At a time when the world is discussing gender equality and programs like the WEPs (Women's Empowerment Principles) or the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination (CEDAW)... mountaineering is becoming a symbol of how girls are overcoming not only physical peaks but also social barriers. The story of women in mountaineering is a story of inspiration. It shows how courage and strength of mind can change stereotypes.
Did you know that the first woman to climb Mont Blanc did so back in 1808, with her legs covered by a long and probably not very comfortable skirt 😉 And the record holder and the first Ukrainian climber to climb the 8,000-meter Everest and K2 took the assault on the summit as a visit to a psychologist In general, there is someone to take an example and inspiration from, so prepare the best skirts and pack your backpack, because the time of frantic travel is already waiting for you!
With the KULUAR club, the journey into this amazing world will start confidently and safely, as we open the mountains from Hoverla to Everest, from initial training for beginners to ambitious technically challenging routes for experienced ones. Do you dream of climbing but don't know where to start? Our mountaineering school is designed specifically for beginners - we teach the basics of safety, how to use equipment and how to move properly in the mountains. Also we offer a 12-week training plan for beginners, tips on physical preparation for hiking in the mountains та the correct selection of equipment for cold weather - we explain and explain everything clearly.
For those who already have some experience, we present routes of a more difficult level. Classical peaks of Ukraine (Hoverla or Petros) or more ambitious European peaks - you choose, we have everything to your taste!
"Brides of Mont Blanc" is the name given to the first female climbers in Europe and around the world, as mountaineering originated in the Alpine mountains.
History tells us that the first woman to climb the highest peak of the Alps took place in 1808, when Marie Paradis made it. The lady was not interested in exploring the mysteries of mountain heights. Her motivation was purely practical - to put it simply, by climbing Mont Blanc, she wanted to become famous and escape from a poor life.
Paradis only dreamed of selling food to tourists at the foot of the mountain, can you imagine how far she went to achieve this? So, after finding a guide and wearing a warm skirt, as required by the aesthetic and moral restrictions of the time, Marie set off on a three-day expedition. Her inability and ignorance of mountain behavior caused her to suffer from altitude sickness, leg injuries, and extreme fatigue. Nevertheless, she did not give up and somehow made it. Frankly speaking, according to one of the versions, she was reported 🙂
However, the history of mountaineering is reluctant to recognize her as the first female climber, and more and more often recalls Henriette d'Angeville, the second woman to set foot on the top of Mont Blanc 30 years after Paradis. This lady was simply in love with the white peaks and wanted to touch them with all her might. Unlike her predecessor, she had the right preparation for the climb: training her "strong" legs since childhood, a doctor's consultation, 6 guides loaded like mules...
At the time, there were no mountain shelters on Mont Blanc, so the aristocrat slept in furs and blankets. On the mountain, out of the public eye, so as not to cause a scandal, she modified her skirt into custom-made pants for convenience. The French beauty even revised her diet in preparation for the summit, replacing her usual wine with tea. Henrietta d'Angeville had a real passion for sports, a love that went beyond the whims of rich women.
Her ascent of Mont Blanc was far from easy. Like Paradis and others, Henrietta suffered from altitude sickness. But she wasn't going to give up, instead she made notes in her diary and tracked her heart rate at different altitudes: from 64 beats at rest to 136 beats at one point when she was waiting for her guides to carve out steps in the icy snow.
D'Angeville reached a peak where her guides, ignoring the conventions of the time, lifted her into the air so that she could climb higher than "any human being."
From that day on, Henriette d'Angeville was known as the new "bride of Mont Blanc" and she continued to climb the peaks until she was 69, proving that her passion was genuine and ahead of her time. More than 200 years have passed since Marie Paradis suffered on the slopes of Mont Blanc, and now, responsibly preparing for each expedition, KULUAR team leaders will be happy to accompany those who wish to climb Mont Blanc via Gouter, or via the Italian ridge or the traverse of the three peaks. Some of them - to meet the adventures of their lives, others - for space photos that will be covered with a snowdrift of likes 🙂
"I owe a huge debt to the mountain for breaking the shackles of conventionality from me." - Lizzie le Blond, Irish climber, one of the first to climb a mountain unaccompanied by a man (1880s).
Searching for a cure for her lung disease, Lizzie traveled to Switzerland, where she immediately fell in love with the beauty of the rocky walls and snow-capped peaks... Then, moving to the Norwegian Arctic, she made 33 climbs in six summers, 27 of which she was the first to climb. Challenging tradition, she actually climbed without a guide and enjoyed the "deserted" ascent.
