Climbing Beyond the Summits: Social and Global Aspects of Women's Expeditions in the Himalayas

This article investigates the conditions and circumstances that led to the emergence of Nepalese women's mountaineering. It draws a comparison and shows parallels with the development of Western female mountaineering. The special focus here is on so-called ‘women's expeditions’ in the Himalayas. In the last 20 years, these expeditions have played an important role for Nepalese women in gaining access to high-altitude climbing. An overview of the historical developments from the 1950s to the present illustrates the transnational and global involvement of high-altitude mountaineering in Nepal, as well as the impact of political and social programmes to foster gender equality and diversity.