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Omaha Magazine

Improbable Ascent with paraclimber Maureen Beck at the Holland Center

Beck will share how a little creativity and a whole lot of grit and determination have propelled her

With her trademark humor and wit, world champion paraclimber and 2019 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Maureen Beck will share how a little creativity and a whole lot of grit and determination have propelled her to the top of her field as she chronicles her adventures as a one-handed athlete.

Born with one hand, she tried rock climbing for the first time after a camp counselor told her she could skip it. Her love of the sport was instantaneous, but there was no guide for climbing with one hand. Unfazed, she decided to figure it out for herself through trial and error—one of her early adaptive climbing innovations even involved taping a metal ladle to her arm. Before long she was leading a crew of passionate adaptive climbers around the world, forging a path for a new generation.

After tackling some of the hardest climbs by a one-handed athlete and securing two world paraclimbing championships, Maureen yearned to push still further outside of her comfort zone. So when legendary adaptive climber Jim Ewing asked her to join his attempt to make the first adaptive ascent of one of North America’s classic, most wild towers—the Lotus Flower Tower in Canada’s Cirque of the Unclimbables—she didn’t hesitate. On their month-long expedition they dealt with rough weather, sudden illness and a food shortage, yet Maureen found herself growing addicted again to the thrills and challenges of the sport.

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Date & Time

March 22, 2022

7:30PM - 9:30PM

Location

Holland Performing Arts Center - 1200 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE, 68102 1200 Douglas Street Omaha 68102 NE US

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