Imagine growing up in the conservative Deep South, where young women were expected to play it safe
Now imagine trading that world for Himalayan storms, frozen walls, and a seven-year stretch of living out of a Subaru to chase something bigger.
Kitty Calhoun did exactly that. She became the first North American woman to summit Dhaulagiri and the first woman to climb Makaluās West Pillarātwo of the hardest, highest peaks on Earth. Along the way sheās survived avalanches, eight-day storms, and the loneliness of cutting new lines where no woman had before.
But at 65, Kittyās story isnāt about danger or gloryāitās about clarity. About the discipline, focus, and simplicity that have allowed her to keep climbing, mentoring, and living fully decades after most people would have retired their harness.
In this conversation, we explore:
- Growing up in the Deep South and breaking gender barriers in one of the worldās most male-dominated arenas
- What surviving a Himalayan storm taught her about resilience and priorities
- How seven years of minimalist living shaped her philosophy on focus and freedom
- The difference between chasing summits and finding meaning in the climb itself
- What sheās learned about longevity, humility, and living with purpose at 65
Kitty also shares how sheās passing her lessons forwardāthrough mentoring younger women, climate advocacy, and a renewed connection to simplicity in an age of excess.
This episode is for anyone whoās ever wondered how to stay passionate, grounded, and physically vibrant as the years go byāand how courage can evolve from proving yourself to knowing yourself.
š Takeaways
- Discipline is freedom; simplicity sharpens focus.
- Strength doesnāt fade with ageāit refines.
- True leadership is opening doors for others, not standing on top of them.
- The outdoors isnāt an escapeāitās a mirror.
š References & Links
šø Jay Smith
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