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- Mar 10, 2022
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Women’s history month
Johann Garton shares some thoughts on one of America’s greatest female alpinist — Christine Boskoff
As the author of Edge of the Map, I’m often asked what Christine would have wanted her legacy to be. While she surely would’ve been proud of her accomplishments in the mountains, I believe her greater wish would have been for people to remember her desire to live an authentic life.
Like all of us, Chris was filled with both moments of triumph and insecurity. As a woman in the sport of mountaineering in the late 1990’s, all of those moments fell under scrutiny. Despite this, she remained steadfast in her drive to pack each day with things that made her happy, if somewhat unconventional at the time. An old Land Rover filled with climbing equipment instead of toddler car seats. An undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering. A wedding cake made of bagels. A shift from Christianity to Buddhism as a form of spiritual practice.
“It’s important that we all find something in life that we’re passionate about, no matter what it is,” she once said. “Even if it’s selling pencils on a street corner.”
![Chris elbrus shot](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=1f86206a2b7d260e26379247a7370cd2 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=fbcefd5e1141c2d19c95d900bd0abb95 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=789ab9be7e916c11768de33b314968f8 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=63e680c6e959d5bfa227125b6fd9033c 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=38a0adc6d7db4c89e97da1499e453b80 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=c486f26e9045ce998a57d9009d3f6b4c 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=c93d3171efe1c6322ee089e0d57b34e6 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=b5175a9e59a6ad193e80825acab51e4b 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=d596f019afb5d8a26e98cda06e2cc5b6 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=fb4a2a49ffc7502031ddd9787c61de55 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chris-elbrus-shot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=c64bd2cf756ccf10bfba5fb3d55e8553 200w 167h)
![Chrisb everest summit](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=eaa73f64c5ac67a168f88fe3cc12c84d 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=cf3f005afd34481cb51b0c917b0c67f3 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=1678f0fe564ae5823d9fc3785784f5c4 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=382c5f683e34f814f5f7588bd59f92a0 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=b8893e74100894c892d407d0913d5ae0 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=5ed593c43df9c9a85437e29b51b5f201 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=b0590b50b2a154a5d4e8cae1dbf0296e 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=761f95056c09c8193dc0f30aa72e1236 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=c7fb1c0cff64fc679e4455cc8df0c3e3 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=6e8823a034f681c1f48f29b2105add40 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/chrisb-everest-summit_2022-03-10-212921_gckz.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=84cf826291ce14c895f7d19c164b43f1 200w 167h)
![ANTARTICAVINSON 2004 037](https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1833&q=80&w=2200&s=10f6b8cbdf1e458544262f97d4f152a9 2200w 1833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1667&q=80&w=2000&s=a8051d186898613001d137068dddbf96 2000w 1667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1500&q=80&w=1800&s=5ccdffa47cdc18b9a79712d119e33b83 1800w 1500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1333&q=80&w=1600&s=4e3513e48c352f2b879659c7d96bc184 1600w 1333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1167&q=80&w=1400&s=b6fa5fbf80d1afa1d7c97162f00ce3ba 1400w 1167h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1000&q=80&w=1200&s=382f79d2e773e041eb4d018e4b6021ad 1200w 1000h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=833&q=80&w=1000&s=1760f563c2f98797a5cde60bd55f52a6 1000w 833h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=667&q=80&w=800&s=aa7fd7a255a1ded759fff9b3f422feb7 800w 667h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=500&q=80&w=600&s=2b21e80b0d8086cdd2e5bf07152d8d37 600w 500h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=333&q=80&w=400&s=b0db8c6f8678972cffa7dafcaec05d87 400w 333h, https://mountain-madness.imgix.net/general-images/ANTARTICAVINSON-2004-037.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=167&q=80&w=200&s=43aa1e8339ecc57bec182dfbd628b57c 200w 167h)
The lesson she left us to pursue authenticity is simple, but its implementation can be difficult. We force ourselves to go for a run when we’d rather take a dance class. We accept that third beer with friends on a Friday night when we’d rather be at home watching a movie. We muddle through family holiday drama while dreaming about creating new traditions of our own some year in the future. Whether big or small, I continue to think back to how Chris lived as I find my own true self in this wild world.
My favorite photo of Chris is one that shows her as I think she’d want to be seen. Without climbing gear or ropes, nor the label of “first woman” this or that, as so often accompanied her introductions. Instead, she’s in a playful moment, full of the light and laughter that I know she’d hope we all strive for each day in our own ways. Read more about Chris HERE