Imagine climbing the highest mountain in the world, where the air is so thin you can hardly breathe and the cold bites at every inch of you. Now picture a woman named Francys Arsentiev. She wasn’t famous or a professional climber.
But on May 22, 1998, she did something amazing: she became the first American woman to climb to the top of Mount Everest without any extra oxygen.
But Francys’s story doesn’t stop with her incredible achievement. It’s a story filled with bravery, a bit of sadness, and a love that shines through the toughest times.
This story has touched the hearts of people who love mountains and has left a lasting memory on the snowy paths of Everest.
Table of Contents
Birth, Parents and Education
Francys Arsentiev was born as Francys Yarbro on January 18, 1958, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her parents were John Yarbro and Marina Garrett.
When Francys was just six years old, her dad took her to see the big, beautiful mountains in Colorado. That’s when she fell in love with climbing and adventures.
For school, Francys went to lots of different places. She studied in Switzerland for a while at The American School and then went to schools back in the United States.
She didn’t stop learning after high school; she went to Stephens College first and then finished her degree at the University of Louisville. She even got a Master’s degree later from a school in Phoenix that teaches about business.
Francys was an accountant in Telluride, Colorado in the 1980s, but she always wanted to climb mountains. Her ultimate dream was to conquer Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth.
In 1992, Francys took a significant step in her life. She married Sergei Arsentiev, a renowned professional climber known as “the snow leopard” for conquering Russia’s highest peaks.
Together, they shared a passion for adventure and a dream: to make history by reaching Everest’s summit without the aid of supplemental oxygen.
Francys’s Everest Journey
Francys wasn’t like most climbers aiming to conquer Everest without the help of guided tours.
She lacked the intense passion or sponsorship many climbers have. Despite the risks, which can be amplified by factors like weather and the absence of supplemental oxygen, she was determined to make the climb.
Paul Distefano, Francys’s 11-year-old son, had a keen sense of the dangers of Everest that seemed clearer than his mother’s own perceptions.
After dreaming about climbers in peril on a mountain, he warned Francys. Nonetheless, she was resolved to proceed with her Everest quest, comforting him with her words, “I have to do this.”
The Climb and Challenges
In 1998, Francys, alongside her husband Sergei, embarked on their Everest expedition. They faced several challenges, including malfunctioning headlamps and the necessity to turn back shortly after starting their final push.
Yet, on May 22, they reached the summit but were forced to spend the night in the perilous ‘Death Zone’ above 8,000 meters without oxygen, a decision that marked the beginning of a tragic turn.
After Francys Arsentiev and Sergei Arsentiev’s final ascent on May 22, they got separated.
After becoming separated during the night, Sergei found his way back to camp without Francys. He set off again with oxygen and medicine to find her, but he was never seen alive again.
On the other hand, Francys was found in a dire state by another team, suffering from oxygen deprivation and frostbite. Despite their attempts to save her, the conditions were too severe for her survival.
The Discovery of “Sleeping Beauty”
The following day, climbers stumbled upon Francys, who was in critical condition but still alive, covered in a purple jacket. Even as they tried to assist, her situation was beyond help at such an extreme altitude.
Francys, known for her less obsessive approach to climbing and her love for her son and home, passed away with a peaceful expression.
This moment led to her being known as the “Sleeping Beauty of Mount Everest.” For years, her body remained on Everest, a poignant reminder of the mountain’s dangers.
A Peaceful Rest
Moved by the tragic beauty of Francys’s final moments, Ian Woodall, a climber who encountered her, organized a mission in 2007 to give her a dignified resting place.
The team respectfully wrapped her body in an American flag and moved her from the main route, allowing the “Sleeping Beauty of Mount Everest” to rest peacefully away from the eyes of the world.
Bottom Line
In the cold and towering world of Mount Everest, the story of Francys Arsentiev reached a sad end. But she will always be remembered as the “Sleeping Beauty of Mount Everest.” Her bravery and the love she had for climbing are forever part of the mountain’s history, like a whisper in the icy wind.
