She鈥檚 not even 30 years old, and Melissa Arnot is already one of the most recognizable names in climbing. As a guide for Rainier Mountaineering since 2004, Arnot has notched 94 ascents of that peak and summited Everest four times鈥攖he current record for a non-Sherpa woman. If all goes as planned, she鈥檒l climb Everest again this spring, without supplemental oxygen. How does she prepare for laps at 29,035 feet? Acupuncture, gold stars, and the occasional beer.
Vitals
础驳别:听29贬别颈驳丑迟:听5’3″
Weight: 120lbs
Sun Valley, Idaho
PINS AND NEEDLES: 鈥淪ix weeks before a trip, I do weekly massage and acupuncture. It prevents sprains, strains, and tendinitis.鈥�
DOWNHILL BATTLE: 鈥淒ownhill hikes are one of the most important things I do. Three days a week I hike in my crampons and climbing boots, with 50 pounds of weight in my bag, 3,000 feet up at Sun Valley. Then I hike right back down. A lot of people think it鈥檚 bad for their knees, so they ski down or take the lift. But you鈥檙e working totally different muscles.鈥�
SHUT-EYE: 鈥淪leeping at elevation is difficult, so sometimes I use Ambien. It鈥檚 one of only two sleep drugs approved for use at altitude.鈥澛�
STICKING TO IT: 鈥淚 write my training program a few weeks before I do it. If I complete everything, I give myself a gold star. If I miss one thing, I get a silver star. Two things, a green star. The worst is a red star. I鈥檝e had one red star in my life, and it still haunts me.鈥�
STAY FRESH: 鈥淚鈥檝e started to become hyperaware of how much processed food we eat on expeditions. So I avoid those foods at home. No grains or potatoes, just fresh whole foods鈥攁nd tons of fruits and vegetables.鈥�
MIND OVER MATTER: 鈥淭o switch my pain brain off, I鈥檒l count to 100, then count to 100 again. Then I鈥檒l try to remember how many times I鈥檝e counted to 100.鈥�
TREAT YO鈥橲ELF: 鈥淚鈥檓 a total beer girl. I push myself hard, but I enjoy a cold hefeweizen at the end of the day.鈥