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Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women's Ascent of Denali
The gripping story of a group of female adventurers and their treacherous pioneering ascent of Denali in 1970
Cassidy Randall draws on extensive archival research and original interviews to tell an engrossing, edge-of-the-seat adventure story about a forgotten group of climbers who had the audacity to believe that women could walk alone in extraordinary and treacherous heights.
Grace Hoeman dreamed of standing on top of Denali. The tallest peak in North America, the fierce polar mountain loomed large in many climbers’ imaginations, and Grace, a doctor in Alaska, had come close to the top, only to be turned back by altitude sickness and a storm that took the lives of seven fellow climbers in one remorseless blow.
Other expeditions denied her a place because of her gender, and when a letter arrived from a climber in California named Arlene Blum, who’d also been barred from expeditions—unless she stayed in base camp and cooked for the men, Grace got a defiant she would organize and lead the first-ever all-female ascent of the frozen Alaskan peak.
Everyone told the “Denali Damsels,” as the team called themselves, that it couldn’t be Women were incapable of climbing mountains on their own. Men had walked on the moon; women still had not stood on the highest points on Earth. But these six women were unwilling to be limited by sexists and misogynists. They pushed past barriers in society at large, the climbing world, and their own bodies.
And then, when disaster struck at the worst time on their expedition, they could either keep their wits and prove their mettle, or die and confirm the worst opinions of men.
“Thirty Below is fast paced, with incredible characters who make you appreciate how far mountaineering (and society in general) has progressed in the last fifty years and exciting all the way to the end. This is a gripping story that's worth telling, and Randall has done a great job in bringing it to life.”—Alex Honnold, professional climber and author of Alone on the Wall
Cassidy Randall draws on extensive archival research and original interviews to tell an engrossing, edge-of-the-seat adventure story about a forgotten group of climbers who had the audacity to believe that women could walk alone in extraordinary and treacherous heights.
Grace Hoeman dreamed of standing on top of Denali. The tallest peak in North America, the fierce polar mountain loomed large in many climbers’ imaginations, and Grace, a doctor in Alaska, had come close to the top, only to be turned back by altitude sickness and a storm that took the lives of seven fellow climbers in one remorseless blow.
Other expeditions denied her a place because of her gender, and when a letter arrived from a climber in California named Arlene Blum, who’d also been barred from expeditions—unless she stayed in base camp and cooked for the men, Grace got a defiant she would organize and lead the first-ever all-female ascent of the frozen Alaskan peak.
Everyone told the “Denali Damsels,” as the team called themselves, that it couldn’t be Women were incapable of climbing mountains on their own. Men had walked on the moon; women still had not stood on the highest points on Earth. But these six women were unwilling to be limited by sexists and misogynists. They pushed past barriers in society at large, the climbing world, and their own bodies.
And then, when disaster struck at the worst time on their expedition, they could either keep their wits and prove their mettle, or die and confirm the worst opinions of men.
“Thirty Below is fast paced, with incredible characters who make you appreciate how far mountaineering (and society in general) has progressed in the last fifty years and exciting all the way to the end. This is a gripping story that's worth telling, and Randall has done a great job in bringing it to life.”—Alex Honnold, professional climber and author of Alone on the Wall
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First published March 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
February 7, 2025
Very good book that takes us inside the first All-Female ascension to the summit of Mt. McKinley/Denali back in 1970. Educational and insightful as to the conditions surrounding mountain climbing and how women were considered too weak to make this assault on the largest peak in the US. Interviews, journals and articles tell us about the story of each of the women and how they struggled for acceptance, as well as themselves to reach this milestone. Unfortunately these ladies are mostly lost to history, but author Cassidy Randall has done a great job in helping us understand their motivations and inspirations. To quote the words on WWE Hall of Fame announcer, Jim Ross, these ladies were "Double Tough" to put it mildly. Very good read.
June 18, 2025
It took me a while to get into it, and I still couldn't keep all the climbers' personalities straight in my head until they were near the summit, but the story of the climb and descent was gripping. The author put it well when she said that these weren't sinners or saints on the classic hero's journey, but normal (well, for some definition of normal... They were all pretty amazing) complicated people attempting an audacious goal while also battling all of the complications of their own lives and histories. It is sad that they weren't given their due in their time. I'm glad someone took the time to research and write this book so hopefully they get it now.
January 15, 2026
I’m so happy this book was written. what a feat that sounds like it didn’t get the timely recognition it observed.
June 21, 2025
So, I listened to the audiobook and may have rated higher if I read it. The accomplishment of the “Denali Damsels” was a very cool piece of history and worthy to be recounted and recovered.
