Snow of Tomorrow | Women in the Mountains, finding their Place in a Profoundly Gendered Environment

“Putting women in the spotlight in the mountains and raising the profile of their successes and inspiring career paths” ; the unchanged ambition of the fifth edition of the “Femmes en Montagne” festival, taking place in Annecy (France), stands as a groundbreaking event that shakes the profoundly gendered world of the mountains!

Since 2019, this festival has brought together almost 4,000 spectators over 4 days around the values of sports, gender diversity and inclusion. While many mountain film festivals take place every year a few weeks before the first big snowfalls, fueling the excitement of enthusiasts, the “Femmes en Montagne” festival seeks to take a different path. Through a competition of international films and shorts, as well as roundtable discussions and workshops, the organizers focus on women's mountain cinema, inclusion, accessibility and ecological commitment. It’s no longer a question of performance but also of life stories and deeper reflections around our impacts within the mountains.

However, let it not be assumed that women and mountains are not bound to go hand in hand with performance and surpass one’s limits! Take as an example the British runner Jasmin Paris completed the Barkley Marathons (160 kilometers and 18,000 ascents) this year in 59 h 58 min 21s being the first women who finished one of the most difficult races in the world. Or the American athlete's Hillary Gerardi, who broke the women’s record during her ascension of the Mont Blanc in 7h25 last year. Who can say that women can't reach the top? Who can claim that women aren't capable of achieving greatness?

Following the example of the “Femmes en Montagne” festival, many non-mixed mountain sports organizations have sprung up in recent years, revealing a desire to feminize the sport. Mixed-gendered groups do not seem to be sufficiently meeting the expectations of women athletes. In the French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, six groups and organizations were created between 2015 and 2020: “Cool adventures make happy girls”, “Féder'elles”, “Women's Mountain Club”, “Lead The Climb”, “Femmes en Montagne”, “Groupe Alpinisme Féminin 74” (GAF) and “Girls to the Top”. Beyond this determination of women to come together to practice mountain sports, these organizations raise real issues of gender inequality in sport. Why do so many women feel the need to get together to practice mountain sports?

Conquest of the summits and high-risk mountain sports: men, again and again.

Since their very beginnings, mountain sports have been dominated by men. Mountaineering is a striking example of this. Cécile Ottogali-Mazzacavallo, a teacher and researcher at the University of Lyon (France) declares that “the history of mountaineering speaks in the name of its male heroes.”

Indeed, from the first conquests of the summits right up to the present day, mountains have been dominated by men, and by a very heroic ideal. Women are thus invisibilized, leading to a form of exclusion. However, women have been involved in mountaineering since the very beginning. In France, mountaineers such as Marie Paradis and Henriette d'Angeville defied societal norms by climbing Mont Blanc in 1808 and 1838, respectively. At a time when women were confined to domestic roles, venturing to the roof of Europe was a remarkable achievement. 

On a broader scale, high-risk sports are socially represented as a male practice. Nicolas Penin, senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Artois (France), compares mountain sports areas as “terrains for the expression of masculine values” and “strongholds of virility”. The stereotypical values traditionally associated with femininity, such as gentleness, safety and concern for others, appear to be inadequate in this environment. The imaginary of the mountains is therefore masculine. According to Christine Mennesson, a sociologist and specialist in the construction of gender in the world of sport, this gendered system of male dominance is internalized by women. Professional mountaineer Marion Poitevin explains:

 “For a long time, I thought I was protected from gender inequality (or patriarchy) by being up in the mountains, far from the world “down below”. Facing the wall, we're all in the same predicament. But we are in fact conditioned and shaped by these inequalities. They are the foundation of our society. And we carry them with us everywhere. It's a huge task to get rid of them. On the summits, too.”

The association “Lead The Climb” offers over 200 training courses for women every year. The closing words on the association's website give us a pretty clear idea of their point of view: “In the mountains, it's not strength that counts, but skills. And in this respect, women and men have the same capacity to learn and progress.”

Today, due to ongoing efforts to elevate women in mountain sports, these activities are gradually becoming more inclusive and representative of women.

In 2024, the “Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins de Montagne” (FFCAM) shared that 40% of its 110,000 members were women. Mountaineering competitions are also a good indicator of women's place in the sport. The Grand Parcours Alpinisme de Chamonix, an amateur race, also highlights the feminization of the sport. Bertrand Sanglard, in charge of development for the FFCAM, reports that 43% of participants are women. Nevertheless, the final aim is to encourage feminization not only in amateur practice, but also in the professionalization of mountaineering and in the governing bodies, where the number of women remains marginal.

What about the future?

Mountaineering is a powerful illustration of the inequalities between men and women in the realm of mountain sports. Often considered as the pinnacle of mountaineering in terms of risk-taking, strength and courage, it provides a unique lens for questioning the role and representation of women. History tends to erase women, with narratives favoring gender stereotypes and glorifying masculine ideals.

Opening up awareness, creating a dynamic for change, breaking down mental barriers, giving people the tools to practice mountain sports, and inspiring future generations: these are a few of the aspirations of non-mixed groups. With the support of mountain film festivals like Femmes En Montagnes, the mountains are gradually paving the way to becoming a more inclusive space. Let’s not forget that the final aim is to move towards gender diversity in mountain sports.

Younger generations are starting to change the rules. French Freeride World Tour snowboarder Noémie Equy, 23, is leading by example. From an early age, she recognized the obstacles women face in the world of sports; thus, Noémie set up the “Sister's Camp” project in 2024 with the aim of “seeing high-level sport differently and breaking the codes.” Athletes like Anna Martinez, who finished third in the Freeride World Tour 2024, and Isabeau Coudurier, a three-time world champion in Enduro MTB, showed their interest in taking part in this program. Through 5 days of physical preparation and workshops, the first edition of her project gives real visibility to what women aspire to: taking the place they deserve.

Though international researchers are taking a growing interest in focusing on this subject, the most important challenge lies in raising awareness among a broader community of mountain enthusiasts to inspire a deeper understanding of gender issues.