Junko Tabei: Small Woman, Big Mountain

Junko Tabei was born in Japan in 1939. As a child, she was small and often sick. Other children were bigger and faster than her. But at ten, she climbed a mountain on a school trip. She loved it.

As a woman, she was very short: only about 1.45 meters. Some men did not want to climb with her. So in 1969, Junko started a climbing club for women only.

In 1975, a team of Japanese women went to Mount Everest. Junko was on the team. Everest is the highest mountain in the world. The trip was very dangerous. On May 4, a big avalanche hit their camp. Snow covered Junko and four other climbers. Sherpa guides dug her out. She was hurt, and for two days she could hardly walk. But she did not go home.

Twelve days after the avalanche, on May 16, 1975, Junko reached the top. Her Sherpa guide, Ang Tsering, was with her. She was the first woman in the world to get there.

Later, she climbed the highest mountain on every continent. In 1992, she was the first woman to climb all seven.

Think about it: the highest mountain on Earth, and at the top, a woman of 1.45 meters. The mountain was taller, but she was stronger.