The First Female Mountaineers (part 2)

The following an adaptation from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Henriette d'Angeville and Anne Lister are considered to be the first true female mountaineers. Less than a month after Lister’s ascent of Mont Vignemale, discussed yesterday, Henriette d'Angeville would become the second female to stand atop Mont Blanc in France. This ascent was made with great fanfare, both before and after her return from the mountain. Despite the enthusiastic response from the people of Chamonix, Henriette was persuaded to draft a will after several friends and relatives warned her that her endeavor was dangerous, foolish and unladylike. Though she also suffered from a serious bout of altitude sickness while ascending the Grande-Côte, d'Angeville refused help from her guides. After struggling for four hours in a “state of agony,” as reported by Henry Gribble, d'Angeville stood atop Mont Blanc on September 4, 1838, and became the first woman to reach the ice-capped summit without assistance. Upon her return to the valley a cannon was fired, and a celebratory dinner and gala were held in her honor - with Marie Paradis in attendance. This feat inspired other European ladies to take to the mountains in the years and decades that would follow.

While Mont Blanc was d'Angeville’s first major alpine ascent, she continued to climb until the age of 69. The Oldenhorn, a rugged 10,246-foot peak in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, was her final excursion. Afterwards, d'Angeville famously quipped, “The Oldenhorn is my twenty first Alpine ascent, and will probably be one of the last; for it is wise at my age to drop the alpenstock before the alpenstock drops me.”

You can read more about the pioneers of hiking in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

The First Female Mountaineers (part 1)

The following an adaptation from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Anne Lister and Henriette d'Angeville are considered to be the first true female mountaineers. Born in Yorkshire, England in 1791, Lister is widely regarded as "the first modern lesbian." Much of what we know about her comes from her diaries, which she maintained throughout much of her life. It’s estimated that she wrote roughly five million words. Lister is also known for having a strong passion for travel, adventure and rambling. Her first recorded excursion was a trek to the top of 3560-foot Mount Snowdon in Wales in 1822. Her most famous accomplishment, however, was that of becoming the first “amateur” to ascend Mont Vignemale, the highest peak in the French Pyrenees. This ascent was made famous because it quite possibly resulted in the first legal course of action to stem from climbing a mountain.

During a visit to the Pyrenees in 1838, Anne decided that she wanted to become the first “amateur” to stand atop the 10,820-foot mountain. Around that time it was thought that Mont Vignemale was inaccessible from the French side of the border; however, a professional guide by the name of Henri Cazaux discovered a viable route during the previous summer. As a result, Lister hired him to become her guide. While impatiently waiting several days for foul weather to clear out of the region, Lister learned on August 6th that Prince de La Moscowa was planning to climb the mountain later that week, regardless of weather conditions. With assurances from Cazaux that conditions were about to improve, Lister decided to make her attempt on the following day. She, Cazaux, and two other guides reached the summit of Mont Vignemale on August 7th. One week later, however, Anne learned that Cazaux had informed the Prince that she was unsuccessful in her bid, and that he was actually the first amateur to ascend the mountain. Obviously infuriated by this revelation, Anne sought legal remedy to force Cazaux to admit that she was indeed the first amateur to climb the mountain. Lister argued that if she hadn’t reached the summit, then her guide had obviously failed; thus, she had the right to withhold payment for his services. A lawyer from Lourdes agreed with this, and drafted an affidavit attesting to the fact that she was the first “amateur” to reach the summit, which Cazaux sheepishly signed.

You can read more about the pioneers of hiking in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

The First Woman to Climb a Major Peak

On July 14, 1808, Marie Paradis, a hotel maid from Chamonix, often described as a peasant, became the first woman to climb a major peak after successfully ascending Mont Blanc in France. Ever since then, historians and mountaineers have looked down upon Paradis with contempt and scorn, claiming she only climbed the 15,774-foot mountain for money, or that she needed excessive assistance from her guides to reach the summit. But were these pundits correct in their assessments? The details of the controversy and why they developed, as well as the actual facts surrounding the event are detailed in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

Blue Lakes Visitor Use Management Plan Advances Blue Lakes Visitor Use Management Plan Advances

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests’ Ouray Ranger District will soon begin Phase 2 of the Blue Lakes Visitor Use Management Plan, following Phase 1 infrastructure and restoration work completed in 2025.

Blue Lakes, an iconic destination in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness, draws an estimated 35,000 visits annually, resulting in crowding, vegetation loss, human-waste concerns and safety issues at trailheads. An adaptive management approach is needed to ensure this natural resource can be enjoyed for years to come.

Phase 1 (2025) delivered trailhead and parking reconstruction, infrastructure upgrades, a new restroom and restoration at lower Blue Lake.

Phase 2 (2026) anticipates a fee proposal, continued restoration work, implementation of new requirements for camping, food storage, and human waste, while advancing development of a limited-entry permit system.

Phase 3 (2027) anticipates roll out of a limited-entry permit system for peak season, from June 1- September 30.

“Anyone who has visited Blue Lakes, or even seen photos, understands why we need to protect this area,” said Dana Gardunio, Ouray District Ranger. “We completed a lot of work in 2025. We improved parking, added a new restroom and restored several damaged areas. Phase 2 and Phase 3 are about maintaining that progress and the area’s natural beauty for generations to come.”

The Phase 2 fee proposal and opportunities for public engagement are anticipated to be announced in the coming months. No fees are in place now, and no permits will be required before 2027.

What visitors should know
New requirements will go into effect starting May 31 for the Mount Sneffels wilderness, including:

* Human waste must be packed out
* Bear-resistant, Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee approved food storage will be required
* Overnight group size will be limited to six people
* Camping will not be allowed at the middle and upper lakes

In addition to these new requirements, visitors should also be aware of several existing rules that remain in place, including:

* Camps must be located at least 100 feet from trails and water
* Campfires are prohibited within the wilderness

Overnight dispersed camping at the lower lake will still be available in 2026, but site availability will be limited. Many areas will remain temporarily cordoned off to allow restoration work to continue and to protect completed improvements. Crews will also be conducting restoration and trail realignment work throughout the season. Please respect these areas to prevent further resource damage and support successful recovery.

Visitors should familiarize themselves with these requirements and plan ahead, particularly for overnight camping with space being limited. Have a backup plan in case campsites are unavailable and check the GMUG alerts page for any additional closures or restrictions before visiting.

Updates will be posted on the GMUG website and official channels: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/gmug



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• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

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A “Hiking Suit” for women

The following an adaptation from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

In Woodcraft for Women, written by Kathrene Pinkerton in 1916, the author admitted that there were only a few outdoor stores that catered to the needs of women at that time. However, there were a couple of outdoor mail-order retailers that female hikers would’ve had access to at that time, such as Sears or Abercrombie & Fitch. In that same year, the Abercrombie & Fitch catalog promoted a “Hiking Suit” for women, which included a Norfolk coat, bloomers, leggings and a duck hat. The outfit, in which “a woman need not fear tangled brush, fallen trees, or even an occasional mountain or two,” fetched a relatively steep price tag of $9.00 (in total), plus shipping.