Heidi Zimmer

Heidi Zimmer
Born
Heidi Zimmer

Southern California, United States[1]

Heidi Zimmer is an American deaf mountaineer who has accomplished several notable firsts in mountaineering.[2] She was born deaf, and became the first deaf woman in history to reach the top of Mount McKinley on June 13, 1991.[3][4][5] At the top, she unfolded a banner reading "DEAF WOMAN, A PARADE THROUGH THE DECADES".[3] On August 15, 1992, Zimmer became the first deaf person to summit Mount Elbrus.[4][6] On September 22, 1994, Zimmer became the first deaf woman to summit Kilimanjaro.[7][4] She has also won a bronze medal in the Deaf Olympics.[4] She graduated from Gallaudet University in 1978.[2]

In 1996, Zimmer was diagnosed with Usher's syndrome.[8]

She hopes to climb all the Seven Summits, the highest mountains of each of the seven continents.[4]

  1. ^ Putz, Karen (2013). The passionate lives of deaf and hard of hearing people. Chicago, Ill.: Barefoot Publications. ISBN 978-1-4904-6520-3.
  2. ^ a b "Chapter 1 : Connections to Algebra : Heidi Zimmer". Welcome to Algebra 1. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing. Retrieved 2011-08-09. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ a b "Denali (Mt. McKinley)". HeidiZimmer.com. 1991-06-13. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
  4. ^ a b c d e Kittredge, Dan (April 26, 2004). "Deaf mountaineer Heidi Zimmer lectures on 'Seven Summits'". The Crusader. College of the Holy Cross. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
  5. ^ "Arts festival, conferences, exhibits on the deaf draw 9,500". Associated Press. July 13, 2002.(subscription required)
  6. ^ "Mt. Elbrus". HeidiZimmer.com. 1992-08-15. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
  7. ^ "Kilimanjaro". HeidiZimmer.com. 1994-09-22. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
  8. ^ "Seabeck Deaf-Blind Retreat". Heidizimmer.com. Retrieved 2011-08-09.