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Nicki Branch: Living the Dream
After reading "The Seven Summits" by Dick Bass in 1994, Nicki Branch dreamed of climbing the highest mountain on each continent. Her passion for climbing grew from hiking vacations in the Sierra Nevada's, Washington and Oregon. She started climbing the highest mountains in Southern California: Mount San Gorgonio, Mount San Jacinto, and Mount Baldy. Then challenged herself and her husband at the time to climb four peaks on a week long vacation: Mount Whitney, Half Dome, Mount Lassen, and Mount Shasta. It seemed to be an unattainable goal with the logistics of driving between each mountain, but through courage and determination it was accomplished. Nicki lost 13 lbs on that trip but learned an important lesson that would stay with her forever: you can accomplish great things if you put your mind to it. She also found out she could push her body to achieve way more than she ever believed possible. Nicki was thinking about the Seven Summits and how to train for them when she found out she was pregnant with her son, Jordan. She put all climbing on hold and focused on her son, family life and work.
In 2000, Nicki lost her father suddenly, then her stepfather two months later. She realized how precious life was and that it could be gone in a minute. She later divorced and purchased a horse ranch, something she had always wanted throughout her life but never thought she could or should. Nicki then founded FalconRidge Equine Rescue, Inc., a non-profit corporation that saved unwanted horses from neglect and slaughter throughout the United States. Nicki learned to helped train wild and abused horses utilizing natural horsemanship methods from her partner, professional horse trainer David Lee Archer. Nicki also let her passion for charity and philanthropic work flourish, donating to and working with various charitable causes. Nicki has college degrees in Art, Chemistry, and Public Administration as well as 26 years experience as an environmental laboratory supervisor. She is one eighth Cherokee and during this time learned about Native American spiritual beliefs of nature and animals. She sponsors an elder on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, to this day an area of extreme poverty in this country.
In 2006, Nicki lost her job of 26 years after a reorganization of the company and was devastated. Two months later, her mother passed suddenly. Nicki was 48 years old and starting menopause. With three major life changes happening at once, Nicki felt lost and in a deep depression. She started thinking about what in her life made her feel good and thoughts of mountaineering returned and how physically and mentally great she felt while climbing at higher altitudes. Nicki thought of her dream of climbing the 7 Summits that she'd put away long ago. Jordan was now 11 yrs old, doing excellent in school and playing Little League baseball, and she shared custody of him with her ex-husband. She realized if she completed the 7 Summits within two years, she would have two world records — a major feat even for the most experienced mountaineer. She wondered if she could do it. Doubting herself, but analytical by nature, Nicki started figuring out how to break the pieces of her big goal into attainable parts. She was not a professional mountaineer by any means and had not climbed in 12 years. The first thing Nicki did was believe in herself, that she could accomplish her goal. Nicki formed her plan, and to date, she is on schedule toward achieving her dream of climbing the 7 Summits.
While working on this Quest for the 7 Summits, Nicki hopes to help inspire and motivate people everywhere. To encourage them to find their inner strengths, to learn they can realize life long dreams they've put off, to risk adventure when they thought they couldn't, to pursue any goals they choose, or literally venture out into nature and get out of their suburban homes for personal tranquility, more happiness and peace of mind. Nicki hopes people will get over that hump that stops them from doing what they can, be it from self-doubt, worries of selfishness, what friends or spouse will think, or lack of time. Lastly, Nicki hopes to motivate people to live life to the fullest and achieve goals they thought they could never do. She would like everyone out there with dreams, whatever they may be, to no longer put them off for a day that never comes, but instead, to visualize, believe, plan, and do it now!
Follow Nicki's incredible journey to the highest points of the world as she strives to attain her goal, learning valuable lessons along the way and seeing where it leads her!
Nicki in the News
Website: Anya Zolotusky