Mountaineering Bonnie Prudden

bonnie prudden climbing in shawangunks (gunks), new paltz, new york, 1953

she first climbed in gunks in 1936 husband along fritz wiessner , hans kraus. in winter of 1937, however, badly fractured pelvis in skiing accident, followed 3 months in traction , doctors prediction limp, no longer able ski, climb, dance, or able have children. nevertheless, daughter joan ellen born in may, 1939 , susan ann in august, 1943. rehabilitated herself chair exercise , aqua-exercise music. prudden went on become first woman hold national ski patrol badge, , formed addlepate ski club, first dry ski club in country. children 8 eighteen , became basis first jr. ski patrols. on eleven years taught 1,000 children ages 8 eighteen without 1 fracture. work awarded eastern amateur ski association ski safety.

seven years after injury, prudden returned gunks, partnering friend hans kraus. 1946 1955 (mentored hans kraus) became prominent woman climber documented 30 first ascents in shawangunks mountains. in 1952, prudden , kraus attempted new climbing route on cliff known trapps. after attempting crux overhand, kraus backed off, handing lead prudden. able find piton placement had eluded hans @ crux, , went on claim first ascent of “bonnie’s roof”. since then, has stated , kraus climbed equal partners, swapping leads. stopped climbing in 1959 said working fourteen-hour days , no longer had weekends off.

after hirschlands divorced in 1954 bonnie changed name legally bonnie prudden. never remarried.