{"id":879,"date":"2023-10-08T20:44:30","date_gmt":"2023-10-08T20:44:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/?p=879"},"modified":"2023-10-09T11:17:01","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T11:17:01","slug":"arlene-blum-breaking-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/arlene-blum-breaking-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"Arlene Blum: Breaking Trail\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From Molecules to Mountains – A Trailblazing Journey of Self-Discovery and Resilience<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

It’s the gripping memoir of Dr. Arlene Blum, where every chapter is like a page-turning adventure. She’s the kind of pioneer who blazed trails for future generations, and her journey embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery. This woman is an absolute force of nature.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Rocky Start<\/strong>
Arlene grew up in an orthodox and dysfunctional Jewish family in Chicago. She had a pretty restricted upbringing. A casual comment from her Aunt Shirley “That child will amount to no good” – made a lasting impression for the rest of her life.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Lab to Mountain: A Chemistry Romance<\/strong>
It all began in a chemistry lab, where Dr. Blum’s professor, Jane Shells, sparked her passion for science. Little did she know that her love for chemistry would eventually collide with her fascination for mountains. One fateful day, a charming lab partner asked her to climb Mount Hood. With a twinkle in her eye, she said yes, unknowingly embarking on a journey of a lifetime. Thus, her dual love affair with molecules and mountains began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Dr. Jane Shell <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Mt Hood – First summit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Climbing UC Berkeley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Breaking Stereotypes & Conquering Gender Barriers
<\/strong>A big chunk of Arlene’s story revolves around her battles with gender-based challenges in the world of mountaineering. In an era, where women were seen as the “dutiful seconds” on expeditions, relegated to chores, considered emotionally fragile, and viewed as a “liability” in mountaineering. Their role was typically limited to base camp duties like cooking and cleaning. And no women-led expedition was ever given a grant.

She faced old-fashioned sexism head-on. She was denied entry into the Harvard Mountaineering Club and overlooked for expeditions. Even though she has proven her mettle in climbing hard peaks, her grant for her own expedition was rejected when she signed up as the leader. Her boyfriend at the time, who was tagging along in Arlene\u2019s expedition, made the change to move her position from a leader to someone doing the chores. Arlene suffered rejection both from individuals and the climbing establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Collecting and analyzing volcanic gases. A change in the gas composition can signal an imminent eruption. This was her expedition where her name was moved to a chor- doer.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She led an all-female expedition to Denali, the highest peak in North America. Thereby, shattering the stereotypes, reaching Denali’s summit, and making history. Arlene’s journey was a battle against not just mountains but also societal norms and the climbing establishment.\u00a0
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Embracing Vulnerability<\/strong>
While Arlene was undoubtedly a fearless mountaineer, her autobiography reveals moments of self-doubt and vulnerability. Her candidness humanizes her and makes her journey even more relatable. Her willingness to embrace vulnerability teaches us that strength comes from acknowledging our fears and insecurities. True bravery lies in confronting our vulnerabilities head-on.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Career in Science<\/strong>
Arlene Blum wasn’t just a mountaineer; she was also a brilliant scientist. Her work in biophysical chemistry led to the banning of carcinogens in children’s sleepwear. Talk about a superhero in a lab coat!
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everest and Advocacy: The Dual Adventure<\/strong>
When an invitation to climb Mount Everest arrived, Arlene faced a monumental choice: should she follow her climbing dream or continue her environmental advocacy work?
Remarkably, she chose both. Perched on the slopes of Everest, she meticulously documented data about flame retardants while battling extreme altitude. Her determination and dedication to both climbing and science are awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Everest team, 1976<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
On a rest day, She hiked 18,000 foot Kala Patar <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
24,500 feet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Annapurna: Triumph and Tragedy<\/strong>
Her climbing journey took her to Annapurna, one of the world’s highest peaks. While they achieved a historic ascent, the expedition was marred by tragedy when two members lost their lives. This expedition epitomized the risk and reward inherent in high-altitude climbing. It’s a stark reminder of the unforgiving nature of high-altitude mountaineering.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Sherpa women<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Climbing the undulating rib-crest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The Adidas tennis shoe product shot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
4 best ice climbers leading<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Rescue Attempts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Etching Their names in the rock, towards the summit they had hoped to reach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Bad News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
It was hard to believe that Vera K, Mingma, Chewang, and Irene, had so recently stood on the remote icy summit of Annapurna, and harder yet to comprehend their great loss.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"
On Annapurna, She learned that life is fleeting and that it is important to live our lives in the best possible manner, cherishing those we love.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

As I reached the final pages of “Breaking Trail,” I couldn’t help but reflect on the incredible journey Arlene Blum undertook\u2014both in the mountains and within herself. Her autobiography is a testament to the limitless possibilities that open up when we dare to challenge the status quo and embrace our true passions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From conquering mountains to battling for chemical safety, she has made a profound impact on our world. Her intelligence, determination, and sheer willpower are nothing short of inspiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a copy of “Breaking Trail” and embark on your own adventure through Arlene’s incredible life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Molecules to Mountains – A Trailblazing Journey of Self-Discovery and Resilience It’s the gripping memoir of Dr. Arlene Blum, where every chapter is like a page-turning adventure. She’s the kind of pioneer who blazed trails for future generations, and her journey embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery. This woman is an absolute force […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[44],"class_list":{"0":"post-879","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-book","7":"tag-book","8":"entry","9":"has-post-thumbnail"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"vasudha","author_link":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/author\/vasudha\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=879"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":903,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions\/903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}