Sue Fear
Encyclopedia
Susan Erica Fear was an Australian mountain climber, passionate supporter of the Fred Hollows Foundation and a 2005 recipient of the Order of Australia medal in the Queen's birthday honours. Her life and climbing career is illustrated in the book Fear No Boundary: The Road to Everest and Beyond, written by fellow climber Lincoln Hall
with Sue Fear, and published in Melbourne by Lothian Books in 2005.
, Australia, Sue was the middle child in her family, with two brothers Grahame and John. Her parents were Ron and Joan Fear. Her mother Joan died from breast cancer
in May 1988, and her father Ron died unexpectedly of a heart attack in June 2002.
Fear attended St Ives
North Public School in her primary school years where she was the School Captain
, and later attended Abbotsleigh
(7-10) where she was the Softball Captain, and Barker College
(11-12) in Sydney's north where she was a prefect and the Captain of both Hockey and Cricket. While at school she attained the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award.
(7,680 m) in Nepal. She followed this with ascents of Cho Oyu
(8,201 m) in 1998 and Shishapangma
(8,046 m) in 2002. In 2003, Fear climbed Everest
(8,848 m) from the more difficult Tibetan side on the North Col
. She was the first Australian-born woman and the second Australian woman overall to do so. She then successfully summitted Gasherbrum II
(8,035 m) in Pakistan the following year (2004). Her final climb was to Manaslu
(8,156 m) in 2006, which she successfully summited.
and for services to mountaineering, which will have an eye clinic named after her in Dhading. Fear was also named the 2003 Adventurer of the Year by the Australian Geographic Society. She was an ambassador for the Australian Himalayan Foundation, and also helped raise funds for Australian Nepalese Medical Group.
in Nepal. Manaslu was her fifth climb of a mountain over 8000 metres. Her body remains on the mountain, honouring an earlier request if she were to die whilst climbing a mountain. A plaque now lays in memory of her just above the town of Bandipur
on a small hill facing Manaslu.
Lincoln Hall (climber)
Lincoln Hall is a veteran Australian mountain climber and author. Hall is the author of White Limbo, the story of the first Australian team to climb Mount Everest. While others in the team made it to the top, Hall was forced to turn back close to the summit due to illness...
with Sue Fear, and published in Melbourne by Lothian Books in 2005.
Early life
Born in St Ives, New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia, Sue was the middle child in her family, with two brothers Grahame and John. Her parents were Ron and Joan Fear. Her mother Joan died from breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in May 1988, and her father Ron died unexpectedly of a heart attack in June 2002.
Fear attended St Ives
St Ives, New South Wales
St Ives is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. St Ives is located 18 kilometres north of the Sydney Central Business District in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council...
North Public School in her primary school years where she was the School Captain
School Captain
School Captain is a student appointed or elected to represent the school.This student, usually in the senior year, in their final year of attending that school...
, and later attended Abbotsleigh
Abbotsleigh
Abbotsleigh School for Girls is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for girls, located in Wahroonga, on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
(7-10) where she was the Softball Captain, and Barker College
Barker College
Barker College is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school, located in Hornsby, a North Shore suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded in 1890 by the Reverend Henry Plume at Kurrajong Heights, Barker is an all-boys school from Kindergarten to Year 9, and co-educational from...
(11-12) in Sydney's north where she was a prefect and the Captain of both Hockey and Cricket. While at school she attained the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award.
Career
After leaving school, Fear took an office job with Wilderness Expeditions, an adventure travel company. That company was later acquired by World Expeditions, and she moved out of the office and into the field. She became an adventure guide and led cross country ski trips in Australia as well as treks in Africa, South America and Asia. She was recognised as one of the company's senior guides, leading many physically challenging mountaineering expeditions.Climbing career achievements
Between 1997 and 2006 Fear climbed five of the world's fourteen 8000-metre peaks. Her climbing career took off in 1997 when she led the first successful ascent by an Australian team of Makalu IIMakalu
Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world at and is located southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and China...
(7,680 m) in Nepal. She followed this with ascents of Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world at above sea level. Cho Oyu lies in the Himalayas and is 20 km west of Mount Everest, at the border between China and Nepal...
(8,201 m) in 1998 and Shishapangma
Shishapangma
Xixabangma, frequently spelled Shishapangma or Shisha Pangma , also called Gosainthān , is the fourteenth-highest mountain in the world and, at 8,013 m , the lowest of the eight-thousanders...
(8,046 m) in 2002. In 2003, Fear climbed Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
(8,848 m) from the more difficult Tibetan side on the North Col
North Col
The North Col refers to a sharp-edged pass or col carved by glaciers connecting Mount Everest and Changtse in Tibet. It forms the head of the East Rongbuk Glacier....
. She was the first Australian-born woman and the second Australian woman overall to do so. She then successfully summitted Gasherbrum II
Gasherbrum II
Gasherbrum II , also known as K4, is the 13th highest mountain on Earth, located on the border of Gilgit-Baltistan province, Pakistan and Xinjiang, China...
(8,035 m) in Pakistan the following year (2004). Her final climb was to Manaslu
Manaslu
Manaslu , also known as Kutang) is the eighth highest mountain in the world, and is located in the Mansiri Himal, part of the Nepalese Himalayas, in the west-central part of Nepal. Its name, which means "Mountain of the Spirit", comes from the Sanskrit word Manasa, meaning "intellect" or "soul"...
(8,156 m) in 2006, which she successfully summited.
Recognition
Fear was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2005 for her work as Ambassador for The Fred Hollows FoundationThe Fred Hollows Foundation
The Fred Hollows Foundation is a non-profit aid organization based in Australia founded in 1992 by eye surgeon Fred Hollows. The Foundation focuses on treating and preventing blindness and other vision problems...
and for services to mountaineering, which will have an eye clinic named after her in Dhading. Fear was also named the 2003 Adventurer of the Year by the Australian Geographic Society. She was an ambassador for the Australian Himalayan Foundation, and also helped raise funds for Australian Nepalese Medical Group.
Final climb
Fear died on Sunday, 28 May 2006, when she fell into a crevasse (approx. 7800 m) while descending from the summit of ManasluManaslu
Manaslu , also known as Kutang) is the eighth highest mountain in the world, and is located in the Mansiri Himal, part of the Nepalese Himalayas, in the west-central part of Nepal. Its name, which means "Mountain of the Spirit", comes from the Sanskrit word Manasa, meaning "intellect" or "soul"...
in Nepal. Manaslu was her fifth climb of a mountain over 8000 metres. Her body remains on the mountain, honouring an earlier request if she were to die whilst climbing a mountain. A plaque now lays in memory of her just above the town of Bandipur
Bandipur
Bandipur is a hilltop settlement in Tanahu District, of Nepal. Because of its preserved, old time cultural atmosphere, Bandipur has increasingly been coming to the attention of tourism...
on a small hill facing Manaslu.