Vera Norwood

Light, power, space, and sun: Women in landscapes of adventure

Abstract Based on the accounts of four late-twentieth century adventurers, this paper summarizes the values women locate in wilderness expeditions. Women who decide to take on the explorers role often weigh their achievements against perceived male codes, and seek to balance what they see as masculine styles of adventure with norms springing from female culture. Whether building a cabin in the wilderness, trekking across the desert by camel, sailing alone through the ocean, or climbing an 8,000 meter peak in the Himalayas, these women express similar frustration in dealing with male colleagues, elation in achieving survival skills in the wilderness, and responsibility for reciprocal relations with the natural world encountered.