However, there were repetition of statements over and over again, with little variation throughout the entire book. In particular:
-This was a male dominated sport/field and the women were not accepted; men disbelieved a woman could do it. This was explained again and again each time as if it were the first time we were learning about this fact.
-Explaining the basics of mountaineering gear repeatedly as if it was the first time we were introduced to something like crampons. Explaining the mechanics of how they worked at the near end of the book (which had already been explained multiple times) just made the book slow down and seemed unnecessary.
The biggest problem with that is that it made the storytelling feel monotonous and could have flowed so much more quickly.
Again, I will say that it could have been the sedately voiced audiobook version that lent to this effect more greatly and pronounced. Could have been a 5 star book but as written couldn’t go higher than a 3 and really would put it at a 2.5.
However, there were repetition of statements over and over again, with little variation throughout the entire book. In particular:
-This was a male dominated sport/field and the women were not accepted; men disbelieved a woman could do it. This was explained again and again each time as if it were the first time we were learning about this fact.
-Explaining the basics of mountaineering gear repeatedly as if it was the first time we were introduced to something like crampons. Explaining the mechanics of how they worked at the near end of the book (which had already been explained multiple times) just made the book slow down and seemed unnecessary.
The biggest problem with that is that it made the storytelling feel monotonous and could have flowed so much more quickly.
Again, I will say that it could have been the sedately voiced audiobook version that lent to this effect more greatly and pronounced. Could have been a 5 star book but as written couldn’t go higher than a 3 and really would put it at a 2.5.
November 9, 2025
Picked up this book after visiting Denali NP this summer and seeing the magical Mt. McKinley irl 😱
Every time I read a mountaineering book I’m like why would anyone want be this cold/tired/sick/exhausted/almost dead on purpose?? It’s wild and crazy and I love reading about it from the comfort of my couch.
The Denali Damsels are iconic. It was inspiring to read about the challenges they faced as female alpinists and the lengths they went to prove they absolutely did not need a man to summit Denali. QUEENS!
Every time I read a mountaineering book I’m like why would anyone want be this cold/tired/sick/exhausted/almost dead on purpose?? It’s wild and crazy and I love reading about it from the comfort of my couch.
The Denali Damsels are iconic. It was inspiring to read about the challenges they faced as female alpinists and the lengths they went to prove they absolutely did not need a man to summit Denali. QUEENS!
January 8, 2026
This was my very first read for the Outdoorsy Women + Book Club and wow, what a way to start. I really, really enjoyed this one. Before picking it up, I had never heard of the Denali Damsels, the group of women who summited Denali in 1970, and I honestly had no idea that hiking and mountaineering were considered not women’s sports at the time. That revelation alone stopped me in my tracks. I had no clue.
Thirty Below tells the gripping, true story of these determined, underestimated women who pushed past sexism, doubt, and brutal conditions to accomplish something extraordinary.
Cassidy Randall brings their journey to life with vivid detail, icy winds, physical exhaustion, and the emotional stakes of taking on a mountain while also taking on a culture that didn’t believe they belonged there. These women were fearless, resilient, and unapologetically ambitious. Truly badass!
What I loved most was how captivating and educational this book was. I learned so much, not just about the climb itself, but about the barriers women faced (and continue to face) in outdoor spaces. This isn’t just a story about summiting Denali; it’s about claiming space, rewriting narratives, and how a single adventure can change a life forever.
If you love stories of courage, history, and wild, life-altering journeys, this one is absolutely worth the read.
Thirty Below tells the gripping, true story of these determined, underestimated women who pushed past sexism, doubt, and brutal conditions to accomplish something extraordinary.
Cassidy Randall brings their journey to life with vivid detail, icy winds, physical exhaustion, and the emotional stakes of taking on a mountain while also taking on a culture that didn’t believe they belonged there. These women were fearless, resilient, and unapologetically ambitious. Truly badass!
What I loved most was how captivating and educational this book was. I learned so much, not just about the climb itself, but about the barriers women faced (and continue to face) in outdoor spaces. This isn’t just a story about summiting Denali; it’s about claiming space, rewriting narratives, and how a single adventure can change a life forever.
If you love stories of courage, history, and wild, life-altering journeys, this one is absolutely worth the read.
September 1, 2025
A truly impressive group of women, become the first women to summit Denali in 1970, with little fanfare. Harrowing and heroic, glad to have made this climb from the comfort of my home;)
November 27, 2024
A historic achievement occurred on July 6, 1970 when a group of six women became the first all-female team to reach the peak of a mountain higher than 20,000 feet when they reached the summit of Denali. While they were not one of the first females to reach this peak (Barbara Washburn was in 1947), it was still an amazing accomplishment. The stories of each of the women and the harrowing experience they had while climbing are told in this excellent book by Cassidy Randall.
