November
1, 2002
Exploring
Women Mountaineering Pioneers with Rebecca Brown '83
Rebecca
A. Brown '83, a freelance journalist whose writing focuses on
outdoor and environmental issues, will discuss her book Women
on High: Pioneers of Mountaineering on Saturday, November
2, at 3 pm, at the Odyssey Bookshop. The event is cosponsored
by the Center for Environmental Literacy and the Mount Holyoke
College Alumnae Association.
Mountaineering's early
days found male climbers garnering praise and admiration for daring
summit ascents while women were relegated to the role of observers.
But not all women were satisfied with the view from the valley—many
yearned for the thrill of gazing down on the world from the peaks
of Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and Mount Washington. In her book,
Brown chronicles the lives and achievements of women who not only
followed in the footsteps of their male counterparts, but often
surpassed them. Brown explores the motivations that led women
such as Annie Smith Peck, Lucy Walker, and Meta Brevoort to ignore
convention, criticism, and censure to become accomplished, respected
outdoorswomen whose mountaineering feats are as extraordinary
today as they were at the turn of the century. Women on High
will thrill armchair adventurers with tales of dangerous summit
attempts, blinding whiteouts, and narrow escapes; transfix mountain
historians with details of first ascents, period gear, and firsthand
accounts; and captivate anyone who loves a good story about the
mountains.
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