Gordon started climbing in her mid-30s after a friend introduced her to alpinism in Chamonix, France. She spent the next seven years honing her technical skills across a variety of disciplines, including mixed climbing, ice climbing and ski mountaineering. In October 2015 Gordon embarked on an endurance challenge, the Explorers Grand Slam, and set out to beat the women's record, then held by Vanessa O'Brien. She has ascended the highest peak on each continent and also skied to both the North and South Poles. She became 46th person to complete the Explorers Grand Slam challenge when she reached the summit of Mount Everest on 19 May 2016 and has set the women's speed record by reaching the summit of Denali via the Cassin ridge on 11 June 2016