Julia Brier

In an attempt to avoid being snowed-in somewhere in the mountains on their way to the gold fields of California in 1849, Julia Brier’s family decided to follow a group of 34 men straight into what has since been named Death Valley. Even when hunger and dehydration had reduced her to 75 pounds, Brier took care of her sick husband and children, packed and unpacked the oxen daily, and set up camp every night, where she cooked for them all before going to sleep. The whole trip took 134 days and proved that even Death Valley can’t whip an in-your-face woman.