Living and climbing in Scotland, the 33-year old mum of two had spent the previous year practising for the ascent on the slopes of Ben Nevis.
An experienced solo climber, Hargreaves had previously scaled all six major Alpine peaks, including the Eiger and the Matterhorn, while pregnant in the summer of 1993.
Sadly, months after conquering Everest, Hargreaves died during an ascent on K2, the world’s second-highest mountain. Having reached the summit, Hargreaves and five other climbers were swept to their deaths when severe storms battered the peak.
20 years later, Alison’s son Tom followed in his mother’s Alpine footsteps by becoming the first climber to scale the six major peaks in winter.
