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Emma Kirwan climbed the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador in 2009 and hated every step the way up. "My mantra the whole way up was, 'Remember how much this stinks because you don't ever want to do it again,''' says 26-year-old Emma, a Wilton High School graduate who lives in Norwalk.
Emma's perspective changed once she reached the summit. She started her own nonprofit agency, Peaks Over Poverty, to bring rural people and outdoor enthusiasts together to promote healthy living and conservation of mountain resources. One way to support the organization is by donating to climbers as they scale mountains.
On Wednesday, Emma will begin the 4,585-foot climb back up Cotopaxi to raise money for her organization and with a different perspective. "There's something about being self-sufficient in nature and getting as close to nature as possible,'' Emma says. "It's a very empowering feeling."
Kirwan said Cotopaxi is the closest peak in the world to the sun. It has erupted 50 times since 1738, the last time in 1940.
The excursion figures to last 12 hours. Emma and her group of five, including Wilton resident Matt O'Connell, will leave a hut midway up the volcano. She figures to wear 20 pounds of equipment, including a helmet, headlamp, harness and water.
Her mother enrolled her in a rock-climbing course at age 9. Kirwan played soccer and field hockey at Wilton High and has always been "an outdoor girl." She worked in Ecuador for two years after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania.
Her attitude about mountain climbing has changed. "I enjoy the total experience,'' Emma says. "It's the unpleasant hike up. It's getting down the mountain and sliding down on your butt as you reach the bottom. To me it's so much more fulfilling than a lot of other activities you can pursue."
Follow Emma on her climb and help support her here.
