Bolivia's daredevil female mountaineers

A group of indigenous women decided to toss their aprons for mountain-climbing gear

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DATE IMPORTED:April 21, 2016Aymara indigenous women practice descending on a glacier at the Huayna Potosi mountain, Bolivia.
Aymara indigenous women practice climbing on a glacier of the Huayna Potosi mountain on the outskirts of La Paz, Bolivia, on April 6, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mercado)Many of these women had for years worked as cooks or porters at the Huayna Potosi base camp, helping tourists climb the mountains they had only gazed upon from below. ")

Lidia Huayllas, 48, and Dora Magueno, 50, stand near Milluni lake, with the Huayna Potosi mountain in the background, in Bolivia on April 6, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mercado))

The group prepares for their climb at the Huayna Potosi mountain refuge in Bolivia on April 6, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mercado))

Walking toward the Huayna Potosi mountain, elevation 19,974 feet, on April 6, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mercado))

Climbing the Illimani mountain on the outskirts of La Paz, Bolivia, April 17, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mayta))

Rufina Llusco sits in her tent before ascending the Illimani mountain, on the outskirts of La Paz, Bolivia, on April 16, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mercado))

A woman fixes her hair before ascending the Illimani mountain on April 16, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mercado))

Women practice descending on a glacier at the Huayna Potosi mountain in Bolivia on April 6, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mercado))

Domitila Alana, 42, Bertha Vedia, 48, Lidia Huayllas, 48, and Dora Magueno, 50, pose for a photograph at the Huayna Potosi mountain in Bolivia on April 6, 2016.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/David Mercado))

Lauren Hansen
Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.