Freda Du Faur guaranteed her place in climbing history when she became the first woman to summit Mt. Cook. She was an Australian who visited Mt. Cook in 1906 and was inspired by the Southern Alps. At the Hermitage, she fell out with other women who advised her never to spend a night alone with a male guide.
Freda's femininity challenged the local male dominance of mountain climbing, but she was determined to do major climbs and made many first ascents. In 1913, she climbed the three peaks of Mt. Cook, making her the leading amateur climber of her day and that feat opened the door for many other women climbers.
I read about another woman climber from NZ who made her last hiking trip to the top of a mountain in Italy in August of 1999 at the age of 90! Now that's what I like to hear about---- women enjoying their love of the out-of-doors and pursuing their dreams no matter what age!
We all liked the Hillary Museum at Mt. Cook, but I especially liked the info on the women. Go girls!
No comments:
Post a Comment