Women of Everest

Preparing for Climb to the 'Roof of the World'

    Alison Levine has had two surgeries to repair a damaged heart. Midge Cross is diabetic and has survived breast cancer.

　 珠峰女人

准备登上世界屋脊

　

    Alison Levine经历过两次心脏手术。Midge Cross患有糖尿病，还是乳腺癌的幸存者。     Neither woman is the type to let those obstacles stand in the way of their adventuresome spirit, so they headed for the "roof of the world." 　     但是，这些障碍不能阻挡她们爱冒险的精神，她们正在向"世界屋脊"进发。     They are part of a team that set out this week to become the first group of American women to reach the summit of Mount Everest. The other three are Coloradans Lynn Prebble, Jody Thompson and Kimberly Clark.Cross had to turn back at 24,000 feet because of altitude sickness. Had she reached the summit, the 58-year-old grandmother would have been the oldest woman to do so. 　     作为本周启程的一支登山 队 队员，她们将成为登上珠穆朗玛峰顶的第一批美国女性。该队的另外三名队员是Cdoradans lynn Prennle, Jody Thompson和Kimverly Cark。在到达24000英尺高度时，Cross因发生高空病而不得不返回。如果她攀上了顶峰，这位58岁的奶奶将是到达此高度的最老女性。     But she was never hell-bent on that goal. More important, she says, is the commitment to stepping outside her old comfort zone. 　     但是，她永远不会放弃这一目标。她说，更重要的是保证自己走出老年舒适而平淡的生活。     "So I become a bigger person," says Cross, "a more knowledgeable person and, I think, a better person for having taken the risk." The other four women are pushing on, hoping to reach the summit within the next couple of days. 　     Cross说："这样我就能成为一个了不起的人，一个更有见识的人，我认为，吃遍苦中苦，方为完美人"。另外4位妇女仍在攀登，希望在以后几天内登上山顶。     All are experienced climbers, including Levine, a 36-year-old business executive from San Francisco who organized the team. 　     她们全是经验丰富的登山者，其中36岁的Levine是一位来自旧金山的企业经理，她组织了这支登山队。     She says she was looking for skilled climbers, women who could take two months off from their jobs, women who could leave their families behind for an extended period. And women who had a certain attitude. 　     她说，当时她也四处寻找既有登山经验，又能脱离工作两个月和长时间离开家庭的妇女，而且这些妇女要有积极姿态。     "Everybody's got a lot of energy, a lot of spirit, a lot of heart and some mental toughness," Levine says. 　     Levine说："她们应具有充沛的体能、饱满的精神、不乏热情和坚韧。"     Cross agrees, pointing out that these women weren't interested in leading safe, predictable lives: "I remember when I was a kid, my mom would buy American cheese, with every slice wrapped. And I thought, 'Whoa, this is not the kind of life I want to live, with every slice wrapped.' " 　     Cross同意她的说法，她指出，这些妇女对安逸的，按部就班的生活没有兴趣。她说："我记得，在我小时候，我母亲买回来美国奶酪，看到一片片被包裹着的奶酪，我想，天呀，我可不想要这种每一层都裹着的生活。"     And so they trained, for months, fully aware that 180 people have died trying to scale the world's highest mountain, which comes in at 29,035 feet.They may not have testosterone, but they do have teamwork that is uniquely female. 　     她们训练了几个月，同时，充分地意识到，这座世界上最高的山高达29035英尺，已有180人为攀上它而丧命。她们可能没有雄性激素，她们却有独一无二的女性组成的团队。

　

    "It takes us longer when we have to go to the bathroom," says Levine with a chuckle, "because, you know, it's just more complicated for us. So we're patient with each other through those times, too, where a group of men might not understand." 　     Levine嘿嘿笑着说："我们方便时很费事，也花时间，所以我们只好耐心地排队，而男性登山队员对此是不会理解的。"     Levine has already reached the highest point on six continents: North and South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania and Antarctica. Everest - in Nepal on the Asian continent - would make her seventh. 　     Levine已经登上过6个大陆的最高点，即北美、南美、欧洲、非洲，大洋州和南极洲。位于亚洲大陆尼泊尔的珠穆朗玛峰将是她的第7个目标。     She is careful not to raise expectations, but says "tenacity, persistence and a strong spirit can carry you further than just muscle alone." 　     她不想有太高的期望值，但她说："不仅仅靠肌肉，顽强、坚持不懈和强大的精神能使你攀得更高。"     When they last spoke to ABCNEWS from base camp, the women had already had a very humbling practice climb up to 24,000. 　     当他们与从大本营来的"美国新闻广播公司"说这番话时，她们已经登上了24,000高度。     "At camp three, it was very difficult. We were very uncomfortable," said Cross. "I've never had such a bad headache in my whole life." Clearly, she was not able to overcome that physical limitation; Cross did not make it past the 24,000-foot mark on the final push to the summit. But she will be there in spirit with the others if they make it to the top. 　     Cross说："在3号营地，情况变得困难起来，我们感到很不适应。一生中都没有如此激烈的头痛。"显然，她不能克服生理极限了。在向山顶冲刺时，Cross没能越过24000英尺高度，但她的精神将与队友们一起冲击"世界屋脊"。 "Everybody's really excited to go up and do it," says Levine. "Because this is it."

　

　     Levine说："大家无比振奋地向上攀登，因为，珠峰就在不远处。"