Mountains took my family - but I love them
Scot Kate Ballard lost her mum and her brother on mountaineering expeditions to the Himalayas. But Kate still loves mountains - being on the slopes helps her deal with her grief.
Scot Kate Ballard is the daughter of world-famous mountaineer Alison Hargreaves. In 1995, when Kate was just four, Alison was caught in a storm on K2 in the Himalayas and died. Despite the tragedy, Kate and her brother Tom were raised by their dad to love the slopes and it soon became clear that Tom shared his mother's climbing talent. But sadly he would also share her fate. Kate speaks to Jo Fidgen about travel to the Himalayas and how, despite her personal losses, her love of the mountains is undiminished. A film about the family is called The Last Mountain. It's by director Chris Terrill and is available to watch on 麻豆官网首页入口 iPlayer and via online streaming services.
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Katy Takatsuki
(Photo: Kate Ballard. Credit: Ballard Images)
Featured in...
![]()
Stories from the top of the World—Outlook
Tales from people who've tackled some of the world's most challenging climbs
Podcast
-
![]()
The Outlook Podcast Archive
True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives
