Keen, Dora, 1871-

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One of the world's first female mountaineers, Dora Keen (born 1871), defied social norms of the day by taking up mountain climbing and traveling and becoming the first person to climb the peak of Mount Blackburn, the highest peak in the Wrangell Mountains range, Alaska. Keen's 1911 expedition to Mount Blackburn was a groundbreaking trip in several ways; it was the first expedition to use dogs on a mountain, the first to succeed without Swiss guides, the first to camp in snow caves, and the first to make a prolonged night ascent. Her first expedition to the peak was undertaken with only four gold-miners (Charlie McGonagall, Pete Anderson, Billy Taylor and Tom Lloyd) and a team of sled dogs. After multiple attempts to reach the summit via various routes, inadequate supplies and bad weather forced the party to turn back after two weeks. Keen returned to Mount Blackburn with George W. Handy; they successfully reached the summit on May 19, 1912 (by way of the Kennicott Glacier and East Face). The couple would marry four years later. In 1960, it was discovered that the eastern peak (now called Mount Kennedy) climbed by Keen, was the shorter of the two peaks of Mount Blackburn.

From the description of Dora Keen photograph collection, 1911 [graphic]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 294330950

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Keen, Dora, b. 1871. Dora Keen photograph collection, 1911 [graphic]. University of Washington. Libraries
referencedIn Alfred Hulse Brooks photographs and papers, 1892-1955, 1898-1924 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Hoffman, Benjamin Rose, 1879-1958. Papers, 1885-1951 (inclusive) 1921-1951 (bulk). Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Century Company records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Brooks, Alfred H. (Alfred Hulse), 1871-1924. person
correspondedWith Century Company corporateBody
correspondedWith Dellenbaugh, Frederick Samuel, 1853-1935 person
associatedWith Hoffman, Benjamin Rose, 1879-1958. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Alaska
Wrangell Mountains (Alaska)
Blackburn, Mount (Alaska)
Subject
Glaciers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering expeditions
Mountains
Snow and ice climbing
Women mountaineers
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1871

Death 1963-01-31

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SNAC ID: 39653348