{"id":13680,"date":"2017-12-30T12:10:23","date_gmt":"2017-12-30T19:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=13680"},"modified":"2022-07-29T13:02:04","modified_gmt":"2022-07-29T19:02:04","slug":"colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado climber conquers world&#8217;s \u2018Seven Summits\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><p>Kim Hess has completed a seven-part dream that has taken years to unfold.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-youtube su-u-responsive-media-yes\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DoHol4ZvnRY?autohide=2&amp;autoplay=0&amp;mute=0&amp;controls=1&amp;fs=1&amp;loop=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;rel=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;theme=dark&amp;wmode=&amp;playsinline=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture\" title=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>The Steamboat Springs native finished her Seven Summit challenge on March 11 when she reached the peak of Australia\u2019s Mount Kosciusko. At just 7,310-foot, it was the easiest of the tallest peaks on each of the world&#8217;s seven continents. Hess reached the summit in yoga pants and running shoes, a far cry from her Everest journey after a tough recovery from snapping her wrist and breaking bones on Denali in Alaska.<\/p>\n<p>Finishing the journey was incredibly sweet.<\/p>\n<p>Hess celebrated with a recap of her milestones:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>109,632 miles traveled by air<\/li>\n<li>133,487 feet ascended<\/li>\n<li>21,467 photos<\/li>\n<li>2,631 days of planning.<\/li>\n<li>181 nights slept in a tent.<\/li>\n<li>7 continents<\/li>\n<li>7 mountains<\/li>\n<li>1 dream<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>She gave a shout-out to her brother, Steven Hess, who has been her travel companion and climbing partner.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14952\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/12090522\/Screen-Shot-2018-03-12-at-10.50.53-AM.webp\" alt=\"Kim Hess and her brother, Steven Hess, are shown holding up a celebratory banner for the completion of the Seven Summits.\" width=\"600\" height=\"324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/12090522\/Screen-Shot-2018-03-12-at-10.50.53-AM.webp 958w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/12090522\/Screen-Shot-2018-03-12-at-10.50.53-AM-300x162.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/12090522\/Screen-Shot-2018-03-12-at-10.50.53-AM-768x414.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/12090522\/Screen-Shot-2018-03-12-at-10.50.53-AM-150x81.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/12090522\/Screen-Shot-2018-03-12-at-10.50.53-AM-200x108.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And she thanked the many people who made the journey possible, including her doctors at UCHealth.<\/p>\n<h2>Last tough climb in Antarctica<\/h2>\n<p>Before the Australia climb, \u00a0Hess summited Mount Vinson (elevation 16,050 feet) in Antarctica. That adventure took 19-days.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13685\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13685\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13685 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045301\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Steven-Snowblocks-sized.webp\" alt=\"In this photo, Kim Hess and her brother, Steven, are shown with a sign they created out of iceblocks that said, &quot;Vinson 2017.&quot; Their expeditions have illustrated the challenges of climbing 'Seven Summits.'\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045301\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Steven-Snowblocks-sized.webp 1200w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045301\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Steven-Snowblocks-sized-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045301\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Steven-Snowblocks-sized-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045301\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Steven-Snowblocks-sized-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045301\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Steven-Snowblocks-sized-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045301\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Steven-Snowblocks-sized-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13685\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hess and her brother, Steven, give Mount Vinson a tribute in snowblocks. (Photo courtesy of Kim Hess.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Kosciusko closer is a relative breather for Hess, but it was hard earned. The Mount Vinson climb, which she described as \u201ca perfect way to end all the big expeditions,\u201d took roughly double the usual time required to reach the summit because of heavy winds, snow and clouds.<\/p>\n<p>Hess and her nine-person climbing team, which included her brother Steven, scaled the mountain in perpetual daylight, but when the sun went behind clouds, temperatures could quickly swing 60 degrees. The mercury plunged at times to 30 degrees below zero, sending the climbers scurrying into their tents. During the climb, they toiled through an eerie world of white and blue and gazed at an endless horizon. Time stood still without a setting sun.<\/p>\n<p>Three words summed up the rhythm of their days, Hess said: \u201cClimb, sleep, eat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not everyone\u2019s cup of tea, to be sure. But for Hess, it was a rare chance to experience one of the world\u2019s last unspoiled regions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMankind has yet to scar it,\u201d she said. \u201cYou fly over a place that no one has touched. There aren\u2019t many like that left on the planet.