Elise Wortley aims to summit Mont Blanc this summer

Mont Blanc, at 15,776 feet, is the highest peak in Western Europe. Sitting within reach of Chamonix, in France, it is easy to imagine the draw for the thousands of people who have climbed it. Someone has to be the first, of course. There are two women who could lay claim to that title. One was Marie Paradis, who was literally dragged up by her guides, unconscious. She maintained that she was not the first as she didn't actually "climb" the mountain. Henrietta D'Angeville, on the other hand, made no bones about being first. She reached the summit on September 4th 1838. Her and her guides drank champagne and released doves. After which, she insisted they put her on their shoulders, so she could be higher than any one had been before on the mountain.

View of Mont Blanc from the top of Aiguille du Midi. Image: Brett Ploss.
Lise Wortley intends to recreate this feat, using the same gear. A British female adventurer, Lise Wortley is determined to shine a light on the great female adventurers lost to history. She completed a trek to the Valley of the Assassins in Iran in 2022, following Freya Stark's footsteps, complete with the Burberry coat worn by the 1930's adventurer. Lise and her all female team intend to summit in August 2024, using only the gear Henrietta D'Angeville would have had.

A sketch of Henrietta d’Angeville in her hiking attire. Photo Credit: Vaudoise Historical Society Website
As you can see from the image above, this was radically different from what one might imagine. The basic climbing attire of the era included hobnail boots, hemp ropes, and woollen clothing. D'Angeville created her own outfit for the climb, and wore woollen trousers with a wool dress over the top. Her entire outfit weighed around 12kg and included a feather boa. Lise Wortley intends to have the clothing made for her to the same specs as during the 1830's in England before she leaves. 
Good luck to Lise and her team!