All six women – Grace Hoeman, Arlene Blum, Margaret Clark, Margaret Young, Faye Kerr, and Dana Isherwood – were established climbers with various amounts of experience. Grace organized this team after losing her husband Vin to the mountains and failing to reach the peak of Denali on an earlier attempt. Her experiences and determination to reach the summit makes for excellent reading, even if a bit slower than the later parts of the book. This is also the case for the other five women – all have excellent stories about their mountaineering experience and their personal lives captured by Randall.
At this time, mountaineering was a sport dominated by men and overcoming the sexism and belief that women were not capable of scaling such mountains was a huge motivation factor for the “Denali Damsels” as they became to be known. It was such a strong belief for them that at times they would refuse assistance from other climbing teams’ male members because they felt by doing so, it was reinforce the incorrect notion that women could not accomplish this without assistance from men. This view about female climbers was pervasive at this time and that is a topic visited frequently by Randall. It really makes the accomplishment even more impressive.
While the stories of each woman were great to read, their climb up Denali was even better. Randall wrote this part of the book much like an adventure novel, complete with drama and subplots. Will the team make it? Will Grace, who became extremely ill, survive? Will the team overcome their differences and squabbles that inevitably hit all climbing teams? This latter question was especially noteworthy given the way they assembled and their different backgrounds and nationalities. And of course, we know the answer to the first question. That doesn’t take away the excitement a reader will experience when picking up this book about a extraordinary achievement that is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
All six women – Grace Hoeman, Arlene Blum, Margaret Clark, Margaret Young, Faye Kerr, and Dana Isherwood – were established climbers with various amounts of experience. Grace organized this team after losing her husband Vin to the mountains and failing to reach the peak of Denali on an earlier attempt. Her experiences and determination to reach the summit makes for excellent reading, even if a bit slower than the later parts of the book. This is also the case for the other five women – all have excellent stories about their mountaineering experience and their personal lives captured by Randall.
At this time, mountaineering was a sport dominated by men and overcoming the sexism and belief that women were not capable of scaling such mountains was a huge motivation factor for the “Denali Damsels” as they became to be known. It was such a strong belief for them that at times they would refuse assistance from other climbing teams’ male members because they felt by doing so, it was reinforce the incorrect notion that women could not accomplish this without assistance from men. This view about female climbers was pervasive at this time and that is a topic visited frequently by Randall. It really makes the accomplishment even more impressive.
While the stories of each woman were great to read, their climb up Denali was even better. Randall wrote this part of the book much like an adventure novel, complete with drama and subplots. Will the team make it? Will Grace, who became extremely ill, survive? Will the team overcome their differences and squabbles that inevitably hit all climbing teams? This latter question was especially noteworthy given the way they assembled and their different backgrounds and nationalities. And of course, we know the answer to the first question. That doesn’t take away the excitement a reader will experience when picking up this book about a extraordinary achievement that is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
May 7, 2025
really fascinating read about the first all women's ascent of mt Denali and the sexism the women faced as female alpinists
October 30, 2025
I wish I could have devoured this book in just one day, but alas, life had other plans for me.
In 1970, Grace Hoeman, Margaret Young, Dana Isherwood, Arlene Blum, Margaret Clark, and Faye Kerr set out to climb Denali (then called Mt McKinley) in Alaska, the first women climbers to do so. Even in the late 20th century, there were few spots available for a woman climber on various expeditions, and those that did allow women relegated them to cleaning and staying at base camp, insistent that the women were far too weak and/or hysterical (thanks to their periods) to summit.
Every time I read about a man saying a woman cannot possibly do a thing because of the strength involved, it boggles my mind. For one thing, men and women come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are plenty of women taller and stronger than the average man, and even for the less tall among us, the inherent strength of women because of our ability to carry a baby to term, and then to physically carry the child with us for the next 3 years should make it clear to any man how strong women can be. It’s infuriating.
This account of the 1970 McKinley International Women’s Expedition, as it was formally known, gripped me from the first page. I’m an avid reader of many books on various expeditions, and some of them suffer from a long, involved account of who paid for what and how much and the ways they secured said funding. Instead, Randall focuses on the women themselves, who they were and why they were interested in joining Hoeman’s expedition. Once I got to the section where the women began climbing, I really didn’t want to put the book down. It is disheartening, however, to read about how .
