On top of the world! Brave Gabby Giffords caps her amazing recovery by reaching the peak of a mountain in the French Alps

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: | Updated:

Smiling at the camera and with the mountains providing a stunning backdrop, these photographs of Gabrielle Giffords atop the French Alps provide one of the clearest signs yet of the remarkable recovery the former U.S. Congresswoman has made since the Tuscon shootings.  

Leaving the U.S. for the first time since she was shot in the head by a gunman in January 2011, Giffords today braved the elements to join her astronaut husband, Mark Kelly, hiking in the mountains near Mont Blanc.

Wrapped up and wearing hiking boots, the couple were snapped at an altitude of 3,842 meters (12,605 feet) with incredible views of rest of the Alps behind them. At times, Kelly turned to help his wife, who still uses a wheelchair much of the time, reach the impressive summit. 

First time overseas since shooting: Giffords went hiking with Mr Kelly near Mont-Blanc in Chamonix in July

First time overseas since shooting: Giffords went hiking with Mr Kelly near Mont-Blanc in Chamonix in July

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Achievement: Giffords, center, grins at the camera alongside her husband Mark Kelly and their daughter Claire

In January, one year after being shot in the head by a crazed gunman, Giffords resigned from her political office to concentrate on her recovery. That decision is undoubtedly paying off with the 42-year-old now able to jet to Europe, where she is supporting her husband.

While Kelly has been a solid support over the past year and a half today marks an obvious role reversal with Giffords proudly standing by his side as he took part in a work-related walk.

'Gabby is really enjoying this visit,' Kelly told friends and reporters. 'This is a great day for us.'

Giffords rode the two-stage cable car to a station with spectacular views of Mont Blanc and other peaks in France, Italy and Switzerland.

In bright sunshine but sub-zero temperatures at an altitude of 3,842 meters (12,605 feet) at the cable-car station on the Aiguille du Midi peak, Giffords smiled as she stood with her husband's arm around her shoulders.

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Helping hand: Mark Kelly, right, NASA astronaut and mountain guide Vincent Lameyre, left, help Giffords reach a peak of 3,842 meters (12,605 feet)

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Impressive: Less than two years after she was critically injured, Giffords spent a day hiking in the French Alps

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Stunning: Giffords supported her husband before he set off with two other astronauts walk from L'Aiguille du Midi to the Refuge des Cosmiques

Along with two other astronauts, Kelly today walked from L'Aiguille du Midi to the Refuge des Cosmiques near Mont-Blanc in Chamonix to mark the year anniversary of successfully installing the cosmic ray detector on the International Space Station.

Kelly was the commander of the STS-134 mission where they flew the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) to the ISS.

Today’s walk was also made to unveil a milestone plate for the 100th anniversary of the discovery of cosmic rays by Victor Hess in 1912.

Giffords will continue to support Kelly and accompany him on a visit to Cern in Geneva on Wednesday.

Six people were killed in last year's shooting, which was thought to have been an attempt to assassinate Giffords. She is undergoing intensive therapy and her speech is impaired.

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Incredible: The adventures in the Alps are the latest sign in how far Giffords has come with her recovery

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Support: Giffords was in France to support her husband as he walked from L'Aiguille du Midi to the Refuge des Cosmiques near Mont-Blanc in Chamonix to unveil a milestone plate for the 100th anniversary of the discovery of cosmic rays by Victor Hess in 1912

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