Front page on SPORTSISTER - Interview

Read the full interview: http://www.sportsister.com/2012/02/27/climber-to-climber-we-talk-the-himalayan-challenge/

Desnivel - Oscar Cadiach Interview (Spanish)

El veterano alpinista tiene la intención de terminar sus 14x8000 en un plazo de tres años. En 2012 irá al Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Gasherbrum I y K2; en 2013 intentará el Kangchenjunga y el Broad Peak. En 2014 pretende una travesía inédita y completar lo que le haya fallado. Hará equipo con la francesa Sophie Denis.

Meeting with kids from my godsons’ primary school

Marta, 6 ans : "J'aimerai bien faire pareil plus tard"
Marta , 6Yrs : " I would like to do the same later"

Today I spoke to over 50 kids at my godsons’ primary school. Kids were very excited meeting an adventurer.
Climbing, but what is it? I introduced them to mountain climbing; my challenge of climbing the highest peaks in the world, how you live in the mountain, where are the himalayas …. . Fascinated, they asked questions for over an 1h. It was heartwarming to share my passion with them and trigger such interest.
As part of one of their school projects, they will follow me along my endeavors.

Romane B., 6 ans : "J'aime l'alpinisme"
Romane B., 6Yrs : "I love Mountain climbing"

Aujourd’hui j’ai parlé devant plus de 50 élèves de l’école primaire de mon filleul Raphaël. Les enfants etaient très heureux de rencontrer une alpiniste.

Alpinisme! mais qu’est ce que c’est ? Je leur ai présenté l’alpinisme, mon challenge de monter les plus hauts sommets du monde, comment vit-on dans la montagne, où est l’Himalaya …. Intéressés ils ont posé beaucoup de questions, pendant près d’1h. C’était très touchant de partager ma passion avec les enfants.

Les enfants heureux, suivront avec intérêt mon aventure.

plus d'info: L'Himalaya : la plus haute chaîne de montagnes du monde

VIDEO of the Cho Oyu summit that I dedicace to my godson

English & Français

click on the image to play the video / Cliquez sur la photo pour voir la vidéo

Sophie Denis - Alpiniste française atypique (French)

Avec 5 sommets de plus de 8000m, et le projet d'en enchaîner 6 de plus en 2012, Sophie Denis a clairement décidé de se lancer dans la course aux 14x8000m. Pourtant qui connaît Sophie Denis? Kairn.com a décidé de porter un coup de projecteur sur cette alpiniste française atypique.

Below is an extract of the Interview:

"Sophie Denis - Alpiniste Française Atypique"

Article featured in KAIRN

Click on image to read the full article

Sophie Denis - Climber and Motivationalist - Features

Below is an extract of the article:

"Sophie Denis - Climber and Motivationalist"

Article featured in Women Sport Report

Click on image to read the full article

80 Countries are now following this blog !!

80 Countries are now following this blog !!

Welcome to the visitors from the following
new countries that have visited my blog recently: 

China - Saudi Arabia - Lebanon - Trinidad and Tobago - Azerbaijan - Tunisia - Armenia - Kuwait - Estonia - Kazakhstan - Brunei - Uganda

- Click on each country name to learn more about those countries -

 

Catskill Ice Festival 2012





From Chrix - NEice.com

  

14th Annual Catskill Ice Festival, January 20, 21, 22, 23, 2012.



This year again will have multiple clinics on all the skills and techniques you need to get out on ice - from basic skills, to dry-tooling, to glacier travel techniques.




Saturday, January 21, 2012

Sophie Denis

Basic Ice Movement - New to ice climbing, never ice climbed before? We will introduce you to the techniques needed to ice climb. All equipment provided.

Steep Ice Techniques - Ice is always steeper than it looks. Learn some handy skills & techniques to help keep you calm and cool when are on that pillar and fearing the burn. All equipment provided.


Sunday, January 22, 2012


Sophie Denis - Big Blue (NEI 4+)

 Intermediate Ice Movement - for those who have climbed some ice before. We will introduce you to the techniques needed to climb effortlessly and efficiently. All equipment provided.


Mixed Climbs & Dry Tooling - When the ice runs out, or starts a ways up there... Learn the many different ways to use your tools to climb rock with your tools and crampons. All equipment provided.

Sophie Denis - Chouinard's Gully (NEI 3, 400')

Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue - Planning a trip to a glaciated area? Brush up on your glacier travel skills. We'll cover methods for tying in on a glacier in different party sizes, french techniques for your crampons and ice axe skills, and hauling systems and crevasse rescue skills just in case someone happens to fall in. All equipment technical provided.



Monday, January 23, 2012

Sophie Denis - Hot Shot (NEI 4+)

Backcountry Day in the Ravines - climb one or more of the multi-pitch ravines in the Catskills. Bushwhack in, climb up, rappel down, bushwhack out. A full day of activity and adventure. All equipment provided.

