MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK – Fay Fuller became the first known woman to summit Mount Rainier 135 years ago.
Fuller was a schoolteacher from Yelm, Washington. She accomplished the feat on August 10, 1890, at the age of 20, wearing wool and a heavy flannel bloomer suit, according to the National Park Service.
Despite climbing in adverse conditions and spending an unplanned night in the summit ice caves, she was struck by the awe of the view from the top.
“Words cannot describe scenery and beauty, how could they speak for the soul!” Fuller said. “Such sensations can be known to only those who reach the heights.”
Fuller would later become the first female newspaper reporter in Tacoma and played an important role in the establishment of Mount Rainier National Park. She founded multiple climbing clubs and was an advocate for female mountaineers.
A mountain called Fay Peak was named after her inside the national park to honor her extraordinary contributions to both the park and larger community.
NATIONAL PARK NEWS