I know some folks may get frustrated with the constant barrage in the first half or so about the straight up misogyny that these women endured, from not even being allowed to join climbing clubs or even take shelter in a cabin simply because of their gender. As Randall writes in Chapter 4, “Arlene could not come because the presence of a woman would ‘be unpleasant high on the open ice, not only in excretory situations, but in the easy masculine companionship which is so vital a part of the joy of an expedition.’” So other words, the presence of a woman may spoil all the boys’ fun? BAH. Absolutely mind-blowing, and what makes it even worse is this expedition took place a mere nine years before I was born.
As a fascinating story of a successful climb up an intimidating and dangerous mountain, this book truly delivers. And I will never see the photo featured on the cover again in the same light.
In 1970, Grace Hoeman, Margaret Young, Dana Isherwood, Arlene Blum, Margaret Clark, and Faye Kerr set out to climb Denali (then called Mt McKinley) in Alaska, the first women climbers to do so. Even in the late 20th century, there were few spots available for a woman climber on various expeditions, and those that did allow women relegated them to cleaning and staying at base camp, insistent that the women were far too weak and/or hysterical (thanks to their periods) to summit.
Every time I read about a man saying a woman cannot possibly do a thing because of the strength involved, it boggles my mind. For one thing, men and women come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are plenty of women taller and stronger than the average man, and even for the less tall among us, the inherent strength of women because of our ability to carry a baby to term, and then to physically carry the child with us for the next 3 years should make it clear to any man how strong women can be. It’s infuriating.
This account of the 1970 McKinley International Women’s Expedition, as it was formally known, gripped me from the first page. I’m an avid reader of many books on various expeditions, and some of them suffer from a long, involved account of who paid for what and how much and the ways they secured said funding. Instead, Randall focuses on the women themselves, who they were and why they were interested in joining Hoeman’s expedition. Once I got to the section where the women began climbing, I really didn’t want to put the book down. It is disheartening, however, to read about how .
I know some folks may get frustrated with the constant barrage in the first half or so about the straight up misogyny that these women endured, from not even being allowed to join climbing clubs or even take shelter in a cabin simply because of their gender. As Randall writes in Chapter 4, “Arlene could not come because the presence of a woman would ‘be unpleasant high on the open ice, not only in excretory situations, but in the easy masculine companionship which is so vital a part of the joy of an expedition.’” So other words, the presence of a woman may spoil all the boys’ fun? BAH. Absolutely mind-blowing, and what makes it even worse is this expedition took place a mere nine years before I was born.
As a fascinating story of a successful climb up an intimidating and dangerous mountain, this book truly delivers. And I will never see the photo featured on the cover again in the same light.
January 3, 2026
An honest look at expedition group dynamics paired with a powerful portrayal of women fighting to prove their worth in male dominated sports / world. While the Denali Damsels inspired me with their determination and resilience, I am left questioning the broader celebration of summit achievements as heroic (which the last chapter assuages slightly by giving each climber’s greater takeaway years later).
October 31, 2025
I appreciated learning the background of all these women to see how they came together for this impressive summit.
Audio
Audio
August 22, 2025
Fascinating backstory, barrier breaking women, a harrowing journey, lots of info on mountaineering…glad I stumbled onto this one. (Minor pet peeve, the feet/meters conversion every single time.)
Listened to this on my phone from the library.
Listened to this on my phone from the library.
December 3, 2025
Women’s accomplishments in mountaineering are under-documented, and books like Thirty Below not only put these stories on the map but also add nuance and texture to women’s experiences in the mountains. Thoroughly researched and rigorously written, this book chronicles the Denali Damsels’ ascent, but also gives us a window into the lives of these tenacious and bold climbers. I read this book quickly, especially the final third.
For all their imperfections, these women are real, and Randall depicts them as such. She handles their stories through truth-seeking, fairness, and the assumption that we can’t really know what transpired or happened, or what may have been motivating any one person.
Regardless of it being a story about a trailblazing group of women, Thirty Below is an important addition to the canon of mountain literature, full stop. It was a pleasure to read.
For all their imperfections, these women are real, and Randall depicts them as such. She handles their stories through truth-seeking, fairness, and the assumption that we can’t really know what transpired or happened, or what may have been motivating any one person.
Regardless of it being a story about a trailblazing group of women, Thirty Below is an important addition to the canon of mountain literature, full stop. It was a pleasure to read.
December 2, 2025
“The Denali Damsels had proven women were capable of climbing the big mountains of the world. But there was still a long road ahead in fully integrating women into mountain culture. Often the act of reaching the goal or accomplishing the feat is the end of the story. Rarely is the downhill side of such peaks much a part of the narrative, although it’s all part of the journey, in mountaineering as much as other arenas, including feminism. Even when new goals were reached for women’s equality - voting rights, equal pay, equal employment opportunity - there was still the monumental amount of work to be done on the downhill side of victory in turning those achievements into cultural reality.”
