Celebrating Junko Tabei and 50 Years of Women on Everest – with Tori James, Jo Bradshaw & Rosemary J Brown

This special episode of the Tough Girl Podcast brings together three incredible women—Tori James, Jo Bradshaw, and Rosemary J Brown—for an inspiring conversation about legacy, mountains, and the enduring spirit of women in adventure.

We’re diving deep into the story of Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Mount Everest in 1975, and celebrating the 50th anniversary of her historic climb. Despite her groundbreaking achievement, Junko’s name is still unfamiliar to many. Tori, Jo, and Rosemary are determined to change that.

In this episode, we talk about how Junko inspired a life-changing all-female expedition to Yala Peak in Nepal, the launch of the First Females Podcast (May 16th 2025), and the wider mission to highlight the stories of women who were the first from their countries to stand on the roof of the world.

You’ll hear about:

• Rosemary’s journey to the mountains in her 70s.
• Tori’s return to Nepal, 18 years after climbing Everest.
• Jo’s vision for a meaningful anniversary tribute.
• The power of visibility, representation, and saying yes to adventure—at any age.

This episode is a beautiful tribute to Junko’s legacy, a reminder of the power of community, and a call to action for anyone ready to find their own summit. #MyJunkoJourney

***

Past episodes with Jo, Tori & Rosemary:

Tori James - https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/single-post/2015/09/29/tough-girl-tori-james-first-welsh-women-to-climb-everest 

Rosemary J Brown - https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/single-post/brown-1 

Jo Bradshaw - https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/single-post/2016/09/15/tough-girl-extra-catching-up-with-mountaineer-expedition-leader-jo-bradshaw-discussing-he 

Jo Bradshaw TGP Extra - https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/single-post/jo-bradshawtge 

***

 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.

.css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}