Where the Air Grows Thin

'An incredible work of art.' - Alison Levine, New York Times best-selling author of On the Edge When Nicole LoBiondo set out to climb the Seven Summits - the highest mountain on every continent - she never imagined that her hardest climb would be the one waiting at home. As Nicole pushes through extreme expeditions - from Antarctica's frozen plateau to the thin air of Everest - she returns home between climbs to care for her mother through a devastating illness. These parallel journeys reveal a story of grit, love, and the emotional cost of choosing strength when life demands everything at once. With clear-eyed honesty and vivid, cinematic detail, LoBiondo captures the reality of high-altitude mountaineering, the toll of long-term caregiving, and the universal struggle to survive what breaks us. Ultimately, she discovers that endurance is not just the ability to keep going up a mountain but also the courage to face loss, reshape identity, and rise again. A gripping blend of adventure story and intimate family memoir, Where the Air Grows Thin is a powerful story of adventure, caregiving, ALS, and the journey of a daughter fighting to hold on to her mother while learning how to let go.