We’ve come to the final day of our Female Firsts theme week. Today we’re talking about Junko Tabei, the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest! Not only that, but she was also the first woman to climb the highest peak on every continent, known as the Seven Summits. She started mountain climbing at 10 years old, enjoying the noncompetitive nature of the sport and the breathtaking vistas at the top. She joined a number of mens climbing clubs, but some questioned her motives, believing she had only joined to find a husband. So in 1969, Tabei established the Women’s Mountaineering Club, the first of its kind in Japan. A year later, the club decided to tackle Mount Everest. Tabei and her group of 15 women and 6 sherpa guides, began their ascent in May 1975. An avalanche hit their camp at 20,700 feet, and Tabei and 4 others were buried in the snow. Luckily there were no casualties and the group was able to resume their trek a few days later. Just 12 days after the avalanche, on May 16, 1975, Tabei became the first woman and just the 36th person to reach the top of Mount Everest. Learn more about Tabei’s incredible life and achievements in the audio below.