Betsy Huelskamp is an L.A. journalist who interviewed Tim after his attempt in 2006, and was inspired to give it a go herself. She believes Everest is the most difficult challenge a person could take on, physically, mentally and spiritually. But Betsy's motto has always been, "If you are not living life on the edge, you are missing the view!"

Most comfortable on her rusted, chopped out old Harley, Betsy has been featured in motorcycle documentaries and writes for numerous biking magazines. She's an ice climber, trekker, bungee jumper, diver, Kung Fu black belt, and has worked much of her adult life as a personal trainer. At 46 she feels she's in great shape. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime, one I've trained for my entire life," she says.

Betsy believes her mental and spiritual strength “supersede” her physical abilities, “allowing me to go fearlessly forward", and that her "daring, nomadic spirit“ is an example to women and men all over the world. She hopes Everest will be the ultimate inspiration. "As I attempt the summit of Everest, I will be happy knowing not only what I am accomplishing for myself, but the hope that I will be instilling in the millions of women just like me all across the world. It's an enormous, overwhelming challenge and my only strategy is to take it one step at a time."

Betsy gives her perspective on life at Base Camp