Sophia Danenberg – narrative
By
John C Abercrombie
The story of Sophia Danenberg is interesting as she became the first Black female, to climb to the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain above sea level. Danenberg is an American but was the first Black female from anywhere to reach the summit.
Mount Everest is in Mahalagur Himal sub range of the Himalayas. The China-Nepal border crosses the summit point. The current height is 29, 029 ft.
Her story is also interesting as it is an example of what can happen when a person widens their horizons and have the willingness to explore new interests.
Sophia Danenberg was born in 1972 in a suburb of Chicago, Homewood. Her birth name was Sophia Marie Scott and she attended Homewood-Flossmoor High School graduating in 1990.
Following graduation, she attended Harvard University, majoring in Environmental Science and Public Policy. She graduated from Harvard in 1994 and went to Keio University in Tokyo as a Fulbright Fellow.
The Fulbright is considered to be one of the most widely recognized and prestigious scholarships in the world. The goal of the program is to improve intercultural relations and diplomacy, develop intercultural competence. The program is competitive and includes American citizens including students, scholars, teachers’ professionals, scientists and artists.60 Fulbright alumni have won Nobel Prizes and 86 have won Pulitzer Prizes!
Sophia then went to work with United Technologies in Japan and China managing energy and indoor air quality projects before moving to Hartford, Connecticut to work in green technology research.
She didn’t grow up with an interest in mountaineering but became interested in 1999 when a childhood friend encouraged her to try rock climbing. She became an avid fan of the sport and learned technical climbing through her local Appalachian Mountain Club. She also included another interest when she met her future husband David Danenberg.
Her first major climb was at Mount Rainier in Washington State in 2002.
Other climbs include:
• Kilimanjaro – Tanzania
• Mount Baker, Washington
• Mount Kenya
• Grand Teton, Wyoming – 5 peaks
• Mount Katahdin, Main
• Mount Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska
• Mount Tasman – New Zealand
• Ama Dablam – Nepal
• Aiguielle du Chardonnet – France
• Matterhorn – Switzerland
• Mount Tasman – New Zealand
• Aconcagua – Argentina
• Iztaccihuatl – Mexico
• Cotopaxi – Ecuador
• Illiniza – Ecuador
• Mount Shuksan – Washington
• Mount Baker – Washington
On May 19, 2006 after 2 months of climbing, she reached the summit of Mount Everest. The opportunity to make the climb came up quickly and she had only a week to do all of the planning, purchasing, taking a leave of absence from work etc.…She and 8 other people signed up for an “unguided” climb. She had the help of 2 Sherpas, access to weather reports, food and oxygen. She carried her own gear and pitched her own tent.
At 2:00 am on that fateful day, May 19, 2006 Danenberg reached the summit of Mount Everest. There were delays during the trip. The 2 Sherpas were the only witnesses to the event, fortunately, they took pictures. She showed physical, emotional and psychological stamina as she was suffering from bronchitis, a stuffed nose, frostbite on her cheeks and a clogged oxygen mask at the time.
To show the difficulty of the climb, there have only been about 2,500 people who have reached the summit since 1953.
In 2003 South African Sibusiso Vilane became the first Black person to reach the summit. Sophia was the next in 2006. Congratulations to both!
The task is daunting and all people who attempt the climb do not make it. To show the danger and seriousness of the climb, there is a ton of paperwork including a “Body Disposal” form where you have to declare what is to happen to your body should you not survive the trip. A very sobering task indeed.
Danenberg is accomplished and involved person. Before the leave of absence, she was responsible for legislative and regulatory affairs for Global Environmental Health and Safety at United Technologies’ Pratt & Whitney division. She pursued a master’s in economics at the University of Connecticut and worked with Hartford, Connecticut inner city programs.
Others may accomplish the task, but she has the distinction of being the first.
UPDATE: As this is being written Dannenberg is part of an ALL-Black team seeking to become the first to conquer the world’s tallest mountain.
Her world has improved and changed because she broadened her horizons and had the willingness to take action on her dream. Many people have that character in them but fear the unknown and miss out. Whether it is mountain climbing or some other activity, take a look, give it a try and you will not have to say, I wish I had tried …
George Washington Carver went to college to major in Art and Piano, until he broadened his horizons
Vivien Thomas wanted to be a doctor but was prevented by discriminatory practices, yet he is credited with training some of the heads of major hospitals because of passion.
George McJunkin is credited with discoveries of the Folsom point and a new species of buffalo because of his love or archeology.
The list goes on. Don’t let your passion lay dormant because you fail to explore this tremendous world. People spend too much time trying to fit in when they should be standing out!
Continue scrolling, reading and discovering amazing content!
Sophia Dannenberg – first Black Woman to Scale Mt Everest
Videos
Hopes and dreams are overrated | Sophia Danenberg | TEDxUChicago
Being the first African American to summit Mount Everest, Sophia Danenberg is often asked: Was it everything you dreamed of and hoped for? Her answer may be surprising as she talks about how our hopes and dreams may in fact be limiting what we are able to do.
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First African American woman to climb Mount Everest
Sophia Danenberg is the first African American woman to summit Mount Everest.
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Video Interview with Full Circle Everest, the first all Black American team on Everest in 2022.
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Sophia Danenberg at An Evening With NatureBridge
Sophia Danenberg speaks at NatureBridge’s annual Gala on May, 9, 2019 at the Bently Reserve.
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Radio interview with Sophia Danenberg
https://archive.org/details/CLIMBTALK-Sophia-Danenberg-Christopher-Felton-3-8-2019
The only limitations we have are what we think we can do and that limit is put there by our thoughts. Free your mind, expand your experiences and EXCEL!
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