jill fredston

Born: 1958

Hometown: Anchorage, AK

Education: M.A. in Polar Studies/Glaciology Occupation: Avalanche specialist, author, professional speaker

Expeditions: 25,000+ miles of rowing in the far north and sailing around North and South America

Favorite Place: Wild country

Best Discovery: Finding a whale that had lived in Shakespeare's time frozen into the side of a mountain (on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen)

Favorite Items In The Field: Dark chocolate and good books

Personal Hero: Pioneering environmentalist Mardy Murie

Hobbies: Rowing, hiking, reading

Books: Snowstruck: In the Grip of Avalanches; Snow Sense: A Guide to Evaluating Snow;

Rowing to Latitude: Journeys Along the Arctic's Edge

Advice: Compose your own life. Be curious, pay attention, and keep evaluating.