Link: Ice Festival Details

Link: Sophie Ice Climbing in The Adirondack

Visitors from 67 different countries (in 1 week)

Thank you for your support

and interest across the world

67 Countries have visited

 this blog within a week
(from 1/12 to 1/19)

Countries that have visited this blog from will have their flag shown on this map

Click on the picture to zoom in

American Alpine Journal published 3 of Sophie's new lines

American Alpine Journal published Sophie's new climbing routes on Suiricocha, Manon Dos, Vicunita peaks: Click HERE to read the full article on the AAJ online



The full Expedition Report: Click HERE to read it

PART 2 of Sophie's Portrait interview - EXPLORERSWEB

PART 2 of my portrait interview

with Angela Benavides

from EXPLORERSWEB

makes the front page

PART 1 - Who is she ?

Interview Extract:

ExplorersWeb: You are new in Himalaya with a bold plan, aren't you afraid to ruffle some feathers?

Sophie: I know that my background is unusual, as my confidence and high spirit in undertaking new challenges. It goes from my climbing challenge to moving to US without knowing a word of English, to .... re-inventing yourself, and always thinking beyond "the norm" is my life philosophy. My motto : Everything is possible :)

My challenge, or even me (too happy on the hill) could irritate/hurt some climbers' egos. But I don't want to play that game. I just do things for me, because I love it, and it is a challenge between me and me.

Read more : http://www.explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=20572

Mobile version: http://explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php



Sophie Denis. Who is She? - ExplorersWeb Interview

My portrait interview with Angela Benavides

from EXPLORERSWEB

makes the front page

Interview Part II click here

Interview Extract:

... Summiting Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Broad Peak and Manaslu only last year, her plans for 2012 include Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, GI, GII, K2 and Shisha Pangma. Who is she? ExplorersWeb checked in with French-born, US based Sophie Denis.

Explorersweb: We first heard of you after you had opened new routes in the Andes and made a detailed plan on how you would summit the 14x8000ers. How is it working out?

Sophie: So far so good : It is good to have projects but the...


Read more : http://www.explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=20299
Mobile version: http://explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php
 
 



American Alpine Journal - Huantsan West, Les Trois Mousquetaires; Huantsan North, Illusion

Click HERE to read the full article on the American Alpine Journal

Click HERE to read the full Huantsan Expedition's Report

Ice Climbing in New England for the holiday

NEW YEAR'S EVE in NEW ENGLAND

Ice Climbing

I went ice climbing in New England. We drove through 5 states : New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, to North Conway.

We did lots walking in the woods to find some ice. Unfortunately with warm temperature, ice was at the beginning stage of forming, thin and wet. Such ice conditions make our climbing trip a trekking trip.

Beautifu views, I did enjoy the area and the nice walk along the endless train tracks through the forest.

  Sophie Denis

Happy Holidays

click on the picture to see the video

Warmest thoughts and

Best Wishes for a

Wonderful holiday season!

May all of your dreams come true

- Sophie

Extraits du livre "LE MONT ANALOGUE (1952)" de René Daumal

Le Mont Analogue de René Daumal Click here to read it in English

Le poète se penche sur notre passion alpine et tente de répondre avec des mots

vertigineux à la question du pourquoi ? On l’écoute. On connait la réponse plate et

convenue de Georges Mallory : “…parce qu’elle existe, parce qu’elle est là !..”

~ • ~

Définitions: « L’alpinisme est l’art de parcourir les montagnes

en affrontant les plus grands dangers avec la plus grande prudence.

On appelle ici art l’accomplissement d’un savoir dans une action. »

~ • ~

On ne peut pas rester toujours sur les sommets.
Il faut redescendre…
A quoi bon, alors ?
Voici : le haut connaît le bas, le bas ne connaît pas le haut.

~ • ~

On monte,
on voit.
On redescend,
on ne voit plus ;
mais on a vu.

~ • ~

Il y a un art de se diriger dans les basses régions,

par le souvenir de ce qu’on a vu lorsqu’on était plus haut.
Quand on ne peut plus voir,
on peut du moins encore savoir.

~ • ~

Un compagnon beaucoup plus expérimenté que moi me dit :

« Quand les pieds ne veulent plus vous porter, on marche avec la tête. »

The Art of Climbing Mountains

The Art of Climbing Mountains
René Daumal
Extraits du livre "LE MONT ANALOGUE (1952)" en français



You cannot always stay on the summits

You have to come down again . . .

So what’s the point?
Only this: what is above knows what is below,
what is below does not know what is above.

~ • ~

One climbs,
One sees.
One descends,
One sees no longer,
But one has seen.

~ • ~

There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions
by the memory of what one saw higher up.
When one can no longer see,
one can at least still know.”

~ • ~

A climber far more experienced than I told me,
“when your feet will no longer carry you,
you have to walk with your head.”

~ • ~

This excerpt is from René Daumal’s Mount Analogue: A Tale of Non-Euclidian and Symbolically Authentic Mountaineering Adventures, Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 2004, pp. 105–108, and is used here with their kind permission. Copyright © 1981 Editions Gallimard, Paris. English translation Copyright © 2004 by Carol Cosman. For more information contact The Overlook Press, One Overlook Drive, Woodstock, NY 12498.

