Kit Deslauriers summits Everest and skies down 7 summits

[7summits]

Woman Skier Conquers Everest, 'Seven Summits'

by Melissa Block

October 23, 2006 · With her recent descent from the summit of Mt. Everest, Kit Deslauriers became the first person to ski the "seven summits" -- the tallest peaks on each continent.

Deslauriers skied down Mt. Everest on Oct. 18. The conditions deteriorated quickly while her expedition was on the summit, and she describes skiing down "5,000 vertical feet of 45-to-50 degree mostly shimmering blue and white ice."

Full story and some pictures here on NPR.

We are looking for more details on Kit for our statistics, please send them (Maiden name, dates etc) if you know them. Thanks!

[m.c. reinhardt]

I have been following the Berg Adventure’s autumn climb of “E” and was happy that the entire team along with the sherpas had summitted safely. I guess this was the first autumn summit since 2002 and first autumn south side summit since 2000. It was clear that Kit would be going for the ski descent (weather/conditions permitting); I just can not believe that she has done it! She is simply amazing! Kit wrote: “I developed a mantra during the descent that came to me from somewhere unknown…before each turn I would say to myself…like your life depends upon it…and then make a turn.” (From ExplorersWeb photo caption.) So she beat out Davo Karnicar! This is history in the making. Big time congrats to Kit and the team!
MC 

[MvdB]

yeah its amazing what they did... to climb "E" is one... but to ski down... if I ever get to the top I wont even think of skiing down(also because I've never skied before ).

and funny to see another reader of ExplorersWeb.

btw MC: she beat out Davo Karnicar? as far as I know Davo skied down nonstop in one go from top to BC...

[m.c. reinhardt]

btw MC: she beat out Davo Karnicar? as far as I know Davo skied down nonstop in one go from top to BC...

MvdB - Davo was indeed the first to make a complete ski descent down Everest on October 7, 2000. He is also going for the record to be the first person to ski down all seven summits. He just has Vinson left. If he succeeds this Nov./Dec., he will complete the seven. Sorry for the confusion!
Cheers, MC 

Harry
Being that Kit Deslauriers ski descent of Everest was not a "complete ski descent", how does that affect the record for being the first person to ski down the seven summits?

[MvdB]

ahh ok MC thanks for explaining

[MikeW]

Hey Guys!

I don't want to be fussy, but you need a complete ski descent from the top to the snow line to count for having skied a summit. So Kit's Everest ski descent doesn't count, not that it's not an incredible feat to ski down the Lohtse face.

Quite a few people have skied on Everest but only Davo Karnicar has a complete ski descent from the summit to base camp with his skis on. When Stephen Koch wanted to be the first snowboarder to snowboard the 7 summits, he came on Everest a couple years back and skied from over 7000m on the north side. He never said he snowboarded the 7 summits because he never did a complete snowboard descent of Everest. Only Marco Siffredi did a complete snowboard descent of Everest and died trying for a second time on the Hornbein couloir.

So if Karnicar does the Vinson ski descent this year, he will be the only person to ski the 7 summits in my book.

MikeW

[7summits]

Hi Guys,

In my book skiing from the summit to the Hillary step and then 'only' down from the Lhotse face is no full ski descent from Everest.
To compare: Just imagine that someone is trying for an oxygenless ascent and (s)he was using oxygen on the section that Kit did not ski, and you will get the point

But still she finished the 7 summits, so we will add her for that.

Cheers all,
Harry

[m.c. reinhardt]

Hey Guys!

I don't want to be fussy, but you need a complete ski descent from the top to the snow line to count for having skied a summit. So Kit's Everest ski descent doesn't count, not that it's not an incredible feat to ski down the Lohtse face.

Hey Mike!
I would say you are not being "fussy", I did not think Kit's E ski descent should count either when I read it was not complete. Thanks for the explanation of a complete ski descent. I had wondered what the determination was for a mountain such as Kilimanjaro. I believe Davo's Everest ski descent was from the summit to right near BC - 5360m. So is it from the top to either the snow line or BC depending which comes first (or was 5360m the snow line that year?) 
Well at any rate, Davo has a great shot at being the first person to ski down the seven summits. Wonder if Kit will give it another go in the future. A complete ski descent down Everest is such an amazing feat! It really blows me away just thinking about it.
Cheers, MC   

We are looking for more details on Kit for our statistics, please send them (Maiden name, dates etc) if you know them. Thanks!

Harry
I couldn't find Kit's maiden name on any web-site but I found The North Face stats on Kit with good info. Interesting that The North Face currently has Kit listed as the first person to ski from all Seven Summits! (Under Recent Achievement.)
Kit is an accomplished stone mason with her own landscape design company whose name is a play on her name and the material she uses — Rockit Corporation. She graduated from the University of Arizona where she majored in environmental political science. (Taken from USAToday.com)
Kit has a great web-site. She is truly a remarkable woman!
MC

[skicritic]

Ok so I need to clarify something real quick: Is it true that in 10 or 15 years (or less) when there is no snow a top Kilimanjaro, that this feat of skiing the 7 summits will no longer be attainable?  So if you are planning on knocking this off your things to do list, you need to get movin’?

[Corsair]

Ok so I need to clarify something real quick: Is it true that in 10 or 15 years (or less) when there is no snow a top Kilimanjaro, that this feat of skiing the 7 summits will no longer be attainable?  So if you are planning on knocking this off your things to do list, you need to get movin’?

Unfortunately it seems to be the case.

Which peak did Kit ski in Oceania?
I can't find any info about it, except that she has skied Mt Aspiring.

[skicritic]

Unfortunately it seems to be the case.

Which peak did Kit ski in Oceania?
I can't find any info about it, except that she has skied Mt Aspiring.

I see that she skied kosciuszko

[skicritic]

So I am wondering what you think about skiing all the 7 summits.... do you think kili should be done sooner than later due to the melting snow/ glacier?

[Corsair]

I see that she skied kosciuszko

I mailed her last night and asked, and she told me she did ski kosciuszko in September last year.

Have you found any info about it online?

[Corsair]

Now the info is up on Kit's site.
http://kitdski.com/skiMountaineering.php