whitney
Getting back into the mountains
Learning how to process your traumas
Wanting to inspire people
Social Media
Website - www.jeanmuenchrath.com
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