Carolina Karlsson, uae
“I was going to do whatever it took to see that magic number pop up on my Garmin.”
Desert heat, heatstroke and Everesting, a ride against the odds.
“It’s hard to put into words what Everesting means… but by believing in myself, working hard, and never giving up, I can do things I never imagined.”
Dubai-based Swedish cyclist Carolina Karlsson’s, UAE Everesting journey began in one of the harshest environments imaginable—the intense heat of the UAE. What started as a challenge on a single climb quickly turned into an obsession that pushed her to the limits of endurance.
Her first attempt didn’t count. Despite riding through the night and pushing beyond exhaustion, she fell 192 meters short of the 8,848 meters required. But instead of giving up, Carolina was determined to try again.
On her second attempt, the brutal desert heat took its toll. As the sun climbed, so did her body temperature. After battling heatstroke, exhaustion, and setbacks, she was forced to stop before completing the climb. But she didn’t give up.
“I was going to do whatever it took to see that magic number pop up on my Garmin. Whatever it took.”
After all the setbacks, Carolina finally conquered her first full Everesting in December 2024 on a climb in Sharjah.
“I was scared and completely broken, and the closer I got to the number, the more emotional I got. All this hard work was about to pay off… just epic.” She did it—her first full Everesting.
In February 2025, Carolina returned to Jebel Jais, the place where it all began. Facing the relentless desert heat once again, this time, with no doubts, and with her coach Nick by her side, she conquered the climb.
Now, she’s setting her sights on Mauna Kea, one of the toughest climbs on Earth. 🌋
What a journey, Carolina! We applaud your resilience—keep pushing forward! 👏
“It’s hard to put into words what Everesting means… but by believing in myself, working hard, and never giving up, I can do things I never imagined.”
-Carolina Karlsson, UAE-
