Mount Shasta
Another fascinating woman I’ve discovered through travel is Annie Smith Peck. She was curious about things from a young age and set her ambitions high. Little did she know, she would reach new heights in more ways than one. She began her hobby of mountaineering while working as a teacher and climbed many mountains around the world, including 14,380-foot Mount Shasta in California. However, Annie’s clothes, rather than her accomplishments, sparked the discussion of where women belonged in society, as she wore a tunic and pants while climbing. Regardless, she definitely paved the way for adventurous women! If only she could see Mount Shasta now, with all the super-cool female climbers in their pants and puffers.
Mount Rainier
Another teacher-climber around Peck’s time, Fay Fuller, was a teacher in Yelm, Washington. I had an opportunity to learn about her while visiting Mt. Rainier National Park. While teaching, she met P. B. Van Trump, the first to ascend Mount Rainier. After making her own attempt to climb the mountain alone, Van Trump invited her to his climbing party in 1890. This ascent was successful, and she became the first woman to climb the peak of Mount Rainier, and unlike Annie Smith Peck, she did it in a skirt! One day, I hope to tread the same ground as Fay Fuller…but I might opt out of her glorious fashion choices.