A Piece About The First Woman With Paraplegia To Summit Mount Baker -- READ

Credit: Lhb1239 [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
I have said before that I believe this to be the golden age of adaptive sports. The technology that has come about to allow those with disabilities to participate in more and more sports can be called impressive and does a wonderful thing. However, having technology means nothing if there aren't the people out there with the will to use it.

That brings us to an article that I found from the Lyden Tribune. The piece features the story of Anna Soens, a woman who climbed to the summit of Mount Baker on May 12, 2019. This is a feat that would be a challenge for anyone, but Soens had the added challenge of having no feeling below the waist. This made her the first the woman with paraplegia to make it to the summit, with the bonus of the first person to use a sit-ski to descend.

The article goes into detail of the story of a severe back injury that left Soens with no feeling below the waist and continues on to the work she has done to be able to make climbing/skiing trips up these very large and difficult mountains, which also included Mount Hood the year before.

It's a great story about a person with the will and ability to do something that not many people get to do. It is not everyday one can do something for their own reasons, something that has been made more difficult due to their situation, and then enter the record books as a bonus. Read and enjoy this story from the link below.

Reaching new heights: Woman with paraplegia is first ever to summit Mount Baker

WHATCOM - Anna Soens gazes west from the tiptop of Mount Baker and takes in the dazzling view of the San Juan Islands on May 12, 2019. She spent three grueling days trudging 8,000 feet up the stratovolcano - not with typical climbing equipment, but using a monoski and custom-made mountain-climbing crutches.

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