A few weeks back we reported that Nepal had named a mountain after Miss. Elizabeth Hawley, the 92-year old journalist who over the past 50+ years has become the official record keeper of summits in Himalaya. Over that time she went from being someone who reported on mountaineering expeditions, to someone who certifies them, and in the process has grown into something of a legend herself.
Recently, National Geographic Adventure got the opportunity to sit down with Hawley and talk about her work, mountaineering in general, and life in Nepal. In that interview, she talks about having a mountain named after her (she thought it was a joke!), whether or not she’ll certify climbers who summit it, and her efforts to create the Himalayan Database to keep track of which climbers have topped out on which mountains. She also talks about how she frightens climbers, her goals when she first arrived in Nepal back in 1960, and her legacy moving forward.
If you know anything about Hawley, you can probably guess how she responds to some of the questions posed to her by Nat Geo. She is a straight-shooter who doesn’t pull any punches. She’s also not afraid to share her opinions and tell you exactly what she is feeling. For instance, when pressed on the topic of having a mountain named after her, she simply says that “mountains should not be named after people, whether living or dead … I think it’s crazy.”
As always, Miss Elizabeth has some interesting opinions to share and an interview with her is a delight. Read the entire thing by clicking here.
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