Freda Du Faur (1882-1935) was the first known female mountaineer to ascend Aoraki/Mount Cook. She was also the fastest climber - reaching the summit in 6 hours (beating the previous record by 2 hours), and after staying atop for 2 hours, descending in 6.5 hours. She was photographed during her descent from the summit in front of a boulder to commemorate the historic climb. The boulder, now called "Freda's Rock", is located approximately 200 metres into the Hooker Valley Track at Mount Cook National Park.

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"Freda Du Faur extended the limits of the possible, not just for women, but for all guided climbers of the period. Key factors were her rock-climbing ability, determination, and physical fitness." 

Source:  Graham Langton. 'Du Faur, Emmeline Freda', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1996, updated December, 2005. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand   

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DU FAUR received alpine training during 1908 & 1909

MAKING MOUNTAINEERING HISTORY, 3 DEC 1910 

Freda Du Faur stated in her book "The conquest of Mount Cook and other climbs" (1915): 

"We were within a few feet of the top. They sent me on alone the length of the rope. I gained the summit and waited for them, feeling very little, very lonely, and much inclined to cry. They caught my hands and shook them, their eyes glowing with pleasure and pride, and with an effort I swallowed the lump in my throat and laughed instead. Then we all began talking at once; it was only 8.40 a.m., and we had beaten any previous record by two hours and I a mere woman! I felt bewildered, and could not realize that the goal I had dreamed of and striven for for years was beneath my feet. I turned to them with a flash and asked if it were "really, truly the summit of Mount Cook," whereat they laughed very much and bade me look. Truly we were on top of the world, our little island world."  (p. 104)

Freda Du Faur described their arrival back at their base camp tent: 

"Arriving, just as I turned to go into my tent, Peter caught my hand and Alex stood beside me smiling. "Now we will congratulate you, now we are safe down and have beaten all previous records. Look!" and drawing out his watch he pointed to the time, 5.30 p.m. "By Jove! six hours up, two hours there, six and a half down; that time will take some beating, little lady," and Alex shook my other hand vigorously. "Thanks to the two finest guides in the mountains, it will," I answered.."  (Ibid, p. 107)

Freda's reflections on being an unmarried woman mountaineer & stereotypes of women in sport

"I was the first unmarried woman who had wanted to climb in New Zealand, and in consequence I received all the hard knocks until one day when I awoke more or less famous in the mountaineering world, after which I could and did do exactly as seemed to me best." (Ibid, p. 37) 

"Superstitions die hard, and being perfectly well aware that the average person's idea of a woman capable of real mountaineering or any sport demanding physical fitness and good staying power, is a masculine-looking female with short hair, a loud voice and large feet, it always gives me particular pleasure to upset this preconceived picture. In the year of grace 1910 a love of fresh air and exercise is not a purely masculine prerogative, fortunately, and should be quite easily associated with a love of beauty and personal daintiness, which the last generation deemed impossible except to the type of woman to whom personal adornment is the one serious pursuit in life."  (Ibid, p. 110) 

Du Faur's OTHER MOUNTAINEERING FEATS, 1910 - FEB 1913

The following information (Year, Name of mountain and Height) is listed in Wikipedia: Freda Du Faur 

Obituary & Tributes

Monument Australia: Plaque inscription

                                                                                                   Freda Du Faur 

                                                                                16 September 1882 - 11 September 1935 

                                                          A pioneering Mountaineer of the New Zealand Southern Alps. 

                                                         The first woman to summit Mount Cook (12,349 ft) on the 3rd

                                                                                                  December 1910.  

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This DigitalNZ story was updated in November 2024