Amazing Mountain Climbing Women

The year was 1858. Julia Archibald Holmes, a twenty-year-old bride, had joined a wagon train headed west from Kansas to seek gold in Colorado. Along the trail, a band of Cheyenne unsuccessfully attempted to barter for her. Holmes's husband was offered a two-for-one deal, but, smart man, he surely realized she was not property to be traded.1

Upon arrival near present-day Colorado Springs, Julia and her husband, James, along with J.D. Miller and George Peck set out to climb Pikes Peak. Previously, only three attempts had been made to summit this peak. Zebulon Pike had tried and failed in 1806. In 1820, a government party led by Major Stephen Long was the first group to successfully scale Pikes Peak. Until 1858, there were no additional recorded ascents of the mountain.

For this trek Archibald wore moccasins and bloomers, which was a daring deviation from the accepted social norms. Julia referred to her outfit as an American Costume. At this time, bloomers were the official symbol of the suffragettes.

She and her party hauled 19 pounds of bread, one pound of sugar, a pound of pork, coffee, a half-gallon canteen, one tin pan and cup, one knife and fork, six quilts, extra clothing, items for writing, and a copy of Emerson's Essays.2 Anyone want to guess what's for breakfast... lunch... dinner? Oh, don't tell me we're having bread leftovers again. Can't complain about the dish-washing duties, though.

On August 5th, 1858, after trekking for five days and braving a snow squall in the rugged high country, Archibald's group reached the summit. In a letter written to her mother, Julia shared:

I have accomplished the task which I marked out for myself and now I feel amply repaid for all my toil and fatigue. Nearly every one tried to discourage me from attempting it, but I believed that I should succeed; and now, here I am, and I feel that I would not have missed this glorious sight for anything at all. In all probability I am the first woman who has ever stood upon the summit of this mountain and gazed upon this wondrous scene, which my eyes now behold.3

Women's rights proponents delightfully referred to this achievement as Mrs. Holmes's Ascension!

Photo Credit: Public Domain

Once called the brains of the women's movement, Anna Dickinson was the first woman ever to speak before Congress, where she received a standing ovation. In addition to being an eloquent orator, Dickinson was a staunch advocate for the abolition of slavery and for women's suffrage.4

Dickinson is one of the rare women who have a Colorado mountain named for them. In 1863, Dickinson rode horses or mules to the summits of several of Colorado's fourteeners - mountains over 14,000 feet in elevation. She is likely to have been the first woman to achieve the summit of Mount Elbert, which is Colorado's highest mountain at 14,433 feet.

To climb Longs Peak, Dickinson wore - horrors - trousers, which was duly noted in the Boulder County News. Dickinson was a true original and today we celebrate her leadership and the voice she gave to women everywhere.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

I love that Isabella Bird began her vigorous life while in her 40's. Her high adventures started when Bird went in search of greater health. Bird traveled first to Australia and New Zealand, followed by time spent in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii).5

Arriving in Colorado in 1873, Bird spent several months exploring the wilderness of Estes Park (vicinity of today's Rocky Mountain National Park). Throughout her stay in the Rocky Mountains, Isabella wrote numerous letters to her sister. Those accounts of her extraordinary exploits were published in 1879 (see Bird's book featured below).

In addition to numerous climbing expeditions, which included an ascent of the 14,255' Longs Peak — where Isabella was actually dragged up to the summit — Bird lived to tell about her encounters with grizzly bears, cougars, rattlesnakes, and desperados. This is one good read. What a vibrant, fascinating woman. How I would have loved to have had a long conversation with her. Even better yet, it would have been exciting to join her on one of those mountain treks.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

Katharine Lee Bates is best remembered as the writer of the lyrics for America the Beautiful. During the summer of 1893, Bates taught English at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. In reflecting back, Bates wrote:

One day some of the other teachers and I decided to go on a trip to 14,000-foot Pikes Peak... I was very tired. But when I saw the view, I felt great joy. All the wonder of America seemed displayed there, with the sea-like expanse.6

Returning to her hotel that evening, Bates wrote the poem Pikes Peak which would later be published as America the Beautiful. Over the years, many exquisite renditions of this song have been performed. Take a moment to soak in the loveliness of the following video version. The patriotic and nature scenes are very moving.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

We are each of us angels with only one wing,
and we can only fly by embracing one another.
~ Luciano de Crescenzo

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1. Women of the Santa Fe Trail - Julia Archibald Holmes

2. Robertson, Janet (1990). The Magnificent Mountain Women. Adventures in the Colorado Rockies. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, p. 4.

3. Julia Archibald Holmes, letter to Jane B. Archibald, "From the Rocky Mountains - Mrs. Holmes Ascends Pike's Peak," Lawrence Republican, October 7, 1858.

4. Wikipedia - Anna Elizabeth Dickinson

5. Wikipedia - Isabella Lucy Bird

6. Wikipedia - Katharine Lee Bates

* Unless otherwise noted, all photos used are in the Public Domain.

All rights are reserved by the author. © 2011
No part of this work may be copied or used in any way without written permission.