BY KAREN BOSSICK

Melissa Arnot, a former Wood River Valley woman who was the first American woman to successfully climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, will take part this weekend in an event dedicated to Badass Women.

Badass Women Making Waves and Moving Mountains is a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday, March 28-29, at The Argyros in Ketchum.

The event celebrates women who are redefining what’s possible from the depths of the ocean to the world’s highest peaks, said Natalie Postles, director of Marketing and Communications at The Argyros.

Melissa Arnot will speak on Saturday night and take part in a free roundtable Sunday afternoon.

“This is a two-day speaker event celebrating Women’s History Month,” she said “We’re bringing in women who have achieved a lot in their careers for inspiration and networking purposes. The networking highlights the women we have in the Wood River Valley who have achieved so much.”

Arnot has climbed Mount Everest six times—the most of any American woman. She now lives in the Methow Valley of Washington where she and her husband Tyler are raising two children and running a guide service. In 2012 she co-founded the Juniper Fund to provide financial support to the families of workers killed in the mountains of Nepal.

She has made the first ascent of Mutang Himal in the Mustang region of Nepal, climbed Mount Rainier more than a hundred times, climbed the high points of all 50 states  in record time and guided ascents on Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Ecuador Volcanoes and the Colombian Andes.

In addition to Arnot, the weekend’s presentations will feature Jess Cramp, a renowned shark expert and advocate for the oceans.

Cramp was instrumental in establishing the Cook Islands Shark Sanctuary, which is the largest shark sanctuary in the world. She then founded Sharks Pacific, a non-profit research, policy and outreach organization that provides information crucial to researchers who are measuring changes and impacts to marine habitats.

EVENT SCHEDULE | MARCH 28TH & 29TH

DAY ONE | SATURDAY, MARCH 28TH

A Conversation with Jess Cramp | 7:30PM

Women Who Lead: A Post-Talk Networking Hour | 9:00PM

DAY TWO | SUNDAY, MARCH 29TH

Brunch 'N Bites Badass Women of the Wood River Valley | Noon

Exploration, Advocacy, & Adventure: A Round Table with Jess Cramp & Melissa Arnot | 2:30PM

Enough: The Power of Pushing Limits, Embracing Mistakes, and Finding Your True Strength | Melissa Arnot | 7:30PM

A full program pass costs $50 and is available at https://www.theargyros.org/ or by calling 208-726-7872. The brunch and roundtable are free but require RSVPs.

Attendees must RSVP separately for networking events.