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ExWeb Tribute to the Women of K2: The Eve's of the Killer Mountain
Jun 28, 2004 18: 28 EST
Wanda Rutkiewicz, Liliane Barrard, Julie Tullis, Chantal Mauduit, Alison Hargreaves.
In the last thirty years, more than 100 women have climbed Everest; only five have ever climbed to the summit of K2. On June 23, Wanda Rutkiewicz became first woman to summit K2. Another woman, French Liliane Barrard summited very shortly thereafter, and became the second. Neither woman used bottled oxygen. Tragically, Liliane Barrard was also the first woman to die on K2, falling on her descent. Since then, of the five women who have summited K2, all are no longer living – either dying while descending or on subsequent expeditions, such as Wanda.
Wanda led an unsuccessful all-women's expedition to K2 in 1982 and attempted Broad Peak with two other women in 1985. The following year, she joined the small French team of Michael Parmentier, and Maurice and Liliane Barrard in an attempt on K2's Abruzzi Ridge. All four members - none of whom used supplementary oxygen - reached the summit on June 23, with Rutkiewicz arriving ahead of the others. After a short time on the summit, the team descended to their bivouac tent at 27,230 feet and spent the night there, rather than returning to Camp III at 25,900 feet. The following morning Parmentier started the descent to Camp III, with Rutkiewicz following shortly behind, and the Barrards the last to leave camp.
As Rutkiewicz descended, she looked back to see the Barrards disappear into the swirling snow, never to be seen alive again. Liliane was found dead on July 19 at the base of the mountain, the victim of a several-thousand-foot fall; In 1998, climbers Heidi Howkins and Christian Binggele found the remains of Maurice Barrard just above Base Camp, also on the Godwin-Austin Glacier. They contacted the family for consent to bury Maurice's remains near Liliane at the Gilkey Memorial.
On August 4, a month and a half after Rutkiewicz and Barrard summited K2, Julie Tullis of Great Britain became the third woman to summit, sans oxygen. She died three days later of exhaustion and exposure, trapped at 25,900 feet during a multi-day storm. 1986 was a well-documented season of success and setback on K2, the loss of two of climbing's top female high-altitude mountaineers was particularly acute.
It wasn't until 1992 that another woman climbed K2: Chantal Mauduit of France. After the Swiss team that she had joined abandoned their attempt, Mauduit hooked up with an international expedition that included Scott Fischer, Ed Viesturs, and Dan Mazur. On her summit day, she reached the top at 5 p.m. However, the following day she became snowblind and had to be escorted down the mountain. Despite the epic descent, Mauduit had started her high- altitude career with a flourish and went on to climb five more 8000-meter peaks without oxygen, including Lhotse and Manaslu. She later perished in an avalanche on Dhaulagiri in 1998.
Alison Hargreaves of Great Britain died while descending from the summit of K2 in 1995. Six others never made it down off the mountain that year; one of mountaineering's most talked-about disasters. A storm, freakish even by Himalayan standards, steamrollered K2 that night with hurricane-force winds and subzero temperatures.
When Rutkiewicz died, few people commented on anything other than the saddening loss of one of the world's most accomplished mountaineers, male or female. However, when Mauduit died, many in the climbing community questioned her presence in the high mountains. In part this was due to early partners reporting on her past inexperience, but also due to reports of her death, such as the 1998 news item from Outside which stated that Mauduit and her partner, Ang Tsering Sherpa, "either failed to dig their tent out from under a cover of fresh snow or neglected to turn off their camp stove." Most climbers who knew Chantal, a woman of such exceptional beauty entire books of poetry were written in her honor, believe Outside's explanation is bullshit; Chantal was a very strong and determined climber who attempted Everest several times before succeeding.
This year there are four women going for K2; Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Edurne Pasaban, Nives Meroi and Eva Zarzuelo. For Edurne and Nives, K2 will be their 7th 8,000 meter summit, Wanda has 8. Gerlinde will be going for her 6th and Eva her 3rd.
Wanda Rutkiewicz [1943-1992] Wanda Rutkiewicz, Polish lady climber, who participated in the first ascent of Gasherbrum III (7952 m) in 1975. It was the highest first ascent by women. She also ascended Everest in 1978, Nanga Parbat in 1985, K2 in 1986, Shisha Pangma Main in 1987, Gasherbrum II in 1989, Gasherbrum I in 1990 and Cho Oyu and Annapurna in 1991. She died that night on Kangchenjunga, aged 49.
Liliane Barrard [1948 – 1986] French lady climber, who ascended Gasherbrum II in 1982, Nanga Parbat in 1984 and K2 in 1986, where she died on descent, aged 37.
Julie Tullis [1939- 1986] British lady climber, who ascended Broad Peak in 1984 and K2 in 1986, where she died on descent, aged 47.
Chantal Mauduit [1964-1998] French lady climber, who ascended six 8000ers, K2 in 1992, Shisha Pangma Main and Cho Oyu in 1993, Lhotse (first female ascent!) and Manaslu in 1996 and Gasherbrum II in 1997. She attempted Everest several times, but without success. She probably died on that day in an avalanche on Dhaulagiri, aged 34.
Alison Hargreaves [1962 – 1995] British lady climber, who ascended Everest and K2 within three months without supplementary oxygen in 1995. She died on descent of K2, aged 33.
Top image of Wanda courtesy of Mark Samuels.Broad Peak 1985; Wanda Rutkiewicz, Liliane Barrard, Barbara Kozlowska courtesy of nyka.home.pl, Image of Julie Tullis courtesy of Kurt Diemberger; K2 Il Nodo Infinito, Image of Chantal courtesy of eolienne.com, Image of Alison Hargreaves courtesy of Desnivel
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