Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part I : Called by mountains -- Annie Smith Peck : a woman above them all -- Rosaly Lopes: where passion leads -- Constanza Ceruti : climbing sacred mountains with a humble heart -- Sophia Danenberg : reaching the highest summit -- Part II : Seeking nature -- Marianne North : picturing nature -- Martha Maxwell : exploring wildlife in the Rockies -- Ynes Mexia : in pursuit of unknown flora -- Margaret Lowman : life in the treetops -- Pamela Rasmussen : birding across continents -- Kate Jackson : in quest of scaly, slimy creatures -- Aparajita Datta : vanishing wildlife and forgotten people -- Part III : Exploring the world's water -- Eleanor Cressy : she sets the course -- Kate Cottee : alone on the high seas -- Edie Widder : into the deep, dark sea -- Jill Fredston : rowing along cold coasts -- Stephanie Schwabe : diving into the dark frontier -- Part IV : Long treks -- Isabella Bird Bishop : health, horses, adventure -- Annie Kopchovsky "Londonderry" : pedaling around the world with chutzpah -- Helga Estby : the long walk across America -- Freya Stark : a fashionable nomad -- Alexandra David-N��eel : seeking the unknown -- Helen Thayer : facing fear in the Far North -- Kira Salak : discoveries in two worlds.

"The stories of two dozen fascinating female explorers, from a wide range of eras, cultures, races, and economic backgrounds, are profiled in this entertaining and educational resource. Each of the women profiled overcame many obstacles to satisfy her curiosity and passions, including Eleanor Creesy, who was a ship's navigator in the 1800s; Kate Jackson, an insatiable investigator of venomous snakes whose work has led her to remote Africa and Latin America; and Constanza Ceruti, the world's only female high-elevation archaeologist, who carries out excavations on the Earth's highest peaks in dangerously thin air and subzero temperatures. Offering not only important historical context but also original interviews with many intriguing modern explorers, this who's who of women explorers will provide inspiration to today's young women interested in nature, science, and a physical challenge"--