Fifty Years Since Junko Tabei Made History, Women Near 1,000th Everest Summit

Half a century ago, on May 16, 1975, Japan’s Junko Tabei became the first woman to summit Mount Everest. Today, women climbers are approaching a historic milestone—1,000 ascents to the world’s highest peak.

At 8,849 meters (29,032 feet), Everest has long stood as a predominantly male achievement. As of May 2025, women had reached the summit 962 times, compared to 11,955 successful male ascents, according to AFP’s analysis of Himalayan Database figures.

When Tabei stood atop Everest in 1975, she was only the 39th person—and the first woman—to achieve the feat. Her all-women Japanese expedition faced skepticism and funding challenges, with sponsors urging them to “stay home with the children.” Undeterred, Tabei wrote in her notebook, “All men limit our likes, and I do not want to be limited.”

Just 11 days later, Tibetan climber Phantog reached Everest from the opposite side, unaware until after her descent that Tabei had beaten her to the record.

Since then, 870 different women from 85 countries have climbed Everest—many more than once. Yet, gender disparities remain stark, especially among Nepali Sherpa guides, who are overwhelmingly male. While Nepali men account for nearly half of all ascents, Nepali women represent just nine percent of female summits. Only 66 Nepali women have reached the peak a total of 90 times.

Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, who summited in 2012, remains the only Nepali woman with an internationally recognized mountaineering guide certification. “People told me this wasn’t a girl’s job,” she told AFP. Yet, she persisted.

The legacy of Pasang Lhamu, the first Nepali woman to summit Everest in 1993, remains powerful. She died during descent while aiding an ailing team member, becoming a national heroine. Today, climbers begin their Everest trek by passing beneath an arch built in her honor.

Lhakpa Sherpa followed in her footsteps in 2000 and has since broken records with ten successful ascents—the most by any woman.

Notably, Lydia Bradey of New Zealand made history in 1988 as the first woman to summit without supplemental oxygen. Although her climb was initially met with skepticism and bureaucratic hurdles, her feat was later recognized.

Of the over 13,000 total ascents to date, fewer than one percent—only 229—have been made without oxygen, and just ten women have managed it.

“Women often prepare better and are more risk-conscious on the mountain,” said Billi Bierling, director of the Himalayan Database and an Everest summiteer herself. While success rates for women stand at 66 percent compared to 75 percent for men, their fatality rate is lower. On average, one woman dies for every 153 attempts; for men, it’s one in every 70.

The gender gap at the summit is slowly narrowing. In the 2000s, there was one woman for every 16 male summiteers; by the 2020s, the ratio had improved to one in ten. Financial independence and shifting social norms have played a role in this rise. “Many of my women friends are unmarried, child-free, and financially independent. They now have the freedom to climb 8,000-meter peaks,” said Bierling.

Still, Everest remains a costly pursuit, with expeditions ranging from $45,000 to $200,000. But for an increasing number of women, the summit is no longer out of reach.