Kit DesLauriers, the first person to climb and ski off the highest peak on all seven continents, is presenting "Journey Through the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge" as part of North Face's 2010 Never Stop Exploring Speaker Series, in honor of the Arctic Refuge's 50th Anniversary. She speaks Wednesday, Oct. 13, at the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture.

DesLauriers recounts her journey through the the 19-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as she and her team towed sleds across the frozen tundra and skied off the highest peaks in the region.

DesLauriers, who first realized she wanted to pursue big mountain skiing in Sikkim, India, in 1998, has won extreme skiing events becoming two-time world freeskiing champion and skiing off the seven summits. In addition, DesLauriers created Pursue Balance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing leadership for personal transformation and environmental stewardship.

The presentation begins at 7 p.m. with a VIP reception at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event are available for free on a first-come first-served basis. Guaranteed seats are available starting at $8 at thenorthface.com/speakerseries. VIP Reception tickets, which include preferred seating, a meet and greet with DesLauriers, beer, wine and light food, are available for $20.

All of the proceeds from the VIP ticket sales will be donated to the Hans Saari Memorial Fund. Following the presentation, there will be an interactive question-and-answer session and a book/poster signing. For more information, visit thenorthface.com or northernlightstrading.com.

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