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Steep challenges of climbing &#8216;Seven Summits&#8217;<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>To fully appreciate the satisfaction Hess takes in completing the Seven Summits challenge, it\u2019s necessary to understand <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/an-everest-summit-after-an-injury-ordeal\/\">what she went through to reach this point<\/a>. In June 2013, Hess was descending Denali in Alaska when she slipped. Her left arm caught in the fixed line that was holding her. The rope snapped her wrist and broke bones in her hand. She spent nearly two days in agonizing pain waiting for an airlift off the mountain.<\/p>\n<p>After a stay at an Anchorage hospital, Hess returned to Denver, where she eventually wound up in the care of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/michael-gordon-md-hand-surgery\/\">Michael Gordon, MD<\/a>, a hand surgeon at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital-uch\/\">UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a>. Gordon was surprised when the distraught Hess told him he needed to make her hand perfect again because she planned to climb Mount Everest next year.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13686\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13686\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13686\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045719\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-UCHealth-sized.webp\" alt=\"Kim Hess holds a sign that says &quot;UCHealth&quot; as she kneels in the snow with Mount Vinson in the background. Wild swings in temperatures were among the challenges of climbing 'Seven Summits.'\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045719\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-UCHealth-sized.webp 1200w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045719\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-UCHealth-sized-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045719\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-UCHealth-sized-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045719\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-UCHealth-sized-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045719\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-UCHealth-sized-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045719\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-UCHealth-sized-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13686\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kim Hess takes time out from her climb to the summit of Mount Vinson in Antarctica to give UCHealth a little love. (Photo courtesy of Kim Hess.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Replying that he, too, is a perfectionist, Gordon performed a six-and-a-half-hour surgery to piece Hess\u2019s hand and wrist back together with plates and screws. That was only the beginning of a long ordeal. It would be a year before Gordon removed plates in Hess\u2019s radial and ulna bones. She persevered through a challenging and frustrating occupational and physical therapy regimen at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-sportsmed-clinic-steamboat-springs\/\">Yampa Valley SportsMed Clinic \u2013 Steamboat Springs<\/a> with certified hand therapist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/emily-tjosvold-otr\/\">Emily Tjosvold<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Comeback to setback and back again<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The work with Tjosvold paid off. Early in 2015, Gordon cleared Hess to attempt her ascent of Everest. In April she began her long-delayed try only to face another disaster: an earthquake that shook Nepal, devastated Kathmandu and killed nearly two dozen climbers. Hess escaped without injury and returned to Colorado, mourning those who died on Everest and in the towns and villages of Nepal.<\/p>\n<p>But the tragedy did not deter her from another Everest effort, and in May 2016, Hess stood at the 29,029-foot summit. The lesson for all, she said, is \u201cto be resilient, whatever the setback in life,\u201d but also always to be willing to accept the help of others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDr. Gordon and Emily were just as dedicated to my recovery as I was and without them I wouldn\u2019t be sharing my story the same way,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m happy to report that today I don\u2019t even think about my injury. It\u2019s now just a blip on the radar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She did, however, get an unexpected reminder of the terrible day on Denali during the Mount Vinson expedition. She calls it \u201ca perfect ending to the story.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Blast from the past<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The cargo plane bringing Hess and her team to the mountain landed on a blue-ice glacier. They disembarked and were waiting for a shuttle to take them to the spot where they would set up their tents when Hess heard a familiar voice. It was her assistant guide from Denali, a guy named Larry.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13684\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13684\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13684\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045256\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Broncos-sized.webp\" alt=\"Kim Hess shows a Denver Broncos flag with Mount Vinson in Antarctica in the background.