Giffords climbs the French Alps

AIGUILLE DU MIDI, France, July 24 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords took a trip to the French Alps with her husband and a mountain guide, a tweet posted by talkingpointsmemo.com said.

Giffords and her husband, retired NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, hiked to a mountain research station in the French Alps Monday to unveil a plate dedicating the 100th anniversary of the discovery of cosmic rays, KPHO-TV, Phoenix, reported.

Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, was severely wounded in a January 2011 shooting at a public speaking event in Tucson resulting in six deaths and 13 casualties. She decided to step down from her seat.