January 8, 2026
4.5 stars, rounded up. The first half writing is a tad rocky, with repetition and fact listing that was maybe in need of a bit more editing, BUT the second half is a page turner with excellent description and well captures the complications of a team under pressure and low oxygen. I love how the author didn’t cast judgement on questionable decisions but offered up different perspectives to put one in the climbers boots. Overall, fascinating and a great tribute to the first group of women who conquered Denali.
April 24, 2025
Absolute must read for climbers!!!
Thirty Below recounts the 1970s expedition of the first all-women team to summit Denali. The first half of the book dives into the individual stories of each climber, detailing how their unique paths and life experiences eventually converged to form the Denali Damsels. I really enjoyed learning how these women discovered climbing, built community, and came together to pull off this expedition.
As a climber myself, I especially appreciated the technical details woven throughout the story of their ascent. It was interesting to compare the gear and techniques of that era with the practices we use today. The book offers powerful insights into the evolution of mountaineering and into the often overlooked contributions women have made to climbing history. Reading their perspectives deepened my appreciation for the sport and for the resilience and of the women who helped push its boundaries.
Thirty Below recounts the 1970s expedition of the first all-women team to summit Denali. The first half of the book dives into the individual stories of each climber, detailing how their unique paths and life experiences eventually converged to form the Denali Damsels. I really enjoyed learning how these women discovered climbing, built community, and came together to pull off this expedition.
As a climber myself, I especially appreciated the technical details woven throughout the story of their ascent. It was interesting to compare the gear and techniques of that era with the practices we use today. The book offers powerful insights into the evolution of mountaineering and into the often overlooked contributions women have made to climbing history. Reading their perspectives deepened my appreciation for the sport and for the resilience and of the women who helped push its boundaries.
August 28, 2025
Amazing hidden history of an incredible, complex group of mountaineers - the first documented all-women group to summit Denali. Not only did they climb the intimidating mountain, they endured eye-rolling sexism. Reading about incredible outdoor athletic feats is incredible. This was made all the more impactful by highlighting the many facets of being women doing these incredible feats - men were real insecure about that.
May 19, 2025
Six very different women from different continents band together through their love of mountaineering to climb Denali. After years of being refused access to the "boys climbing club," they set out to make this historic climb to prove that women can be strong too. Very interesting and with some fascinating twists.
January 10, 2026
Overall, really good, especially if read as a companion to Arlene Blum’s “Breaking Trail,” as it really fills out Denali Damsels section with material drawn from the other climbers’ journals and recollections. The prose was a bit overworked in places (especially nearer the beginning), and a few tidbits got repeated a bit too often (like the amount of oxygen at Denali’s summit as compared to sea level). But on the whole, this was a very good, enjoyable read
January 27, 2026
Half these women had such insane lives they could’ve made great biographies on their own, and the book really benefited from that. This was a cool and frustrating tale (frustrating in that you were shouting at people’s decision-making, not in that you were frustrated at the writing - the writing was good). Fascinating story
January 27, 2026
The last third in particular was very gripping, couldn't put it down. The first two thirds set important context, but it was a bit difficult at times to remember which story belonged to which member of the expedition. Overall worth the read.
[Audiobook]
[Audiobook]
May 6, 2025
i love women
shocked by how women were treated in this but also by how they overcame it
if you know a woman you should read this
mountains are cool
shocked by how women were treated in this but also by how they overcame it
if you know a woman you should read this
mountains are cool
May 7, 2025
let's go girls
September 7, 2025
This was an amazing story of strong, adventurous women! I couldn’t help but be surprised at the lack of public attention this achievement received, and I appreciate the ground they broke for the rest of us.
September 21, 2025
I knew men were sexist toward women in mountaineering, but reading about the specific examples was mind boggling.
This was a very well written account about complex women climbing an incredibly difficult mountain. Inspiring in some ways, but it didn’t inspire me to want to climb Denali.
This was a very well written account about complex women climbing an incredibly difficult mountain. Inspiring in some ways, but it didn’t inspire me to want to climb Denali.
February 4, 2026
First book club book!
Really cool story, still deciding how I feel about how much interpersonal conflict there was (or at least how much it was mentioned in the book), but overall a very enjoyable book
Really cool story, still deciding how I feel about how much interpersonal conflict there was (or at least how much it was mentioned in the book), but overall a very enjoyable book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews