Phil and Sue Ershler
Together on top

noon, Friday November 2
Literary Lunch Break
Donald Cameron Hall Dining Room

Sue and Phil Ershler

Together on Top of the World

To coincide with the five-year anniversary of their Seven Summits achievement, Phil and Susan Ershler have captured the story of their partnership – in life, love, and on the mountains – in Together On Top of the World, which details the mental and physical struggles the couple pushed past while climbing the highest mountain on every continent.

A world-class climber and guide, Phil Ershler made the first American ascent of the North Face of Everest in 1984. He climbed the North side of Kangchenjunga in 1989, and has well over 400 successful climbs of Mt. Rainier to his credit. As the owner of International Mountain Guides, Phil now guides on six continents.

A former business executive, Susan had reached the top of her profession in sales before ever strapping on a pair of crampons. Before meeting Phil at age 36, she had never hiked, climbed, or traveled abroad. To train for their Seven Summits goal, Susan spent every lunch hour for a year climbing the 35 stories in her high-rise office building with a 40-pound pack strapped to her back. Susan now travels world-wide speaking about her life experiences.

In May of 2002, the Ershlers summitted Everest and became the first couple to climb the Seven Summits together, earning them media coverage on Good Morning American, CNN Headline News, CBS, ABC, and Fox networks across the US. During Thursday’s Literary Lunch Break, they will read an excerpt from Together On Top of the World.