Gone on this day, 20 October 2016; Junko Tabei, the Japanese mountaineer who changed the course of women’s climbing history. Born on 22 September 1939 in Miharu, Fukushima, she entered mountaineering at a time when women were often discouraged from serious expeditions. In 1969, she helped establish the Ladies Climbing Club, giving Japanese women a space to organise and lead their own climbs. On 16 May 1975, Tabei reached the summit of Mt. Everest, becoming the first woman in history to stand on the highest point on Earth. Her expedition had earlier been hit by an avalanche at Camp II, burying several members of the team. Tabei survived, recovered, and continued the climb. Accompanied by Sherpa Ang Tshering on the final ascent, she reached the summit and entered mountaineering history. Everest was only one chapter in a much longer climbing life. In 1992, Tabei became the first woman to complete the Seven Summits, climbing the highest mountain on each continent. Over the following years, she continued travelling and climbing across the world, eventually reaching the highest peaks or points of more than 70 countries. Away from records, Tabei became increasingly concerned with the environmental damage caused by mountaineering, particularly waste on Everest. She later worked on mountain conservation projects and remained active well into her later years. Junko Tabei died on 20 October 2016, aged 77, leaving behind a place in history through a lifetime spent widening the possibilities for women in the mountains. Photo ©: Junko Tabei Archives.