Marie-Pier Desharnais, the accomplished Quebec mountaineer as well as proud Chlorophylle ambassador, is gearing up for her next major challenge: climbing Alaska's Mount Denali. By reaching this iconic peak, which rises to 6190 meters, she hopes to set a world record for women. The challenge is part of her ambitious project to reach the highest peak and volcano on each of the seven continents.
Meticulous preparation
Although Denali is not considered one of the world's highest mountains, it is renowned for its extreme conditions and technical difficulty. That's why few women have managed to reach its summit. Marie-Pier is determined to take up this challenge and write her name in the history of women's mountaineering.
To prepare for this expedition, she has adopted a structured approach. After her first attempt at Denali, which was interrupted due to unfavorable weather conditions, she decided to travel to the Everest base camp in Nepal. There, she spent a few weeks in the heart of the mountains, acclimatizing to the high altitude. She was looking to build up her red blood cells in preparation for her ascent of Denali. Extra red blood cells enable climbers to better adapt to altitude by carrying more oxygen to muscles and tissues. This strategy will allow her to take advantage of Denali's favorable climatic windows and make faster progress towards the summit, without any additional acclimatization rotations.
If all goes according to plan, Marie-Pier Desharnais and her two mountaineering friends should reach the summit of Denali on June 13, 2023. This would be a remarkable achievement and yet another addition to Marie-Pier's impressive list of accomplishments.
Several high peaks to her credit
Mountaineer Marie-Pier Desharnais already has a record under her belt. Last January, she became the first woman in the Americas to reach the summit of the highest volcano on each of the seven continents during her expedition to Antarctica on Mount Sidley (4285 meters) and Mount Vinson (4892 meters). A few months earlier, she was also the first Canadian woman to hoist the Canadian flag on the world's second-highest mountain, K2 (8611 meters) in Pakistan. In 2021, she had already reached the roof of the world by conquering Everest (8848 meters).
Marie-Pier Desharnais' challenge, to climb 7 summits and 7 volcanic peaks, differs from the "14 Peaks" challenge popularized recently by the famous Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja. The 14 Peaks correspond to the ascent of the 14 highest mountains in the world, all located in Nepal, China and Pakistan. Marie-Pier's version of the challenge called the Messner version of the 7/7 combo, is different from the Bass version, which includes Mount Kosciusko in Australia instead of Carstensz in Indonesia. By successfully completing the challenge, Marie-Pier will become the first woman in the world to complete the Messner version.
List of summits climbed
- Aconcagua (Argentina, South America) : 6,961 meters
- Cartstensz (Indonesia, Oceania) : 4,884 meters
- Everest (Nepal, Asia) : 8,848 meters
- Elbrus (Russia, Europe) : 5,642 meters
- Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, Africa) : 5,895 meters
- Vinson (Antarctica) : 4,892 meters
- Denali (Alaska, North America) : 6.190 meters * To be completed
- Ojos del Salado (Chile, South America): 6,893 meters
- Giluwe (Papua New Guinea, Oceania): 4,368 meters
- Damavand (Iran, Asia): 5,610 meters
- Elbrus (Russia, Europe): 5,642 meters
- Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, Africa): 5,895 meters
- Sidley (Antarctica): 4,285 meters
- Pico de Orizaba (Mexico, North America): 5,636 meters
An inspiring woman
Marie-Pier Desharnais, at 37, is a high-altitude adventurer and mountaineer who pushes the limits of exploration. Her journey, marked by the 2004 tsunami in Thailand, taught her to face adversity and develop resilience. Today, she inspires people, especially women, to push their limits and realize their wildest dreams. Marie-Pier Desharnais' APEX Woman Project embodies the determination and adventurous spirit that have made her an icon of women's mountaineering. Her passion for mountaineering is closely linked to her desire to raise the female profile on the world's highest and most challenging mountains. By pushing back the boundaries of exploration and climbing the highest peaks and volcanoes on all seven continents, she inspires generations of women to pursue their boldest dreams.
The challenge she is about to take on in Alaska's Denali is a new chapter in her incredible adventure. By reaching the summit of this majestic peak, she will write a new page in the history of women's mountaineering, and continue to inspire generations of people to push back their limits and achieve the impossible.
We wish her the best of luck in his ascent. May her determination, courage, and preparation enable her to overcome all the obstacles in her path. On behalf of Chlorophylle, good luck Marie-Pier in this new adventure!
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