‘Edge of the Map’ chronicles the glory of mountaineer Christine Boskoff
Almost 30 years ago, two Appleton women found themselves on the other side of the world in Nepal for the first time.
They’d never met, despite graduating from Appleton East High school just three years apart. One was teaching English, while the other was starting a mountaineering career that would eventually set records, gain numerous accolades and ultimately lead to her death.
Their paths didn’t cross then, but they’re now intertwined. The former teacherturned-author, Johanna Garton wrote about esteemed mountaineer Christine Boskoff in her recent book “Edge of the Map” (Mountaineer Books).
Garton started writing “Edge of the Map” in 2017, picking up on work her mother, Jane Garton, started almost a decade earlier. Jane Garton, a former Post-Crescent editor and Women’s
Fund director, compiled research for the book and became friends with Boskoff’s mother, Joyce Feld, but after she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s she passed the work on to her daughter.
“The connection between me, my mom and Chris – it seemed like it brought together all of these generations of Appleton women in a way that was really powerful,” Garton said. “It’s very much come full circle, both the ability to finish my mom’s work as well as to carry on this friendship with Christine’s mom that my mom had forged.”
Boskoff studied electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. During that time period, she also learned to fly, Garton said in an email message. After graduation from UWM she worked for Lockheed in Atlanta.
Through her research, Garton learned that Boskoff had an unusual ability to adapt to high altitudes and climbed six of 14 mountain peaks around the world that are higher than 8,000 meters. That’s a record among American women that still stands today. Her climbs included some of the world’s most famous peaks: Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro and the Matterhorn.
Boskoff gained accolades in the climbing world until her death in 2006. She and her partner, Charlie Fowler, went missing in the mountains in the western Sichuan Province of China. The search drew worldwide media coverage, and it was discovered they died in an avalanche. The story was captured in a Post-Crescent article at the time and prompted Jane Garton to start research for what would become “Edge of the Map.”
While writing the book, Garton was drawn to Boskoff ’s character. Garton said her humility and quiet determination to thrive in a male-dominated sport like mountaineering inspired her.
“Christine was so passionate about what she wanted to do and where she wanted to go that she really stuck to it and avoided all of the noise,” Garton said. “I hope people find that thing in their life that they love to do and follow it and ignore the noise.”
Garton sees parallels to her own career.
Mountaineer Christine Boskoff is the subject of Johanna Garton’s book “Edge of the Map.” “If you go on Amazon now and look at the mountaineering books, the top 100 books are written by men with maybe one or two exceptions,” Garton said. “I’m very proud that I’m among those women authors.”
Boskoff climbed six of 14 mountain peaks around the world that are higher than 8,000 meters. That’s a record
among American women.