Women on High: Pioneers of Mountaineering
Nineteenth-century women took to the mountains for recreation,  adventure, challenge, escape, or spiritual peace. The wealthy  climbed with large entourages of porters; the less-well-off  struggled with mutinous guides and men who chafed at female  leadership. We can barely imagine the hardships mountaineers  endured then with their heavy, low-tech equipment and clothing,  but women also had to contend with corsets and voluminous  skirts, not to mention societal restrictions. The author, a New  Hampshire outdoorswoman and journalist, makes vivid use of these  women's own words to tell their fascinating stories. Mostly  American and British, these women climbed in the Alps, Alaska,  South America, and the Himalayas. Sidebars discuss such topics  as dress reform and Tschingel, a dog who accompanied Meta  Brevoort on many climbs, including the Alps' highest peak, Mont  Blanc. An excellent contribution to women's sports history, this  book is recommended for all academic and public libraries.Kathy  Ruffle, Coll. of New Caledonia Lib., Prince George, B.C.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.