On September 2, 1908, Peck reached the summit of the North Peak of Huascarán in Peru, achieving what was then claimed as the highest altitude reached in the Western Hemisphere by anyone.
On September 2, 1908, at the age of 58, Annie Smith Peck achieved the first ascent of the North Peak of Mount Huascarán in Peru, one of the highest mountains in the Andes and in the Western Hemisphere. This grueling expedition required multiple attempts over several years, immense physical endurance, and technical climbing skill using ice axes and ropes in treacherous, unmapped terrain.
The achievement was extraordinary not only for its physical demands but because Peck accomplished it as a woman well past what society considered a climber's prime, in an era when women were rarely permitted to engage in strenuous outdoor pursuits, let alone lead international mountaineering expeditions. She financed her own expeditions through lecturing and writing, defying financial and social barriers.
Peck's climb was later scientifically measured, and though initial claims about it being the "highest point reached in the Western Hemisphere" were later contested by rival climbers and reassessed with modern surveying, the ascent remains a landmark achievement in mountaineering history. In recognition of her feat, the Lima Geographical Society later named the northern summit of Huascarán "Cumbre Ana Peck" (Ana Peck Peak) in her honor.
This achievement cemented her reputation as one of the greatest mountaineers of her time, male or female, and became a symbol of women's capability in exploration and endurance sports, inspiring future generations of female climbers and adventurers.