Conquering Aconcagua mountain
On March 8, the world will celebrate International Women’s Day. And so will ArcelorMittal! In fact, even if steel is often considered an industry ‘only for men’, today 16% of ArcelorMittal employees worldwide are women. Among them, Marta Morawska, Purchasing Manager at ArcelorMittal Siemianowice, Stainless segment. Marta left her homeland of Poland with the Annapurna Alpinist Club to venture out on a climbing expedition. Read on to learn more about her bold enterprise!
Marta and the other alpinists left for Argentina on February 8, 2010. Their objective: to reach the summit of the Aconcagua mountain which, at 6962m, is the highest mountain in the Americas. To be ready for this ambitious enterprise, Marta undertook a strenuous 4-month preparation. “Each attempt to climb desirable mountain peaks is related to a considerable challenge, physical and mental alike. But above all, the indispensible elements are determination, acclimatisation, and physical condition,” Marta explained.
Before taking up the Aconcagua challenge, Marta already undertook a Himalayas expedition, completed the climb of the Elbrus (which at 5642m is referred to as the Crown of the World) and numerous expeditions to the Tatra and Beskid Mountains. “Such intensive training resulted in pain and ‘tiredness’ of my muscles. However what cheered me up was the fact that it was getting better and better every time so at the end of the week the trek through the Beskid trails, in spite of snowy conditions and a 15kg backpack, did not seem too big a problem.”
For the past 2 weeks, Marta has been sharing this experience with her ArcelorMittal colleagues by sending in her impressions on a weekly basis. In her last update on February 19, she wrote: “I feel extremely tired, really shattered but happy because another point was reached – 5100!!! Unfortunately a few members of the crew had to give up due to mountain sickness. A man can be destroyed, but not defeated.” And looking at Marta you can only conclude: nor can a woman!
Collaboration: Julien Duboelle and Corinne Lysy, Stainless segment, ArcelorMittal
Want to know more?
- ArcelorMittal people can read Marta’s weekly updates on the Stainless Intranet
5 comments
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February 25th, 2010 by Tony Newport
Motivation at its utmost!
Enjoy the journey to get there and to get back safely.
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February 25th, 2010 by josephus munu
ENJOY YOURSELF, BUT WHY DO U HAVE TO TAKE THESE JOURNING OF GOING TO THESE MOUNTAIN?
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February 26th, 2010 by Hans Tims
It is nice if you have the time to do this. However I do not think the 8 of March is ment for this. I am an active member of Amnesty International and I think this day is more for all the women in the worl that ar suppressed in any way.
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February 26th, 2010 by Ginette
Hi Hans!
Though it should undoubtedly be a day to remember oppressed women throughout the world, the International Women’s Day is in the first place a day in which the world celebrates the past, present and future achievements of women.
Less than 100 years ago, it was still impossible for women to have a career in the steel industry, or to travel to the other side of the world to fulfill their dreams. We believe that telling stories such as Marta’s is a way to honour our female colleagues, who are helping change traditional mindsets.
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March 2nd, 2010 by Mary Carey
I think the journey of life is something each person has to map out for themselves. For some people, climbing a mountain may take them past a personal hurdle or help them to realise a challenge that in the end leads them towards becoming a better person. Perhaps some people see a vacation as a two week stint on a beach, while someone else wants to use their free time to prepare for, and then tackle, a climb up a mountain. Motivation is the key and life is for living. Congratulations to Marta and her Alpinist friends for making the journey a little more challenging, and thus a little more rewarding. There’s nowhere else but up!
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