American Mountaineer Passed Away At 61

Charlotte Fox, First American Woman to Conquer Three 8000-Meter Peaks, Dies

American Mountaineer Passed Away at 61

Fox Was a Survivor of the 1996 Blizzard on Mount Everest

WEB Charlotte Conant Fox, 10 May 1957 – 24 May 2018, was an American mountaineer and the first American woman to reach the summit of three 8000-meter peaks. Fox, who climbed to dizzying heights as the first American woman to conquer three 26,000-foot or higher mountains and once defied a death sentence on Mount Everest, died from a fall in her Colorado home at the age of 61.

Fox, a survivor of the deadly 1996 Mount Everest expedition, died last week after an apparent fall down the stairs at her home. Fox's death comes as a shock to the mountaineering community, which has lost one of its most respected and accomplished members.

Born in Seattle, Washington, Fox began climbing at the age of 15. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming one of the most accomplished climbers in the world. In 1992, she became the first American woman to summit K2, the world's second-highest mountain. She also summited Mount Everest in 1996, becoming the first American woman to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain.

Fox's accomplishments are even more remarkable considering that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993. She underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy, but she continued to climb. In 1996, she was part of the ill-fated Everest expedition that was caught in a blizzard. Eight climbers died in the storm, but Fox survived. She was rescued by a team of Sherpas and flown to safety.

Fox's death is a reminder of the dangers of mountaineering. Even the most experienced climbers can be killed by the unforgiving conditions on the world's highest peaks. Fox's legacy will live on, however, as an inspiration to climbers everywhere.