\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045256\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Broncos-sized.webp 1200w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045256\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Broncos-sized-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045256\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Broncos-sized-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045256\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Broncos-sized-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045256\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Broncos-sized-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30045256\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-Broncos-sized-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13684\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Broncos have had a tough year, but they were on top of the world in Antarctica, thanks to Hess. (Photo courtesy of Kim Hess.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThe last time I saw Larry, we were pulling traction on my arm,\u201d Hess said.<\/p>\n<p>The two of them climbed down together and waited for the helicopter to take her off Denali. She didn\u2019t see him again until the random meeting in Antarctica, of all places.<\/p>\n<p>Hess had never forgotten Larry. She mentioned him often during presentations she makes to groups about her experiences.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI talk about him all the time because he\u2019s such a big part of my story,\u201d she said. \u201cHe was right there. He was the first person to talk to me as my hand was facing in the wrong direction. I\u2019ve always felt this bond with him. I gave him a big hug and thanked him again for helping me. Listening to him tell his side of the story was therapeutic. It wrapped up these trips and I came full circle.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>On to the next<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>After finishing a goal that has consumed her, Hess felt \u201ca mixed bag of emotions,\u201d from relief to pride to sadness.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s next is \u201cthe million-dollar question,\u201d she added. She\u2019d like to complete the \u201cExplorers Grand Slam,\u201d which adds traversing the North Pole and South Pole to climbing the Seven Summits. That will require a break for fundraising.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere will be an adjustment period,\u201d she said. \u201cBut then I think I\u2019ll just keep dreaming and setting goals and pushing my own personal limits and seeing what else the planet has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kim Hess has completed a seven-part dream that has taken years to unfold. The Steamboat Springs native finished her Seven Summit challenge on March 11 when she reached the peak of Australia\u2019s Mount Kosciusko. At just 7,310-foot, it was the easiest of the tallest peaks on each of the world&#8217;s seven continents. Hess reached the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2143,"featured_media":13690,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[1497,2781],"class_list":["post-13680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital","tag-uchealth-yampa-valley-sportsmed-clinic-steamboat-springs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Kim Hess copes with the challenges of climbing &#039;Seven Summits&quot;<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With the help of UCHealth specialists, Kim Hess has overcome the challenges of climbing &#039;Seven Summits.&#039; She is just one peak away from her goal. She suffered a terrible injury on Denali, then succeded in climbing Everest. In December, she climbed Antarctica&#039;s Mount Vinson. On to Australia\u2019s Mount Kosciusko.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Colorado climber conquers world&#039;s \u2018Seven Summits\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With the help of UCHealth specialists, Kim Hess has overcome the challenges of climbing &#039;Seven Summits.&#039; She is just one peak away from her goal. She suffered a terrible injury on Denali, then succeded in climbing Everest. In December, she climbed Antarctica&#039;s Mount Vinson. On to Australia\u2019s Mount Kosciusko.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UCHealth Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-12-30T19:10:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-07-29T19:02:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/12\/30050819\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-horizontal-for-featured-image.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tyler Smith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tyler Smith\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Tyler Smith\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/98c85c0e40c4933eedcec2cd054f349d\"},\"headline\":\"Colorado climber conquers world&#8217;s \u2018Seven Summits\u2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-12-30T19:10:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-07-29T19:02:04+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1190,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2017\\\/12\\\/30050819\\\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-horizontal-for-featured-image.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital\",\"UCHealth Yampa Valley SportsMed Clinic \u2013 Steamboat Springs\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\\\/\",\"name\":\"Kim Hess copes with the challenges of climbing 'Seven Summits\\\"\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/colorado-climber-copes-with-challenges-of-climbing-seven-summits-closes-in-on-last\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2017\\\/12\\\/30050819\\\/EXT_122917_Hess-Vinson-horizontal-for-featured-image.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-12-30T19:10:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-07-29T19:02:04+00:00\",\"description\":\"With the help of UCHealth specialists, Kim Hess has overcome the challenges of climbing 'Seven Summits.' 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