In 1871, Ms. Lucy Walker (a British mountaineer) became the first woman to climb Matterhorn. In the same year, she makes her fourth ascent of the Eiger, during which she is said to have lived on a diet of biscuits and sparkling wine. By the way, with KULUAR, the assault on this world-famous pyramidal peak does not promise sparkling wine, but it does guarantee delicious emotions!
Annie Smith Peck was an American woman who climbed the Popocatepetl and Citlaltepetl volcanoes (Orisaba) in Mexico in 1897. Her ascent of the latter volcano to an altitude of 5,610 meters was the highest point in the Western Hemisphere reached by a woman at the time.
Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei, born in Miharu, Tamura Prefecture, was the first woman to climb Mount Everest (1975), the highest peak in the world. Before her death in 2016, Tabei also became a pioneering mountaineer who climbed 7 peaks - the highest peaks on each continent. Tabei is remembered for breaking down stereotypes about women, both in her culture and beyond.
Wanda Rutkiewicz is a Polish mountain climber, the first European to climb Mount Everest (1978). Her passion for the mountains led the Himalayan woman to the summit of K2, fulfilling her most cherished dream.
Claude Cogan is the first pioneering female climber to make a series of ascents to the peaks of South America and the Himalayan Mountains. After storming Noon (7135 m), she unfortunately died in October 1959 while leading a women's expedition to climb Cho Oyu.
In the 1800s, it was commonly believed that women were weaker than men - less intelligent, less adventurous... and simply less capable. It was assumed that they were better off participating in softer leisure activities. Hiking was considered "unladylike," completely unnatural and pointless. At a time when it was expected that ladies existed only to find a man and bear him children. Going hiking alone? Of course not! With a male guide? Scandalous! And then there's this "terrifying" outfit...
But let's dispel all the clichés and move on to the most interesting:
Probably, there is not a single Ukrainian on the planet who would have peace of mind right now... And where else but in the mountains can you find this peace? Our unbreakable nation and the strength of Ukrainian beauties are known all over the world. But Mukachevo climber Iryna Galay decided to declare it once again. In May 2016, the Transcarpathian girl unfurled the flag of Ukraine on the summit of Mount Everest. This expedition did not stop the Ukrainian extreme climber - on July 27, 2021, Halay reached the top of the difficult eight-thousander K2 (Chogori). She dedicated her ascent to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. No Ukrainian woman had ever been there before her. Iryna inspires others with her love for the mountains: she says that for 10 years before her, Ukrainians hardly ever climbed Everest, and now every year they raise the blue and yellow flag there.
"I am one of those who believe that mountains have their own character. Even in the Carpathians, we have the same Hoverla. It has taught me and the friends I took there so much that we were just glad it allowed us to go down! Any mountains can be very dangerous. There is a weather you have to prepare for," comments Iryna. "You have to have the necessary things - a down jacket, rain protection, the right shoes. And when I climb in our Carpathians and see what people are wearing to the mountains, I want to approach them and ask if they have any sense at all."
Indeed, it is very important to know how to prepare for a hike - from choosing a membrane jacket to avoiding altitude sickness.
"When I go out to perform in a dress and heels, it's a break with the mold," says another Ukrainian woman, climber Tetiana Yalovchak, "and when I'm introduced: here on this stage is a person who has climbed Everest, the 7 highest peaks, swam the Bosphorus... Everyone thinks that a man with snow in his beard is going to come out... and I'm coming out :)"
She has also climbed Vinson Peak. She writes books, speaks at women's conferences, and volunteers. It is worth noting that Tetiana is also involved in a climbing project with amputee veterans.
Antonina Samoilova became the first Ukrainian woman to climb Mount Manaslu (8163 meters). Before that, only male climbers from Ukraine had climbed this mountain. In 2022, Samoilova visited Mount Everest twice. Antonina dedicated her ascent of the world's highest mountain to her father and brother, who both volunteered for the front.
Iryna Karahan is a mountaineer from Dnipro who climbed Denali, the highest mountain in Alaska and North America, in the summer of 2023. In 2022, she reached the summit of Everest and notes that Denali is the coldest. Her next goal is to climb the highest mountain in Australia (Mt. Kosciuszko).
Well... mountains do not know gender, they are only close to the strength of spirit and love of height. If you dream of reaching your peak, the KULUAR club will be happy to help you make it happen! Join the team of dreamers who achieve the impossible!
