Michele Cohen
Michele's passion for adventure travel was fuelled when she gave up the world of high finance in London, UK for the high mountains in the Himalayas. She decided to learn Spanish and explore Latin America, where she spent 18 months discovering the continent, from Guatemala down to Patagonia, working for a charity, leading trekking groups, hiking through the Andes, watching the wild-life, and tripping over people whilst learning to salsa. From there, she knew the only job for her was in travel.
In 1999, Michele became a tour leader for a UK adventure tour operator, spending eight years leading trekking holidays across Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. She has climbed Kilimanjaro 8 times, Aconcagua 3 times and been to Everest Base Camp 5 times! She has also specialized in leading large charity fundraising groups, including a successful expedition to Nepal's highest trekking summit called Mera Peak.
Michele moved to Vancouver in 2007, where she is now part of the Renshaw Travel family.
Check out Michele's inspiring story on the Climb For Change Campfire!
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Q&A with Michele Cohen
CFC: How have the mountains/outdoors changed your life?
MC: The energy I have gained from being in the mountains is unbelievable. I lived my life in London and outdoors life was playing sports and wandering through parks, until I discovered that there was a big world out there. I became an inquisitive traveller and explorer, discovering mountains in the process. I see the world in a totally different way now and will continue doing so, while attempting to climb as many peaks as possible.
CFC: What is one of the biggest ‘mountains’ you’ve overcome?
MC: I was on Cho Oyu at 7900m, on the summit ridge with no supplementary oxygen, on a perfect day. I knew that I could make it to the top, but I would be depending on more than one Sherpa, and probably someone else’s oxygen supply, to get me back down again in one piece. No mountain is that important. I turned around, descended to camp and made it back down to 7000m in one piece. Within a few days I was back in Kathmandu and, following 2 days of R n R , I went off to the Langtang Range to backpack solo for 7 days and it never felt better to be alive!
CFC: Why Climb For Change?
MC: Life should be a balance and this is one of the best ways to put everything into perspective and balance out ones other side, especially if you live in a bustling city. Combine the physical challenge, natural beauty, switch off from any daily worries and you have, in those few hours or days, all that is needed in life
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Michele's website: http://www.wanderingheights.com/