Born: 1939 (Rural Tibet)
Died: 2014
Biography:
Phanthog, also known as Phantog, was a Tibetan mountaineer who made history with her remarkable achievements on Mount Everest. She was born in 1939 into a serf family in rural Tibet, and her life was marked by hardships from an early age. At the tender age of eight, her father passed away, leaving her and her mother to navigate the challenges of life on their own. To support the family, Phanthog had to toil long days, performing arduous manual labor.
However, her life took a transformative turn when she was chosen to be part of the Chinese female mountaineering team at the age of 20. Her exceptional physical condition earned her this opportunity while she was working in a factory. In 1959, Phanthog reached new heights, quite literally, by summiting Muztagh Ata in Xinjiang. This achievement broke the record for the highest altitude ever reached by a female mountaineer, standing at an impressive 7,509 meters (24,636 ft).
Phanthog’s greatest conquest came in 1975 when she successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest. She became the first Chinese woman and the second woman overall to conquer the formidable mountain, following in the footsteps of Junko Tabei. What set Phanthog’s feat apart was that she achieved this triumph via the North Face route, an arduous and treacherous path less traversed by mountaineers.
Phanthog’s ascent of Everest was undertaken as part of a Chinese-Tibetan expedition. Alongside eight other members, she formed a victory team that had set out from Everest Base Camp. Despite the challenges posed by altitude sickness, Phanthog persevered and emerged as the sole woman standing within the team. The victorious summiters spent an awe-inspiring 70 minutes at the peak, with Phanthog even taking seven minutes to perform an ECG test as part of a medical experiment. Her dedication to both mountaineering and furthering scientific understanding was evident during this brief moment atop the world.
However, the remarkable achievement came at a great personal cost. Phanthog lost three of her toes to frostbite, a lasting reminder of the harsh conditions she endured during her climb. Yet, this did not deter her from continuing her contributions to society. In the years following her mountaineering triumphs, Phanthog served as a deputy in the National People’s Congress for five terms and became the vice director of the Wuxi Sports Administration in 1981. Her dedication to sports and physical activity continued to inspire others, even as she advanced in age.
In 2008, at the age of 70, Phanthog returned to Everest Base Camp to celebrate the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. This remarkable journey was her way of honoring the spirit of athleticism and bridging the connection between her mountaineering accomplishments and the world of sports. Her commitment to these ideals was further recognized when she was chosen, alongside seven other former athletes, to carry the Olympic flag into the opening ceremony of the Olympics that same year.
Phanthog’s contributions to the world of mountaineering and sports were honored in 2009 by China’s State General Administration of Sports. She was recognized as one of the 60 most influential Chinese athletes since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Her achievements represented not only personal triumphs but also a testament to the strength, perseverance, and dedication of women in mountaineering.
On March 31, 2014, Phanthog passed away at the age of 75 due to complications related to diabetes. Her legacy lives on not only through her groundbreaking mountaineering achievements but also through her status as a pioneer and role model for women in the world of sports. Phanthog’s unwavering spirit and determination continue to inspire countless individuals, proving that with passion and resilience, even the highest peaks can be conquered.