Pioneers in Mountaineering, Climbing, and Adventure
“Mountain climbing is the greatest sport in the world…There is no better fun than that of sliding hundreds of feet on the snow in mid-summer while the rest of the world is sweltering below you, or to know the wonderful exhilaration of viewing range on range of mountain peaks for hundreds of miles, that rise in tinted ranks against the sky.”
– Alma Wagen, pioneering Northwest mountaineer & guide
Meet the Women Who Paved the Way in the Outdoors
Alma Wagen, circa 1920. Tacoma Public Library
Alma Wagen, the first woman to work as a professional mountain guide in North America, grew up climbing windmills on a farm in Minnesota. “There were places to climb and I wanted to teach other women the joy of climbing,” Wagen told an interviewer in 1923, in a profile in American Magazine. In 1918, Mt. Rainier National Park Superintendent Dewitt L. Reaburn described Wagen’s groundbreaking position as “the final and undeniable proof that there’s no longer any limit to what women can do.” You can read more about Alma Wagen’s personal and professional life in Pretty Girls & Windmills, by Jason Martin, on Alpenglow.org.
Lynn Hill was the first person (male or female) to make a free ascent of the Nose on El Capitan, and she is a major advocate and spokesperson for women’s rock climbing. Hill isrecognized as one of the best rock climbers of all time, and as one of the best female climbers, worldwide.
Ashima Shiraishi,a professional American rock climber, is one of the strongest female rock climbers of all time. When she was 13, Shiraishi became the youngest person (male or female) to climb a sport route rated 5.14d/5.15a, and she was the first female to ascend Dai Koyamada V15 “Horizon” in Mount Hiei, Japan.
Arlene Blum led the first successful American ascent of Annapurna, which was doubly recognized as the first all-women ascent of Annapurna. She was the first American woman to attempt to climb Mt. Everest, and she was part of the first all-women ascent of Denali. Blum is also an author, an environmental health scientist, and an environmental safety advocate.
Nimdoma Sherpa in 2008 became the youngest woman to summit Mt. Everest, at the age of 17. Growing up in a remote Nepalese mountain village, Sherpa dreamed of climbing mountains. “The Sherpa are known as mountain heroes and I always wanted to live up to my name” she told an interviewer for Aida, in a 2008 article.
Alison Hargreaves, a British alpinist who died on K2 in 1995,was the first person, male or female, to solo climb all six of the great North Faces of the Alps – those of the Matterhorn, Eiger, Grandes Jorasses, Piz Badile, Petit Dru, and Cima Grande di Lavaredo. Hargreaves is also recognized for climbing Mt. Everest solo, without bottled oxygen or Sherpa support.
Margo Hayes is a trailblazing climber who has redefined what’s possible in sport climbing. She made history as the first woman to climb a confirmed 5.15a route, proving that dedication, precision, and fearless ambition can push the limits of the sport. Beyond her record-breaking ascents, Margo inspires climbers worldwide with her technical skill, mental focus, and relentless drive, making her a true icon in the climbing community.
Further Reading on Women Who Shaped Adventure
Arlene Blum, an environmental scientist and advocate for the regulation of cancer-causing chemicals in fabrics, was a very active mountaineer who helped organize the first all-woman ascent of Denali in 1970. Her book, Annapurna: A Woman’s Place, tells the story of the first American ascent of Annapurna, by an all-woman expedition in 1978.
Molly Loomis, mountaineer and guide, writes for the American Alpine Journal. Her 2005 article, “Going Manless, Looking Back, Forward, and Inward,” features insights from interviews with nearly two dozen leading women alpinists. Giving voice to their stories, Loomis’s article explores reasons women are still underrepresented in mountaineering, and discusses the past, present, and future trends of women and alpinism.
Shelby Carpenter, AAI Instructor and Guide, wrote an insightful blog post in 2016, Tips for Women on AAI Courses. This educational posting discusses staying warm, women-specific mountaineering equipment, pee funnels and urination, general hygiene, menstruation management tips, and the importance of attitude. In 2017 Shelby wrote a similar post with considerations for Day Trips.
The AAI Climbing Blog features several other posts that highlight women in climbing, including awe-inspiring rock climbing videos (2013), a discussion on women’s programs (2008), and previous Guide Like Liz scholarship winners (2015).
