Annapurna

"Re: Koh-i-Marchech (21,200')
Dear Miss Blum:
Not too easy a letter to write as your prior work in Peru demonstrates your ability to go high, and a source I trust has furnished a glowing account of your pleasant nature in the mountains.
But one woman and nine men would seem to me to be unpleasant high on the open ice, not only in excretory situations, but in the easy masculine companionship which is so vital a part of the joy of an expedition.
Sorry as hell."

"In planning our tactics for Annapurna, we considered the Alpine approach but decided it would be more prudent to emulate the traditional siege tactic of large expeditions before trying anything more dangerous or demanding. But even meticulous planning and diligent hard work are not enough to ensure success. On the world's highest peaks, storms can sweep gear, camps, and climbers away; or avalanches can bury them in an instant. We were very small, and our hold on existence was fragile in the shadow of this enormous mountain and the forces it could unleash."


"That summer I went on a guided climb of Mount Waddington in British Columbia and was informed by our climbing guide that 'there are no good women climbers. Women climbers either aren't good climbers, or they aren't real women.' Not long after that I received an advertisement for a commercial climb of Mount McKinley, on which 'women are invited to join the party at base and advanced base to assist in the cooking chores. Special rates are available. They will not be admitted on the climbs, however.' When I asked why not, I was informed that women are a liability in the high mountains; they are not strong enough to carry their share of the loads and lack the emotional stability to withstand the psychological stresses of a high-altitude climb."