Caroline George

I was born in Switzerland in 1976. My parents were alpinists and dragged me up climbs my whole childhood. I hated everything about it. But by 18, I had the bug.

In 1997, I had a really bad accident in the mountains: I fell 1200 feet over a cliff, bouncing off twice and finally hitting a really soft snow slope, which saved my life, but got me to spend 2 months flat on my back in hospital with 20 pounds of traction to put my pelvis back into place: I broke my pelvis in three places and some ribs, which touched my heart, and shattered my ankle in 20 places. less than two months after getting out of the hospital, I was climbing some ridges in Chamonix and a year later placed 5th in a ski mountaineering competition. The bug was there, big time. in 1999, as I was accompanying my boyfriend at the time to an Ice Climbing Competition in Courchevel, France, I was asked to participate in the competition. I had held ice tools only once before. But this competition was enough to open my eyes to this passion that had slowly been growing inside of me. For the next 3 years and thanks to the support of my sponsors at the time, I was able to travel the world, competing in the Ice World Cups. It took me all over the world: from Quebec, to Russia, and all over Europe. In 2002, I graduated from law school in Switzerland, my home base at the time. I then guided two girls up two peaks in Nepal: Island Peak and Lobuche Peak. Back home, I started working part time for Icebreaker, a Merino wool clothing company before going back to law and working for two years as a lawyer. at the same time, my drive for the mountains was ever growing... in 2003, I became the first American woman to climb the three great north faces of the Alps: The Eiger and Matterhorn in winter and the walker spur in a one day push the summer of the same year. in the fall of 2003, I took a trip to Yosemite to do some free climbs and a route on El Cap: Zodiac. Every other year, i would compete in a woman's team in this famous race called "La Patrouille des Glaciers", a race that connects Zermatt to Verbier, 35miles of distance, and 12000 feet of positive elevation gain. I major race that crosses amazing glaciers and climbs up beautiful peaks. In 2005, I started the UIAGM guides training course. This training takes a minimum of three years and is recognized worldwide. In order to train for this course, I traveled throughout Europe, climbing all over Croatia, the Dolomites and France (Verdon, Ceuse, Gorge du Tarn et de la Jonte, les Calanques) and skiing over 180'000feet of positive elevation gain, did some major ski traverses in the Alps and raced a lot. That same year, I took a trip to the Canadian Rockies and ice climbed a bit, swearing that I would be back for an ice climbing binge. That happened the next year, in 2006, when I moved to the States. With partner and photographer Jon Walsh, we did what has been said to be the greatest and biggest ice climbing trip any woman had ever taken to the Rockies. We linked up some of the hardest and longest ice routes there. That same year, while guiding for Exum of Utah, I climbed the longest climb in the lower 50: Stairway to Heaven, an 11 pitch climb in Provo Canyon, Utah. And during the Ouray Ice Festival, I linked up Ames Ice Hose and Bridalveil. We had intended not to go as a snow storm was hitting us hard, but the alcohol helped us change our minds... a few days prior to that, I had climbed the Ice Hose with a friend and met my then husband to be there, when I almost killed him as I dropped my ice axes rapping off the route!

After Canada, I headed to the desert to continue my link up binge and linked up Castleton and the Rectory, and Sister Superior with Ancient Art. A week later, I was in the Sierras to do a ski traverse with a friend, before meeting up with my boyfriend at the time (now my husband), Adam. we then drove to Yosemite and climbed The Regular Route on Half Dome in the worst weather ever... makes for memorable souvenirs... I then headed to Boulder to guide for Colorado Mountain School and discover the jewls of the Diamond. Adam and I then went on a 6 week trip to Europe where I got to climb 5 4000m peaks in 5 days, and many other great routes in the Mont Blanc range. In October, I married my sweet man: Adam George. As we want to take as many trips as possible, we decided to do a least 3 wedding celebrations in order to have three honeymoons, a good excuse to travel some more!! Our first honeymoon was to Zion first and then to Patagonia. The best weather greeted us in Zion... but the worst weather awaited us in Patagonia... we nevertheless got to climb one peak: L'Aguja de la S. Over 2 months there, only four parties got to summit anything. We had gone there to climb ice, but there wasn't any... oh well, bad weather is good times for honeymooners.

We now live between Telluride and Ouray... the ice is in fat: since I got back, we've climbed Bridalveil, Ames Ice Hose, the Talisman and a bunch in the park....
And we just spent our New Year doing the link up I'd hoped to do last year: Bridal Veil, Ames Ice Hose and Birdbrain Boulevard. This link up had only been done once before! A great way to spend New Years

Publishing: I have been published in many guide books, magazines in France, Italy, Switzerland and the USA, in calendars, on posters, etc

My blog: www.mytb.com/SwissMiss: sign up and get updated on where Caroline is in the world with the latest about Patagonia, Ethiopia, Iceland, Yoga Teacher Training and Europe, Morocco...full 2007 year! My website: www.intothemountains.com Caroline's extra fancy guiding service!

Projects for 2008:
I have been traveling so extensively throughout 2007 and I can't believe it's time to make new projects, already. I will be guiding with other Scarpa Team Member Kitty Calhoun, for Chicks with Picks (www.chickswithpicks.net). Join us to have fun on the ice, in Ouray or North Conway. I am then planning on travelling to Norway to climb  some magical and long ice climbs, before meeting up with my husband in Europe to climb in the Alps. Peru is on the list for late Spring, a road trip in North America and then China are lining up for the Fall... In between, I will be back in Jackson Hole, guiding for Exum Utah, on the beautfiul Grand Teton!  Oh, and we are buying a house in  Salt Lake City. Gotta have somewhere to store my Scarpa boots!