Six-time Everest summiter Melissa Arnot (pictured above, right) and her protégé, Maddie Miller (pictured above, left), became the first female team to complete the 50 Peaks Challenge, summiting all 50 high points in the United States within 50 days with the help of Zamst, a protective sports equipment brand. Their official time was 41 days, 16 hours and 10 minutes, breaking the previous world record of 43 days, 2 hours, and 8 minutes. Arnot and Miller began the attempt on June 27 with Miller’s successful summit of Denali, and celebrated the completion of the challenge atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii on August 7.
Over the course of their 41-day adventure, the two hiked 268 miles and ascended over 84,000 feet while summiting the highest point in every state. The team, accompanied by a van driver and cook, traveled over 19,594 miles across the United States, and was set back by mechanical issues as well as a last-minute reroute due to forest fires in Wyoming. Miller turned to Zamst and used the lightweight EK-3 knee support to stabilize her knee and reduce pain to get her through the remaining peaks.
“The Fifty Peaks Challenge tested not only our mental fortitude and ability to overcome logistical challenges, but it was also a test of our strength and endurance as athletes,” said Arnot. “We are so thankful for the support from the Zamst team, and we could not have made it through this grueling challenge without their high-tech, lightweight bracing support products.”
“The team at Zamst is in awe of the accomplishment of these two mountain pioneers,” said Bryan Smeltzer, general manager for Zamst U.S. “It has been an exciting journey for our team and we are proud to have supported them and made this adventure possible. Melissa and Maddie have demonstrated that any challenge can be overcome with the right mindset, crew and equipment.”
Photo by David Clucas
