Who ever imagined that an ice axe was cool or amazing or inspiring?

I just got off the phone with Alison Levine. Mountaineer, Wall Street veteran, adventurer, team captain of the first American Women's Everest Expedition, 85 Broads member - THAT Alison Levine.

Alison is off to conquer Mt. Everest next month. But today, she's off to collect her ice axe. Not any old ice axe. This ice axe is engraved, with the name of 85 Broads member Meg Berte Owen. Meg was a fighter, an inspiration, a dazzling spirit to all who knew her personally and to those who read her story of survivorship in "More Than 85 Broads". Meg passed away last October at the age of 37.

And Alison is off to climb Mt. Everest, with Meg's fighting spirit in the palm of her hand.