🧗‍♀️ From Near-Death to Rock Climbing Again: Melissa Strong on Injury, Recovery Tools, and Writing a Memoir

The hands that built Melissa’s entire sport, business, and life were taken from her in an accidental instant.Her story explores what came next: the mental tools she invented to survive, the small triumphs that felt enormous, and the athletic determination it took to find her way back to the rock.Melissa's memoir, Climbing Through: A Courageous Story of Grit, Healing and Second Chances, is also the spring pick for Grit Lit, our adventure book club. Join by May 7th to get Melissa's book in your next box.Melissa Strong is a sponsored rock climber, writer, and restaurant owner based in Estes Park, Colorado, and El Paso, Texas. She's the founder and owner of two acclaimed Estes Park restaurants, Bird & Jim and The Bird's Nest, and together with her husband owns Wagon Wheel Co-op, a guiding concession in Hueco Tanks State Park. Melissa and Angie talk about:Finding rock climbing at 26 after realizing she couldn't run half a mileBecoming a sponsored climber in an era before climbing gyms were on every cornerThe near-fatal accident that severely burned her handsSeeing a forest and tunnel during her near-death experienceThe "closet of boxes" self-coaching tool she invented in the hospitalHaving her arms literally sewn together for three weeks to rebuild skinTapping into her athlete's mindset to push through recoveryWhy women need to stop shouldering everything and give themselves a breakSee Her Outside is partnering with⁠ Western Colorado University's Outdoor Industry MBA⁠ — a remote degree program built for people who want to lead, build, and create in the outdoor space. If you've ever thought about building a career or business in the outdoor industry, WCU's Outdoor Industry MBA was made for you.📚 Join the Grit Lit Adventure Book Club to read Melissa’s book this spring and enjoy other woman-created goodies!Check out these resources:📖 Melissa’s book - Climbing Through: A Courageous Story of Grit, Healing and Second Chances🏔️ Melissaisstrong.com✨ Melissa on Instagram➡️ The Cairn Project on IG✨ The Cairn Project's newsletter🥾 Become a Trailblazer📅 Summit Scholarship Foundation🎓⁠ Western Colorado University Outdoor Industry MBA⁠Like this episode? Leave a 5-star rating and review on your podcast app!You can help us close the gender gap outdoors and beyond⁠Become a Trailblazer⁠. Your Adventure Fundraiser makes wilderness experiences possible for girls and women.Check out the⁠ Summit Scholarship Foundation⁠.Share this episode with a woman in your life who has a wild business idea she hasn't acted on yet.Make sure you subscribe to the See Her Outside Podcast so you don't miss a story!⁠Follow on Spotify⁠⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠Listen on:⁠ Amazon⁠,⁠ Pocket Casts⁠,⁠ iHeartRadio⁠,⁠ other platforms⁠