Sophie Denis OFFICIAL Website



www.sophiedenis.com



Baltoro Glacier by Sophie Denis



Article in the famous climbing website KAIRN - in French

Dernières news des expés by Cedric Larcher I KAIRN
http://www.kairn.com/news__77304.dernieres-news-infos-informations-nouvelles-expes.html


*** Sophie Denis en route pour les 14x8000

La française installée aux Etats-Unis tentera de réaliser 6x8000m en 2012. Elle a déjà gravit 4x8000m en 2011, au cours de 5 expéditions. Le K2 lui avait finalement échappé à cause de mauvaises conditions climatiques.
Elle compte actuellement 5x8000m au palmarès
En cas de réussite elle deviendrait la première française a réaliser ce challenge (homme et femmes confondus)


 
News available as well on the following websites:

Article in Diari Newspaper - in Spanish

Annapurna y Dhaulagiri, sus próximos objetivos
MONTAÑISMO I ES EL NOVENO ‘OCHOMIL’ QUE CONQUISTA EL ALPINISTA TARRACONENSE
DIARI Newspaper ; POR FRANCESC JOAN
 

Nov. 11th, 2011 : INTERVIEW print in DIARI DE TARRAGONA Newspaper - in Spanish

SOPHIE DENIS n ALPINISTA : ‘En la cima del Everest decidí dejar la banca’
POR FRANCESC JOAN I DIARI DE

Ha cambiado el maletín de ejecutivo por el piolet; el traje chaqueta por la chaqueta de pluma; los rascacielos deNueva York por las cumbres de Himalaya; y los vaivenes de la bolsa de NuevaYork, donde trabajó desde 2004 a 2010 para Crédit Agricole, por los desniveles de las cimas nevadas. La ascensión al Everest en 2008 la cautivó, y desde entonces no tiene límites. Quiere ser la Edurne Pasabán francesa. Su lema: ‘Todo es posible’.

more : click here to READ the FULL PAGE ARTICLE

Happy Thanksgiving !

There isn't anything as exciting as being at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person.
Enjoying watching the giant balloons floating in the air in the streets of Manhattan beneath brilliant sunshine, with the festive mood



On Wednesday afternoon, we went to see the balloon being inflated:

credit : cfnews13.com

Thursday morning we went to see the Parade:

NY AAC Dinner

I had a really good time at the American Alpine Club (AAC) Annual Dinner, New York Chapter.

Congratulation to Phil Erard for organizing such a great event.

My table was lots of fun. I had at my table of the AAC Past and Present Presidents, Mark Richey and Steve Swenson, with their respective beautiful wives Theressa and Anne. They are very interesting, low key, and funny people.

Chocolate Fashion Show New York 2011

Sophie Denis Runway Model at the Chocolate Fashion Show for Chef Vanessa Greeley


Chocolate Fashion Show:
The 14th annual NY Chocolate Show is now in full swing. To get the feasting started, on Wednesday night 14 different models strutted their stuff -- but instead of wearing haute couture, they wore haute chocolate. A lot of it, in fact. This year's theme, "Celebrate Broadway" paid homage to Broadway plays of the past and present, from Les Miserables to Wicked.

more : http://www.chocolateshow.com/salon_event.aspx?event_id=27

Sophie Denis and Michele Greeley are getting ready for the show

New York Chocolate Show kicks off on Broadway

The Cirque du Chocolat

Out fit inspired from the show Zarkana (Cirque du Soleil)

Photos: Models Strut In Edible Attire At The Chocolate Fashion Show 2011
From Sam Horine I Gothamist
http://gothamist.com/2011/11/10/photos_chocolate_fashion_show_2011.php#photo-5

English.news.cn

2011-11-10 21:21:26

Editor: Bi Mingxin

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2011-11/10/c_131240034_3.htm 

 

The 2011 Chocolate Fashion Show

ShowTaken: November 9, 2011
Credit: Natasha Ryan
http://newyork.metromix.com/events/standard_photo_gallery/the-2011-chocolate-fashion/2909434/content
 



 

Indian Summer in Central Park

 Back to New York City

I love running in Central Park.

Indian Summer in Central Park is so beautiful.

"Alpiniste Extraordinaire" ...

I am honored to be refered to as "Alpiniste Extraordinaire", take a look below

Sophie, la petite princesse de l’Himalaya ... Article Le Parisien

Sophie, la petite princesse de l’Himalaya

Le Parisien 
Maxime Fieschi

Publié le 05.11.2011


Sophie Denis, une alpiniste originaire de Guyancourt, s’est lancée dans un formidable challenge : gravir 14 sommets de plus de 8000 m en trois ans
http://www.leparisien.fr/yvelines-78/sophie-la-petite-princesse-de-l-himalaya-05-11-2011-1703344.php

Bio Express :
http://www.leparisien.fr/yvelines-78/bio-express-05-11-2011-1703341.php