Lucy Walker (climber)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lucy Walker (1836 – 1916), a British mountaineer, is credited as being the first woman to conquer the Matterhorn.
Ms. Walker began her climbing rather modestly in 1858 when she was advised by her doctor to take up walking as a cure for rheumatism. Accompanied by her father Frank Walker and her brother Horace Walker, both of whom were early members of the Alpine Club, and Oberland guide Melchor Anderegg, she became the first woman to regularly climb the Alps. A large, spectacled woman, she quickly demonstrated the determination, strength, and endurance necessary for the demanding sport of mountain climbing.
Lucy’s achievements were, at first, largely unnoticed except by those in her immediate company. Early successes included being the first woman up the Wetterhorn (1866), the Lyskamm (1868), and the Piz Bernia (1869). In 1871 she learned that her rival Meta Brevoort, an American female mountaineer, was planning an expedition to climb the Matterhorn. Lucy hastily assembled a group and on August 22, while wearing a white print dress, she became the first woman to stand atop the Matterhorn, and with it gained world renown. Also in that year she completed her fourth ascent of the Eiger during which she is said to have lived on a diet of sponge cake, champagne and Asti Spumante.
In all Lucy Walker completed a total of 98 expeditions. In 1909 she became a member of the newly formed Ladies’ Alpine Club where she was acclaimed as the pioneer of women climbers. In 1913 she was elected its second President and served in that capacity until 1915. She died at her home in Liverpool, England on September 10, 1916.
[edit] References
1. Walker, Lucy (1836-1916), Mountaineer, by Janet Adam Smith, Oxford University Press
